To The Word – Day 124

₁Ke kaloku ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafikela uJona unyana ka-Amitayi, lisithi: ₂“Hamba uye kweso sixekokazi siyiNiniva, usishumayeze, kuba inkohlakalo yaso seyide yaza kufika nakum.”

₃Kambe ke yena uJona wambaleka uNdikhoyo, wasabela eTashishe. Wehla waya eJopa, apho wafumana inqanawa eya eTashishe. Akuba ke eyihlawule imali yendlela, wakhwela wasinga eTashishe, ebaleka uNdikhoyo.

₄Ke kaloku uNdikhoyo wathumela umoyakazi omkhulu apho elwandle; yaba sisaqhwithi esayitsho yasemngciphekweni wokuqhekeka inqanawa leyo. ₅Abaqhubi benqanawa leyo baphakuzela, yangulowo nalowo wakhala *kuthixo wakhe. Umthwalo wenqanawa bawuphungulela elwandle, bezama ukuba ibe khaphukhaphu.

Ke yena uJona wayesuke wehla wangena kumagumbi asezantsi, walala obentlombe. ₆Ingqwayi-ngqwayi yenqanawa leyo ke yaya kuye, yafika yathi: “Ngani ukuba ulale, thongorhandini? Vuka, ubize uThixo wakho! Mhlawumbi angasikhumbula, size singatshabalali.”

₇Ke bathi omnye komnye: “Yizani senze *amaqashiso ukuze sibhaqe lo mntu ungunobangela wale ntlekele.” Benjenjalo ke, laza iqashiso laphuma noJona. ₈Baza ke bathi kuJona: “Khawutsho! Ngubani unobangela wale ntlekele? Uzokwenza ntoni apha? Khona, uvela phi? Liphi ikowenu? Ungumni kakade?”

₉UJona waphendula wathi: “Mna ndingumHebhere. Ndinqula uNdikhoyo uThixo wamazulu, lo udale ulwandle kunye nomhlaba.”

₁₀Ke kaloku loo madoda othuka gqitha, kuba uJona wawachazela ukuba elapho nje ubaleka uNdikhoyo, aza athi kuye: “Yintoni na le uyenzileyo?” ₁₁Ke lona ulwandle lwaqhubela phambili ukulwa. Baza ke bathi kuJona: “Masenze ntoni ngawe ukuze ulwandle luzole?”

₁₂UJona waphendula wathi: “Ndifunquleni nindiphose elwandle, ukuze luzole. Kaloku ndiyaqonda ukuba ndim lo unizisele olu qhwithela.”

₁₃Kambe ke abaqhubi bazama kangangoko ukuyisa elunxwemeni inqanawa leyo. Kodwa ke nelo icebo lafadalala kuba ulwandle lwaya luthatha unyawo ngokulwa. ₁₄Badanduluka kuNdikhoyo ke bathi: “Awu, Ndikhoyo, uze ungasohlwayi ngenxa yokufa kwale ndoda. Uze ungalibizi kuthi igazi elimsulwa. Kaloku yonke le nto ikholeke kuwe, Ndikhoyo.”

₁₅Amfunqula ke uJona, amphosa elwandle, lwaza ke ulwandle olulwayo lwadamba. ₁₆Le nto ke yawatsho amhlonela uNdikhoyo loo madoda, aza amenzela idini, enza nezibhambathiso kuNdikhoyo.

₁₇Kambe ke uNdikhoyo wayalela intlanzi enkulu, yaza yamginya uJona. Wahlala apho kuyo ke iimini ezintathu nobusuku bazo.

₁Elapho embilinini waloo ntlanzi uJona wathandaza *kuNdikhoyo uThixo wakhe, ₂wathi:

₁₀Ke kaloku uNdikhoyo wayiyalela intlanzi, yaza yamhlanza uJona emhlabeni owomileyo.

₁Liphinde lafika ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuJona, lisithi: ₂“Hamba uye kweso sixekokazi siyiNiniva, ufike ushumayele olu daba ndikunike lona.”

₃Ke uJona walithobela ilizwi likaNdikhoyo, waya eNiniva. INiniva le ibisisixeko esikhulu gqitha. Bekumthatha umntu iintsuku ezintathu ukuphumela kuyo. ₄Ke kaloku uJona waluqala uhambo lwakhe kweso sixeko. Akuba ehambe imini yonke wadanduluka wathi: “Yoba ziintsuku ezimashumi mane kuphela, itshatyalaliswe iNiniva.” ₅Abo bantu baseNiniva balwamkela olo daba lukaThixo. Ngoko ke bamisela inzila, baza bonke abantu, kuqalela komdala kuye komncinane, bavatha ezenzila.

₆Akuyiva le nto ukumkani wakhona waphuma ebhotwe, umnweba wakhe wawuthi tya phaya, wanxiba ezenzila, wahlala eluthuthwini. ₇Waza ke wakhupha isaziso esithi: “Nasi isaziso esigunyaziswe ngukumkani namaphakathi: Makuzilwe, kungabikho mntu okanye silwanyana ongcamla nantoni na, nditsho iinkomo nempahla emfutshane. Ewe, makungatyiwa nto, kungàselwa namanzi. ₈Abantu nemfuyo mabavathe ezenzila. Bonke mabakhale kuThixo ngamandla, bahlukane neendlela zabo ezimbi nogonyamelo lwabo. ₉Mhlawumbi uThixo angayijika ingqondo yakhe, abuye nganeno ngengqumbo yakhe, size ke thina singatshabalali.”

₁₀Ke kaloku uThixo wasibona isenzo sabo nokwahlukana kwabo neendlela zabo ezimbi. Ngoko ke uThixo wayijika ingqondo yakhe, akabi sabatshabalalisa njengoko wayezimisele.

₁Ke kaloku esi sehlo samkhathaza uJona, wacaphuka gqitha. ₂Wathandaza *kuNdikhoyo esithi: “Kwowu, Ndikhoyo, le nto yileya ndayithethayo kwandisesekhaya. Kwakungenxa yayo ndakhawulezayo ukubalekela eTashishe. Bendisazi ukuba wena unguThixo onesisa nenceba, uThixo oza kade umsindo nonobubele obukhulu, uThixo oyijikayo ingqondo yakhe asiyeke isohlwayo. ₃Ngoko ke ndiyakubongoza, Ndikhoyo, buthathe ubomi bam, kuba kum ukufa kungcono kunokudla ubomi.”

₄UNdikhoyo waphendula wathi: “Unaso na isizathu sokuba uqumbe?”

₅Ke kaloku uJona waphuma waya empuma yeso sixeko, waza ke wahlala phantsi. Wazakhela iphempe, waza wahlala emthunzini walo ukuze ayibukele kakuhle loo nto yayiza kwehla apho eNiniva. ₆Ke uNdikhoyo uThixo wamisela umthi ukuba ukhule apho ecaleni kwakhe ukuze umenzele umthunzi, ukhusele intloko yakhe, iyenze ibe bhetele imeko yakhe. Ke uJona wawuvuyela gqitha loo mthi. ₇Kambe ke ekuseni ngengomso uThixo wawuthumela ngombungu loo mthi, wawugrenya watsho wabuna. ₈Lithe ke lakuphuma ilanga uThixo wathumela umoya wasempuma onolophu, laza lanqanqaza ilanga phezu kwentloko kaJona. Kwanzima kuye; phantse wayoba. Watsho wanqwenela ukufa, wathi: “Kungcono ukuba ndife kunokuba ndidle ubomi.”

₉Ke kaloku uThixo wathi kuye: “Unaso na isizathu sokuba uqumbe ngenxa yalo mthi?”

UJona wathi: “Ndifanele ukuvutha ngumsindo, nditsho onokude undise ekufeni!”

₁₀UNdikhoyo wathi kuye: “Lo mthi uwukhathalele ngani, ungakhange ubulaleke nje ngawo, futhi ungakhuliswanga nanguwe? Lo mthi ukhule ngobusuku, wabuya wafa kwangobusuku. ₁₁Ke, uthi kukangakanani kum mayela nesi sixekokazi siyiNiniva? Uthi mandingavelani naso ngoku sinabantu abangaphezu kwekhulu elinamashumi amabini lamawaka, abangekawazi umahluko phakathi kwesandla sasekunene nesasekhohlo, kwakunye ke nemfuyo eninzi?”

₁Ngomhla wokuqala kwinyanga yesithandathu kunyaka wesibini wolawulo lukakumkani uDariyo, ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafika *kumshumayeli uHagayi. Lalibhekiswa kwirhuluneli yamaJuda uZerubhabheli unyana kaShelatiyeli, kunye nombingeleli omkhulu uYeshuwa unyana kaYozadaki, lisithi: ₂“UNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Aba bantu bathi: “Eli alikabi loxesha lokuyakha indlu kaNdikhoyo.” ’ ”

₃Ke ilizwi likaNdikhoyo lafika kumshumayeli uHagayi lisithi: ₄“Ngani ukuba nina nihlale ezindlwini ezifanelekileyo, kodwa yona indlu yam ibe ilinxuwa? ₅Ke ngoko utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Zigqaleni iindlela zenu. ₆Nihlwayela kakhulu, kodwa nivune kancinane; ewe, niyadla, kodwa ningahluthi; niyasela, kodwa ninganeli; niyambatha, kodwa ningafudumali; niyaphangela, kodwa umvuzo wenu ube ngathi ufakwe engxoweni evuzayo.’

₇“Utsho ke uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Zigqaleni iindlela zenu. ₈Khaninyuke ezintabeni, nize nemithi, niyakhe indlu yam. Ndokholiswa yiyo, ndize ndizimaseke,’ utsho uNdikhoyo. ₉‘Benilindele lukhulu, kodwa suka nazuz' intwan' encinci! Nithe nakuza nayo ekhaya, ndayivuthela yee shwaka! Ngani ke?’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ‘Kungenxa yendlu yam, yona le ilinxuwa, nibe nina elowo exakeke yeyakhe indlu. ₁₀Kungenxa yenu ke ngoko ukuba izulu liwubambe umbethe walo, nomhlaba utsho ungavelisi nto. ₁₁Ke ndinizisele imbalela emasimini, emadlelweni, kwingqolowa, kwiwayini, namafutha omnquma, nayo nayiphi na into eveliswa ngumhlaba. Ikho ezinkomeni, nasebantwini, nakuwo wonke umsebenzi wezandla zenu.’ ”

₁₂Ke kaloku uZerubhabheli unyana kaShelatiyeli, nombingeleli omkhulu uYeshuwa unyana kaYozadaki, nabo bonke abantu abangamasalela, bawuthobela bawenza umyalelo *kaNdikhoyo uThixo wabo, ngokwamazwi *omshumayeli uHagayi.

₁₃Ke uHagayi, isigidimi sikaNdikhoyo, waluthetha udaba lukaNdikhoyo ebantwini, wathi: “Ndiya kuba nani.” ₁₄Ke uNdikhoyo wawuvuselela umoya werhuluneli uZerubhabheli unyana kaShelatiyeli, nowombingeleli omkhulu uYeshuwa unyana kaYozadaki, nowabo bonke abantu abangamasalela, beza ke bawuqalisa umsebenzi wokwakhiwa kwendlu kaNdikhoyo onamandla onke uThixo wabo ₁₅ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesine kwinyanga yesithandathu ngonyaka wesibini wolawulo lukakumkani uDariyo.

₁Ngomhla wamashumi amabini ananye ngenyanga yesixhenxe ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafika *kumshumayeli uHagayi lisithi: ₂“Thetha kunyana kaShelatiyeli uZerubhabheli irhuluneli yakwaJuda, nakunyana kaYozadaki uYeshuwa umbingeleli omkhulu, nasebantwini bonke abaseleyo, uthi: ₃‘Ngubani na kuni osaseleyo owabubonayo ubunewu-newu bale ndlu mandulo? Ngoku ikhangeleka njani kuni? Xa niyithelekisa naleya ayikhangeleki ingeyonto? ₄Kodwa ke yomelela, Zerubhabheli,’ utsho uNdikhoyo. ‘Yomelela, mbingeleli omkhulu Yeshuwa, nyana kaYozadaki. Kaloku mna ndinani,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ₅‘Ekuphumeni kwenu eJiputa ndanqophisa ukuba ndiya kuhlala ndinani. Ke uMoya wam usenani; musani ukoyika.’

₆“Kaloku uNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Kungekudalanje, ngaso isihlandlo esinye, ndiya kunyikimisa izulu nehlabathi, ndigungqise ulwandle nomhlaba owomileyo. ₇Ndiya kuziphithizelisa zonke izizwe, ubutyebi bazo buziswe apha, le ndlu yam ndiyizalise ngesihomo,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ₈‘Isiliva yeyam; kanti negolide yeyam,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ₉‘Indlu entsha yoba nesihomo esingaphezulu kunesihomo saleya indlu yangaphambili,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ‘Ukanti ke kuyo le ndawo ndiya kunika uxolo,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke.”

₁₀Ngosuku lwamashumi amabini anesine kwinyanga yethoba ngonyaka wesibini wokulawula kukaDariyo ilizwi likaNdikhoyo lafika *kumshumayeli uHagayi lisithi: ₁₁“Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Buza ababingeleli ukuba umthetho uthini na. ₁₂Ukuba umntu uphethe inyama ehlambulukileyo ngesondo lengubo yakhe, ngaba ke xa isondo laloo ngubo yakhe lirhece nokuba sisonka, ukutya okuphekiweyo, iwayini, amafutha omnquma, okanye nakuphi na ukutya, ngaba elo sondo likwenza kuhlambuluke oko kutya?’ ”

Ababingeleli baphendula bathi: “Hayi!”

₁₃Ke uHagayi wathi: “Ukuba umntu *unomlaza kukuphatha isidumbu, ngaba xa echukumise ukutya nako kutsho kube nomlaza?”

Ababingeleli baphendula bathi: “Ewe, kuba nomlaza.”

₁₄Ke uHagayi waphendula wathi: “Utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘Ekuboneni kwam bakwanjalo aba bantu kwakunye nolu hlanga. Ewe, unjalo wonke umsebenzi wezandla zabo, nento abanikela ngayo khona apho inomlaza.’ ”

₁₅“ ‘Ke ngoku kugqaleni okwakusenzeka kwimihla edlulileyo xa beningekaqalisi ukubeka ilitye phezu kwelitye nisakha indlu kaNdikhoyo. ₁₆Kaloku benisiya kwisitha sengqolowa nilindele isivuno esingamashumi amabini, nisuke nizuze ishumi elinye kuphela. Benisiya esixovululweni sewayini nilindele ukuzuza imilinganiselo emashumi mahlanu, kodwa nizuze amashumi amabini kuphela. ₁₇Wonke umsebenzi wezandla zenu ndawubetha ngerusi, nesihumba, nesichotho, kodwa noko akubangakho namnye kuni ubuyela kum,’ utsho uNdikhoyo. ₁₈‘Gqalani ke ukususela namhlanje kulo mhla wamashumi amabini anesine kwinyanga yethoba, suku olo zigqitywe ngalo iziseko zendlu kaThixo. Ze niqwalasele ke niyibone into eza kwenzeka. ₁₉Ngaba isekho imbewu eseleyo koovimba? Kude kube ngoku izidiliya zenu, namakhiwane enu, ngokunjalo nemirharnati kunye neminquma yenu, ibingathwali ziqhamo, kodwa ke ukusukela namhlanje ndiza kunithamsanqela.’ ”

₂₀Ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo laphinda lafika kuHagayi isihlandlo sesibini ngosuku lwamashumi amabini anesine lwaloo nyanga, lisithi: ₂₁“Thetha kuZerubhabheli irhuluneli yakwaJuda, uthi: ‘Ndiza kulinyikimisa izulu nehlabathi, ₂₂ndibakhiqe ookumkani kwizihlalo zabo, ndiwaphelise amagunya ezikumkani zeentlanga, ndizibhukuqe iinqwelo zokulwa nababhexeshi bazo, kuwe amahashe nabakhwele kuwo, elowo awe likrele lomtakwabo. ₂₃Ngaloo mini,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke, ‘ndiya kukuthabatha wena mkhonzi wam Zerubhabheli, nyana kaShelatiyeli,’ utsho uNdikhoyo, ‘ndikwenze ube ngumsesane wophawu lwam, kuba ndikunyule,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke.”