To The Word – Day 158

₁Kubhala mna Yakobi, isicaka sikaThixo neNkosi uYesu Krestu. Ndibulisa bonke abantu bakaThixo abathe saa kulo lonke elimiweyo.

₂Mawethu, zithatheni njengabantu abanethamsanqa, xa nifikelwa zizilingo ngezilingo. ₃Kaloku isiqhamo sokumelana nezilingo ngokholo lunyamezelo. ₄Kona ke ukunyamezela kuzala isimilo esicikidekileyo, nesingalambathi nganto. ₅Ke ukuba kukho bani uswele ubulumko, makabucele kuThixo. UThixo onobubele nesisa kubo bonke abantu, womnika. ₆Kodwa ke loo mntu makacele ekholwa, engathandabuzi konke. Kaloku umntu othandabuzayo ufana namaza alatyuziswa ngumoya elwandle. ₇Umntu onjalo ke makangalindeli kwenzelwa nto yiNkosi. ₈Kaloku umntu ongqondo ilala neli, ivuke neli, akaze abe nazigqibo nganto.

₉Ikholwa elihlelelekileyo malivuye lakuphakanyiswa nguThixo. ₁₀Nekholwa elimi kakuhle nalo malizidle lakuthotywa nguThixo. Kaloku kwanesinhanha esi sithi shwaka njengentyatyambo esendle. ₁₁Yona ithi lakuvela ilanga liyigqatse, ibune, kuphele nokubukeka kwayo. Nesinhanha siya kutshabalala naso ngoku kanye sisaxakeke yimicimbi yaso.

₁₂Unoyolo lowo uzinyamezelayo izilingo, kuba kaloku, lakudlula uvavanyo, uya kuzuza umvuzo obubomi uThixo abuthembise abo bamthandayo. ₁₃Makungabikho mntu uthi ulukuhlwe nguThixo xa ahendwayo. UThixo akoyiswa bububi kaloku; yaye akalingi mntu yena. ₁₄Isilingo sivela ngokuthi umntu alukuhlwe yiminqweno yakhe egwenxa. ₁₅Loo minqweno yakhe ke iyakhawula, izale isono. Isono ke sona sithi sakuba nentshebe, sizale ukufa.

₁₆Musan' ukuphazama, mawethu! ₁₇Konke ukupha naso sonke isipho esifezekileyo sivela phezulu kuThixo, umdali wezikhanyiso zesibhakabhaka. Yena akaguqu-guquki aphinzi-phinzize. ₁₈Wathi akuthanda uThixo wasizala ngokutsha ngelizwi lenyaniso, saza ke saba lulibo lwayo yonke indalo yakhe.

₁₉Khumbulani le nto, zihlobo zam: Wonke ubani makakhawuleze ukuva; kodwa makangakhawulezi ukuthetha, angakhawulezi nokucaphuka. ₂₀Kaloku into umntu ayenza enomsindo ayinakwamkeleka kuThixo. ₂₁Yahlukanani nemikhwa emibi nehambo engcolileyo. Mlulameleni uThixo, namkele ilizwi lakhe alifake kuni ezintliziyweni. Lilo elinamandla okunisindisa.

₂₂Musani ukuzikhohlisa ngokuliphulaphula nje qha ilizwi likaThixo. Endaweni yaloo nto nina yenzani oko likuthethayo. ₂₃Lowo uliphulaphula nje kuphela elo lizwi, angenzi nto ngalo, ufana nomntu ozijonga esipilini, abubone ubuso bakhe. ₂₄Loo mntu uzithi krwaqu nje, ahambe, aze kwangoko azilibale ukuba unjani na. ₂₅Kodwa loo mntu uthi awucoselele ukuwugcina umthetho osinika inkululeko, lowo uthe rhoqo ukuhamba ngawo engaphulaphuli nje aze alibale, lowo wosikelelwa nguThixo ngokwenjenjalo.

₂₆Ewe, umntu angázicingela ukuba ulikholwa; kodwa uyazikhohlisa ukuba akakwazi ukulawula ulwimi lwakhe. Ingamampunge nje into yokuba ulikholwa. ₂₇Inkolo enyanisekileyo nengenachaphaza kuThixo uBawo yile: kukubonelela iinkedama nabahlolokazi abahluphekileyo, nokuphepha ukudyojwa lihlabathi.

₁Mawethu, njengoko nikholwa kuYesu Krestu iNkosi yethu enobungangamsha – ninomkhethe kodwa nina. ₂Nakufikelwa ziindwendwe ezimbini endlwini yenkonzo, omnye enxibe kakuhle ehombe ngamaso egolide, omnye elihlwempu edlakazela, ₃nako ke nina nitatazela nilungiselela lo mfo ulinene, nimnika nesihlalo, nithi lona idlavu malime ngeenyawo okanye lihlale phantsi emhlabeni. ₄Aniziqondi ke ukuba xa nenjenjalo nina ngenkqu nimbaxa, nilawulwa yimigaqo ephuthileyo?

₅Mamelani apha ndinixelele, zihlobo zam. Andibi kanene uThixo amahlwempu la uwanyulele ukuba atyebe ngokholo, aze afumane isabelo kulawulo oluthenjiswa abo bamthandayo? ₆Kodwa nina niwenza intlekisa amahlwempu! Kanene ngoobani abanicinezelayo? Asizozityebi? Andithi kanene zizo ezinirhuqela enkundleni yamatyala, ₇zize zenyelise igama likaKrestu enibizwa ngalo?

₈Kodwa ukuba niyawuthobela umthetho weNkosi *oseziBhalweni othi: “Mthande ummelwane wakho kanye ngale ndlela nawe uzithanda ngayo,” noba niyakholisa. ₉Kodwa ukuba abantu niyabacalu-calula, noba netyala; nogwetywa njengezaphula-mthetho. ₁₀Lowo uwugcina wonke umthetho, aze aphule umyalelo omnye, unetyala lokuwaphula wonke. ₁₁Kaloku isekwanguloo mwisi-mthetho mnye lo uthi: “Ungakrexezi,” kwanothi: “Ungabulali.” Nokuba na akukrexezi, usisaphula-mthetho ukuba uyabulala. ₁₂Intetho yenu nezenzo zenu mazibe zezabantu abalindele ukugwetywa kwangulo mthetho usikhululayo. ₁₃Kaloku akayi kuba nanceba uThixo xa agweba umntu ongabanga nanceba. Kodwa yona inceba iyasongamela isigwebo.

₁₄Mawethu, kunceda ntoni ukuba athi umntu unokholo, zibe zona izenzo zakhe zingayingqini loo nto? Lunganceda ntoni olo kholo? ₁₅Nanku umwethu, nanku nodade: bobabini bayadlakazela, bayalamba. ₁₆Kunceda ntoni ukubasizela, nokubacebisa ngento yokwambatha nangokutya, ube ungenzi nto konke ngale meko yabo? ₁₇Lunjalo ke ukholo olungaqhubeli mntu kwenzeni nto; luyinto nje efileyo.

₁₈Ewe, ningatsho ukuthi omnye umntu unako ukuba nokholo, kanti nomnye unako ukwenza imisebenzi ethile. Kodwa ke mna ndithi ukuphendula: Khawundibonise ukuba ngaba lufezekile na olo kholo wena uthetha ngalo lungenamisebenzi lubonakala ngayo. Mna ndokubonisa ngemisebenzi ukholo endinalo. ₁₉Ewe, unalo ukholo ngokwaneleyo, ngangokude ukholwe ukuba ukho uThixo, yaye mnye. Uyalungisa kanye ngaloo nto! Kodwa ke neendimoni zinalo ukholo olukwanjalo phofu; lude luzinkwantyise kunjalonje. ₂₀Akuqondi ke kodwa, sidengendini, ukuba ukholo olungangqinelwa zizenzo luphunzile? ₂₁Akuqondi na ukuba uAbraham ubawo wenziwa waba lilungisa nguThixo ngenxa yesenzo sokunikela uIsake unyana wakhe ukuba abe lidini? ₂₂Akuboni ukuba ngokwenjenjalo oku wayeqhutywa lukholo? Akuqondi ukuba ngesi senzo wangqina ukunyaniseka kokholo awayenalo? ₂₃Esi senzo sazalisekisa amazwi *eziBhalo athi: “UAbraham wakholwa kuThixo, waza ngenxa yokholo wenziwa ilungisa.” Kwenye indawo ubizwa ngokuba ngumhlobo kaThixo. ₂₄Ùyaqonda ke ukuba umntu uba lilungisa ngenxa yezenzo kungekuko ngokholo lodwa? ₂₅Nehenyukazi uRahabhi, andithi kanene naye waba lilungisa ngenxa yesenzo sakhe sokwamkela iintlola, wazizimelisa zasaba ngandlela yimbi? ₂₆Njengoko ufile umzimba xa umphefumlo uphumile, ngokunjalo nokholo olungangqinelwa zizenzo lufana nesidumbu, lufile.

₁Mawethu, musani ukugagamela nifune ukufundisa nonke. Kaloku niyazi ukuba thina sifundisayo siya kugwetywa ngqongqo kunabanye. ₂Sonke ngabanye siyayenza impazamo amaxesha ngamaxesha. Ke yena umntu ongaphazamiyo ekuthetheni ugqibelele, uyakwazi ukuzilawula ngokupheleleyo. ₃Kaloku ihashe silifaka umkhala, ukuze lisilulamele, sikwazi ukulilawula ngokupheleleyo. ₄Okanye khanicinge ngenqanawa, inkulu injalo, noba ngade ityhalwe yimimoya emikhulu, kodwa ilawulwa ngentongana nje encinci, ize iye apho athanda ukuba iye khona umqhubi. ₅Lukwanjalo ke nalo ulwimi, nakuba luluncinci kangaka nje – luyagwagwisa kakhulu.

Mhlawumbi makhe senze umzekelo ngehlathi: noba selilikhulu kangakanani na lingátshiswa yintlantsana nje yomlilo. ₆Nalo ke ulwimi lufana nqwa nomlilo; lululwandle lobubi. Lulelinye lamalungu omzimba wethu nje luphembelela ububi kubume bethu buphela. Ubomi bethu buphela libuntumeka ngomlilo eliwuthatha esihogweni. ₇Uluntu luyakwazi ukuzilulamisa zonke iintlobo zezidalwa – ezizitho zine kwaneentaka, ezirhubuluzayo kwanezaselwandle – yaye lukholisile ukwenjenjalo. ₈Kodwa akukho mntu ukwaziyo ukululawula ulwimi. Luyinkathazo engalawulekiyo, futhi luyityhefu. ₉Sisebenzisa lona xa sibonga sibulela iNkosi uTata wethu, ukanti sibaqalekisa kwangalo nabantu abadalwe bafuza uThixo. ₁₀Imibulelo neziqalekiso zimpompoza mlonyeni mnye. Mawethu, mayingenzeki le nto! ₁₁Kaloku akwenzeki ukuba kumpompoze amanzi amnandi namtyuba mthonjeni mnye. ₁₂Mawethu, umkhiwane awukwazi kaloku ukuvelisa umnquma, nomdiliya awunako ukuvelisa amakhiwane. Ngokunjalo akukho mthombo unako ukuvelisa amanzi amtyuba namnandi.

₁₃Ukuba bakho abantu abalumkileyo nabaqondayo phakathi kwenu, loo nto mabayibonakalise ngobomi obumsulwa, nangezenzo zentobeko nobulumko. ₁₄Kodwa ke ukuba ninomona nolunya nizicingela, sanukuzigwagwisa nigqume inyaniso ngobuxoki. ₁₅Obu bulumko abuveli phezulu, koko bobehlabathi, bobeenkanuko, bobukaSathana. ₁₆Ke apho kukho umona nokuzigwagwisa kuba nguqulukubhode nazo zonke iintlobo zeentlondi. ₁₇Kodwa ke bona ubulumko obuvela phezulu bumsulwa; bunolungelelwano, nobubele, buyazelelela. Bona bunovelwano, yaye buvelisa imisebenzi emihle; abunamkhethe naluhanahaniso. ₁₈Ke bona abahlwayeli boxolo abaseluxolweni bavuna ubulungisa.

₁Yintoni edala iimfazwe neengxabano apha phakathi kwenu? Ngokuqinisekileyo zivela kwiinkanuko zenu ezisoloko zisenza imizabalazo ngaphakathi kwenu. ₂Xa ungazifumani izinto ozifunayo, ukhetha ukubulala; okanye xa ungafezeki umnqweno wakho, uyaxabana ulwe. Kanti ke, ungazifumani nje izinto ozifunayo, kungenxa yokuba awuziceli kuThixo. ₃Noba sowude wathandaza ucela, awuzuzi, kuba kaloku iinjongo zakho zimbi, ufuna nje ukufezekisa iinkanuko zakho. ₄Bantundini abangathembekanga, anazi kakade ukuba ngokuhlobana neli hlabathi nizenza iintshaba zikaThixo? Ewe, nabani na okhetha ukuvana neli hlabathi ulutshaba lukaThixo. ₅Mhlawumbi ngaba nicinga ukuba iziBhalo ziyalavuza xa zisithi: “UMoya esimnikiweyo uyakhweleta”? ₆Kodwa ke sona isisa asinika sona uThixo singaphezulu. Zitsho neziBhalo ukuthi: “UThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, kodwa unesisa kwabathobekileyo.”

₇Ngoko ke zinikeleni ngokupheleleyo kuThixo. Mchaseni uSathana azokunibaleka. ₈Sondelani kuThixo naye azokusondela kuni. Hlambani izandla zenu, nina bonindini! Nizenze nyulu iintliziyo zenu, nina bahanahanisi! ₉Yibani lusizi nilile nintywizise! Ukuhleka makujike kube ziinyembezi, uvuyo lube lusizi! ₁₀Ukuba niyazithoba kuye uThixo, uya kuniphakamisa.

₁₁Mawethu, musani ukugxekana. Nabani na oligxekayo okanye aligwebe elinye ikholwa, ugxeka ugweba umthetho. Ukuba ke uyawugxeka umthetho, akuwuthobeli, koko ungumgwebi wawo. ₁₂NguThixo kuphela umniki-mthetho nomgwebi. Nguye kuphela onelungelo lokusindisa okanye atshabalalise. Kuxa ungubani ke wena ude ugwebe ummelwana wakho nje?

₁₃Makhe ndibhekise kuni nina bathi: “Namhlanje okanye ngomso siya kuya kwidolophu ethile, sifike sihlale unyaka wonke, sirhwebe sizuze imali eninzi.” ₁₄Nithetha nje ningayazi into eniza kuba yiyo ngomso. Nifana nje nomfa-nkungu othi uvele umzuzwana nje uphinde uphele. ₁₅Xa nithetha yithini: “INkosi ivuma, siya kwenza le naleya.” ₁₆Kodwa ke endaweni yokwenjenjalo nisuka nibe nekratshi, niqhayise; ibe ke ukuqhayisa yinto egwenxa. ₁₇Phofu ke yena umntu ongayenziyo imfanelo yakhe nakuba eyazi, unetyala.

₁Ngoku makhe ndibhekise kwabo bemi kakuhle, izityebi. Hlahlambani ningqukruleke ngenxa yeenzingo ezinizelayo! ₂Kaloku ubutyebi benu buyangunda, neempahla zenu zityiwa ngamanundu. ₃Igolide nesiliva yenu idliwa ngumhlwa. Ngulo mhlwa ke kanye obubungqina obunilahlayo, kuba uya kuyisuba njengomlilo inyama yenu. Kaloku nina nizifumbela ubutyebi ngoku sikwimihla yokugqibela. ₄Abasebenzi abalima amasimi enu anibahlawuli. Khanisive isikhalo sabo! Ewe, isililo sabavuni seside savakala nakuThixo, iNkosi uSomandla. ₅Kaloku obenu ubomi apha emhlabeni bubunewu-newu nobumnandi. Ewe, nizondle natyeba, kanti nizilungiselela umhla womgwebo. ₆Nimgwebile nambulala umntu ongenatyala. Kanti noko akaxhathisi.

₇Mawethu, yibani nomonde ide ifike iNkosi. Thathani umzekelo kumlimi: yena usilinda ngomonde isivuno asixabisileyo somhlaba wakhe. Ewe, yena uzilinda ngomonde iimvula zasentlakohlaza ngokunjalo nezasekwindla. ₈Ngoko ke nani yibani nomonde, ningatyhafi; kaloku iMini yokufika kweNkosi ikufuphi.

₉Mawethu, musani ukukhalazelana ukuze ningagwetywa nguThixo. Ngenene yena uMgwebi usemnyango. ₁₀Nanku ke umzekelo, mawethu: ndixela *abashumayeli bamandulo, abo babethetha egameni leNkosi. Bona mababe ngumzekelo wenu wokunyamezela ngomonde naxa kunzima. ₁₁Ewe, sithi banoyolo abo banyamezelayo. Seniyivile indlela awayenomonde ngayo uYobi; niyayazi indlela eyambuyekeza ngayo iNkosi. Kaloku iNkosi inenceba novelwano.

₁₂Ngaphezu koko ke, mawethu, musani ukufunga xa nisenza isithembiso; nditsho nangezulu, umhlaba, nangantoni na. Xa nivuma yithini: “Ewe,” nithi: “Hayi,” xa nisala, kube kuphela, ukuze ningabi sesichengeni sokugwetywa.

₁₃Ukuba kukho umntu osenkathazweni, makathandaze. Ukanti xa umntu evuya, makahlabele ingoma adumise. ₁₄Xa umntu egula, makabize amadoda amakhulu ebandla; wona aya kumthandazela, amthambise ngeoyile egameni leNkosi. ₁₅Lo mthandazo uphuma elukholweni uya kumnyanga umntu ogulayo, iNkosi imbuyisele empilweni, zithi nezono azenzileyo zixolelwe. ₁₆Ngoko ke zivumeni izono omnye komnye, nithandazelane, khon' ukuze ninyangeke. Kaloku umthandazo womntu olungileyo unamandla angummangaliso. ₁₇Ewe, uEliya wayengumntu efana nathi. Kodwa wathandaza ngokuzimisela ukuba ingani imvula, ngenene labalela iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha. ₁₈Waphinda wathandaza, saza isibhakabhaka sayithoba imvula, lachuma ilizwe.

₁₉Mawethu, ukuba omnye wenu ulahlekile waphuma enyanisweni, waza omnye umntu wambuyisa, ₂₀qinisekani ngale ndawo: Nabani na oguqula umoni olahlekayo usindise umphefumlo ekufeni, watsho kwaxolelwa izono ezininzi.