37 – Ukumkani uSolomon

₁Lithe lakufika ixesha lokunduluka kukaDavide emhlabeni, wamyalela unyana wakhe uSolomon wathi: ₂“Mna sendiza kuwushiya umhlaba. Ngoko ke wena yomelela ngokwendoda, ₃ungaphazami ukuhamba ngokwesimiso *sikaNdikhoyo uThixo wakho. Hamba endleleni yakhe, uyithobele imimiselo nemithetho yakhe, nayo yonke imigaqo nemiqathango ayimisileyo, njengoko yabhalwayo emthethweni kaMosis. Xa usenjenjalo ke, uya kuba nenkqubela kuyo yonke into oyenzayo, uphumelele naphi na apho ukhoyo. ₄Ke yena uNdikhoyo wosifezekisa isithembiso sakhe kum. Kaloku yena wathi: ‘Ukuba izizukulwana zakho zithe zaziphatha ngendlela efanelekileyo, zanyaniseka, zathembeka kum ngentliziyo yonke nangomphefumlo wonke, ngenene soze ingabikho indoda yendlu yakho kwisihlalo solawulo lwakwaSirayeli.’

₅“Ngoku ke, mfo wam, uyayazi into awandenza yona uJowabhi unyana kaZeruya, nditsho into awayenzayo kwiinjengele ezimbini zomkhosi kaSirayeli, uAbhinere unyana kaNere noAmasa unyana kaYetere. Kaloku wababulala, waliphalaza igazi labo ngexesha loxolo, kwanga kusemfazweni, wayidyobha ngalo ibhanti eyayisesinqeni sakhe neembadada ezazisezinyaweni zakhe. ₆Into omawuyenze kuye wozibonela ngokobulumko bakho, kodwa uze ungamyeki afe ngenxa yokwaluphala, aze aye engcwabeni enoxolo.

₇“Kodwa ke uze wenze ngezibele koonyana bakaBhazilayi waseGiliyadi. Bona mababe phakathi kwâbo batya kunye nawe esithebeni sakho. Kaloku babengakum ngokuya ndandibaleka umntakwenu uAbhasalom. ₈Uze ungamlibali uShimeyi unyana kaGera, umBhenjamin waseBhawurim, lowa wandishwabulela endiqalekisa kabuhlungu mhla ndandisiya eMahanayim. Wathi akuhla endihlangabeza eJordan, ndafunga uNdikhoyo ndathi andisayi kumbulala ngekrele. ₉Kodwa ke ngoku uze ungamthathi njengongenatyala. Kaloku wena ungumfo onobulumko, ngoko ke akuyi kuxakwa yinto onokuyenza kuye. Mse engcwabeni izimvi zakhe zinegazi.”

₁₀Ke kaloku uDavide waya kuphumla kunye nooyise-mkhulu, waza wafihlwa kwisixeko sikaDavide. ₁₁KwaSirayeli walawula iminyaka engamashumi amane. Yaba yiminyaka esixhenxe eHebron, yangamashumi mathathu anantathu eJerusalem. ₁₂USolomon ke wangena esihlalweni sikayise uDavide, lwaza ulawulo lwakhe lwazinza.

₁₃Ke kaloku uAdoniya, unyana kaHagiti, waya kuBhashebha, unina kaSolomon. Ke yena uBhasheba wathi: “Ngaba uza ngoxolo na?”

UAdoniya waphendula wathi: “Ewe, ndiza ngoxolo.” ₁₄Waphinda wathi: “Kukho into endifuna ukuyithetha kuwe.”

UBhashebha wathi: “Kulungile; thetha.”

₁₅Waqhuba uAdoniya wathi: “Njengoko usazi ulawulo yayilolwam, uSirayeli wonke ekhangele kum njengokumkani wakhe. Kodwa izinto zajika, ulawulo lwajika lwawela kumntakwethu uSolomon; nto leyo ke yamiselwa *nguNdikhoyo. ₁₆Kambe ke ngoku ndinasicelo sinye endifuna ukusenza kuwe; uze uncede ungasikhabi.”

UBhashebha waphendula wathi: “Kulungile; thetha ndive.”

₁₇Waqhuba ke wathi: “Khawuncede uthethe nokumkani uSolomon; akanakwala kuwe. Ndifuna andinike uAbhishagi, intombi yomShunemi, abe ngumfazi wam.”

₁₈UBhashebha ke wathi: “Kulungile; ndiya kukuthethela kukumkani.”

₁₉UBhashebha ke waya kukumkani uSolomon, esiya kuthethelela uAdoniya. Akumbona ke ukumkani, waphakama wamhlangabeza, wakhahlela, waza ke wachopha esihlalweni sakhe. Wathi makuziwe nesihlalo, ukuze ahlale kuso unina, waza ke wamhlalisa ngasekunene kwakhe. ₂₀UBhashebha ke wathi: “Ndinesicelo esinye endifuna ukusenza kuwe; uze ungalanduli.”

Ukumkani waphendula wathi: “Thetha, mama; andiyi kulandula.”

₂₁Waqhuba ke wathi: “Kunganjani xa uAbhishagi umShunemikazi enikelwa kumntakwenu uAdoniya abe ngumkakhe?”

₂₂Ukumkani uSolomon uphendule unina wathi: “Ngani ukuba uAbhishagi umShunemikazi umfunele uAdoniya? Kungcono umcelele obu bukumkani buphela – andithi kaloku yena ngumkhuluwa – abe yena exhaswa ngumbingeleli uAbhiyatare noJowabhi unyana kaZeruya!”

₂₃Ukumkani uSolomon wafunga uNdikhoyo wathi: “Makandohlwaye uThixo nokuba kuqatha kangakanani na, ukuba uAdoniya akafanga ngenxa yeli lizwi. ₂₄Ewe, ekho nje uNdikhoyo, lo undimiseleyo ndazinza kwisihlalo sikabawo uDavide, yena lo undenzele umlibo ngokwesithembiso sakhe, inene namhlanje uza kufa uAdoniya!” ₂₅Ke ukumkani uSolomon wayalela uBhenaya unyana kaJoyada, waza wamgwaza uAdoniya, wafa.

₂₆Ukumkani ke wathi kumbingeleli uAbhiyatare: “Wena ke phindela emasimini akho eAnatoti. Ufanelwe kukufa, kambe ke andiyi kukubulala kwangoku, kuba yayithwalwa nguwe ityesi yomnqophiso *kaNdikhoyo uThixo ngexesha likabawo uDavide, futhi wawuzithwele kunye nobawo iimbandezelo zakhe.” ₂₇Ngoko ke uSolomon wamkhiqa uAbhiyatare kububingeleli, ezalisekisa ilizwi awalithethayo uNdikhoyo eShilo malunga nendlu kaEli.

₂₈Akuziva ezi ndaba uJowabhi – kaloku naye wayekho kwiyelenqe lika-Adoniya, nangona wayengekho kwelika-Abhasalom – suka ke yena wabalekela *esibingelelweni sikaNdikhoyo, waya kubambelela ngeempondo zeqonga lamadini. ₂₉Waxelelwa ke uSolomon ukuba nanko uJowabhi ebaleke waya kubambelela ngeempondo zeqonga lamadini esibingelelweni sikaNdikhoyo. Wasuka wathuma uBhenaya unyana kaJoyada esithi: “Yiya umgwaze!”

₃₀UBhenaya ke waya esibingelelweni sikaNdikhoyo, wafika wathi kuJowabhi: “Ukumkani uthi: ‘Phuma apha!’ ”

Kambe ke yena waphendula wathi: “Andiphumi; ndiya kufela apha.”

UBhenaya ke waya kubika olo daba kukumkani, wathi: “UJowabhi uthetha ngolu hlobo; ewe, wenjenje ukuphendula.”

₃₁Ukumkani ke wathi kuBhenaya: “Yiya kuye, wenze njengokuthetha kwakhe. Mosele umngcwabe, ukuze mna nendlu kabawo sahlukane nobutyala ngegazi awaliphalazayo. ₃₂Kaloku yena wahlasela amadoda amabini wawabulala engadibananga nobawo uDavide. Omabini loo madoda, uAbhinere unyana kaNere, injengele yomkhosi wakwaSirayeli, kunye noAmasa unyana kaYetere, injengele yomkhosi wakwaJuda, ewe, omabini la madoda ayengcono enyanisekile kunaye. ₃₃Igazi labo malihlale phezu koJowabhi nezizukulwana zakhe naphakade, kambe ke kuDavide nezizukulwana zakhe, indlu yakhe nobukhosi bakhe, makuphumle uxolo lukaNdikhoyo ngonaphakade.”

₃₄Ngenene ke uBhenaya unyana kaJoyada waya wafika wamosela uJowabhi, waza ke wangcwatyelwa kumhlaba wakhe entlango. ₃₅Ke ukumkani wamisela uBhenaya unyana kaJoyada wayinjengele yomkhosi esikhundleni sikaJowabhi, waza endaweni ka-Abhiyatare wafaka umbingeleli uZadoki.

₃₆Waza ke ukumkani wathumela kuShimeyi wathi: “Zakhele indlu eJerusalem, uhlale kuyo, ungaze uphume khona uye naphi na. ₃₇Mhla waphuma wayiwela le ntili yeKedron, uze wazi ukuba ufile, kambe ke igazi lakho loba phezu kwentloko yakho.”

₃₈UShimeyi uphendule ngelithi kukumkani: “Uthethe kakuhle, mhlekazi. Isicaka sakho siya kuyenza loo nto uyithethileyo, nkosi yam kumkani.” Ngenene ke uShimeyi wahlala eJerusalem ithuba elide.

₃₉Ke kaloku emva kweminyaka emithathu amakhoboka amabini kaShimeyi abalekela kuAkishe unyana kaMahaka ukumkani waseGati, waza ke uShimeyi waxelelwa kwathiwa: “Uyabona, amakhoboka akho aseGati.”

₄₀Akuyiva ke le nto, wabopha idonki yakhe, waya kuAkishe eGati, efuna loo makhoboka. Ke uShimeyi wawafumana apho eGati amakhoboka lawo, wabuya nawo. ₄₁Waxelelwa ke uSolomon ukuba uShimeyi uphume eJerusalem waya eGati, waza waphinda wabuya. ₄₂Ukumkani ke wambiza uShimeyi, wathi kuye: “Kanene ndandingakufungisanga uNdikhoyo na ndikulumkisa ndisithi: ‘Mhla waphuma usiya naphi na ngaphandle, uze wazi ukuba ufile’? Ndathi ndakutsho kuwe wena waphendula usithi: ‘Uthethe kakuhle mhlekazi; ndiya kukuthobela.’ ₄₃Ngani ke ngoku ukuba ungasifezekisi isibhambathiso sakho kuNdikhoyo, uwuthobele nomyalelo wam?”

₄₄Waqhuba ukumkani wathi kuShimeyi: “Uyazazi kakuhle entliziyweni yakho zonke izinto ezimbi owazenzayo kubawo uDavide. Ngoku uNdikhoyo uza kukubuyekeza ngobugwenxa bakho. ₄₅Kambe ke yena ukumkani uSolomon uya kuthamsanqeleka, nesihlalo sikaDavide sohlala siluqilima phambi koNdikhoyo kude kube ngunaphakade.”

₄₆Ke ukumkani wayalela uBhenaya unyana kaJoyada, waza ke wamgwaza uShimeyi, wafa.

Kwesi sithuba ke ulawulo lwaluseluzinzile luluqilima esandleni sikaSolomon.

₁Ke kaloku uSolomon walamana nokumkani waseJiputa ngokuthatha intombi yakhe. Ke yona yeza kuhlala naye kwisixeko sikaDavide lada lagqitywa ukwakhiwa ibhotwe lakhe, ngokunjalo nendlu *kaNdikhoyo kunye nodonga olujikeleze iJerusalem. ₂Kambe ke bona abantu amadini babesawenzela ezindulini, kuba belingekakhelwa indlu igama likaNdikhoyo ngelo xesha. ₃USolomon ke wabonakalisa ukumthanda uNdikhoyo, kuba wayehamba ngokwemimiselo kayise uDavide, ngaphandle nje kwento yokuba wayesenza amadini neziqhumiso ezindulini.

₄Ukumkani waya eGibheyon, esiya kwenza amadini, kuba leyo yayiyeyona nduli ibalulekileyo, waza ke uSolomon wenza iwaka lamadini atshiswayo apho eqongeni. ₅Ke kaloku apho eGibheyon uNdikhoyo wabonakala kuSolomon ephupheni ebusuku, wathetha wenjenje: “Cela nantoni na ofuna ndikuphe yona.”

₆USolomon waphendula wathi: “Wena wasenzela ububele obukhulu isicaka sakho ubawo uDavide, ngenxa yokuba wayethembekile kuwe elilungisa, umfo ontliziyo ithe tse. Ezo zibele zakho ke uziqhubele phambili kwada kwanamhlanje, kuba umnike unyana ukuze achophe esihlalweni sakhe. ₇Ngoko ke ngoku, Ndikhoyo Thixo wam, isicaka sakho esi usenze ukumkani, wandibeka endaweni kabawo uDavide. Kambe ke bendingubani na, ndiyimveku engazi nto nje! Ewe, andazi nendlela endingawuqhuba ngayo lo msebenzi wam. ₈Ewe, isicaka sakho esi siphakathi kwabantu obanyulileyo, ihlokondiba labantu abayinyambalala engenakubalwa. ₉Ngoko ke mna sicaka sakho ndiphe intliziyo enobulumko, ukuze ndikwazi ukubalawula abantu bakho, ndiwazi umahluko phakathi kokulungileyo nokubi. Kaloku akakho umntu onganako ukuyilawula le ndimbane yaba bantu bakho.”

₁₀Ke kaloku iNkosi yakholiswa sesi sicelo sikaSolomon. ₁₁Ngoko ke uThixo wathi kuye: “Ngenxa yokuba ucele ngolu hlobo, awazicelela ubomi obude okanye ubutyebi, awucelanga nokuba kubulawe iintshaba zakho, koko ucele ubuchule bokuthetha amatyala ngobulungisa, ₁₂ke mna ke ndiza kukunika ngokwesicelo sakho. Ewe, ndiza kukupha intliziyo enobulumko nengqiqo ukuze ube yimbalasane kubo bonke abantu, kungaze kubekho mntu ufana nawe kwabaphile ngaphambi kwakho nabaya kulandela emva kwakho. ₁₃Ngaphezulu ke ndiza kukunika nezo zinto ungazicelanga – ubutyebi nesihomo – ukuze ebomini bakho bonke ungabi nantanga kubo bonke ookumkani. ₁₄Ukuba ke uthe wahamba ngeendlela zam, wayithobela imimiselo nemithetho yam njengoDavide uyihlo, ndokuthi jize ngobomi obude.”

₁₅Ke kaloku uSolomon wavuka, waqonda ukuba kuthe kanti liphupha. Wabuyela eJerusalem, wema phambi kwetyesi yomnqophiso kaNdikhoyo, waza wenza amadini atshiswayo ngokunjalo nawobudlelwane. Kamva ke wazenzela umbhiyozo zonke izinxiba-mxhaka zakhe.

₁₆Ke kaloku abafazi ababini abangamahenyukazi beza kuma phambi kokumkani, ₁₇omnye wabo wathi: “Mhlekazi, mna nalo mfazi sihlala ndlwini-nye. Ngoku ke mna ndiye ndabeleka ndafumana umntwana, ngoko silala sobabini. ₁₈Ngosuku lwesithathu ndibelekile nalo mfazi ubeleke owakhe umntwana. Ke kaloku ke besisobabini apho endlwini, kungekho mntu wumbi. ₁₉Ngabusuku buthile lo mfazi wamfuthanisela wafa unyana wakhe. ₂₀Kwakuba njalo ke uvukile wachwechwa ezinzulwini zobusuku, weza kûba unyana wam ecaleni lam, mna ke sicakazana sakho ndilele thwii. Suka ke wathatha lo nyana wakhe ungasekhoyo wambeka esifubeni sam, lo wam wamncancisa kuye. ₂₁Ndithe ke ndakuvuka ngentsasa elandelayo, ndizama ukuncancisa usana lwam, lwaye lungasekho! Kuthe ke kwakukhanya ndamqwalasela, ndafumanisa ukuba lo asinguye unyana wam endimzeleyo.”

₂₂Omnye lo ke umfazi wathi: “Hayi bo! Lo mntwana uphilayo ngowam; owakho ngulo ufileyo.”

Lo wokuqala ke umfazi wathi: “Unotshe! Owakho ngulo ufileyo; ngowam lo uphilayo!” Yaba yiloo mpikiswano ke apho phambi kokumkani.

₂₃Ukumkani ke wathi: “Oo! Lo uthi: ‘Ngunyana wam lo uphilayo, ngunyana wakho lo ufileyo;’ abe omnye esithi: ‘Hayi khona, ngunyana wakho lo ufileyo, owam ngulo uphilayo!’ ” ₂₄Suka ke ukumkani wathi: “Ndiziseleni ikrele.” Walinikwa ke ukumkani ikrele elo. ₂₅Wayalela wathi: “Mahluleni kubini lo mntwana uphilayo, icala nilinike omnye waba bafazi, omnye ke nimnike icala.”

₂₆Ke kaloku lo mfazi yayingowakhe umntwana ophilayo wasikwa yinimba, wathi kukumkani: “Ndincede, mhlekazi, musa ukumbulala! Ndaweni yaloo nto mnike lo mfazi lo mntwana uphilayo!”

Ke yena omnye lo umfazi wathi: “Ewe, kungcono singamfumani sobabini; mahlule kubini!”

₂₇Waza ke ukumkani wawisa isigwebo wathi: “Sukuba sambulala umntwana, koko mnike lo mfazi wokuqala, kuba ngenene ngowakhe.”

₂₈Athe ke amaSirayeli akusiva eso sigwebo sikakumkani, atsho amhlonela, kuba eqonda ukuba kuthe kanti uThixo ukumkani umphe ubulumko bokuthetha amatyala ngobulungisa.