To The Word – Day 212

₁Emva koko ndabona izithunywa ezine zimi kwiikona zone zomhlaba. Zazivalele imimoya yomhlaba yomine apho, ukuze kungabikho nampunde yamoya uvela elwandle, okanye ucande emhlabeni, ungabhudli namnye umthi. ₂Ndabona nesinye isithunywa sisithi gqi ngasempumalanga, siphethe uphawu lukaThixo ohlala ehleli. Samemeza sibhekisa kweziya zithunywa zine bezinikwe igunya lokonakalisa umhlaba nolwandle, sisithi: ₃“Khanikhe nime ngokonakalisa umhlaba nolwandle nemithi! Maside sigqibe ukubeka uphawu lukaThixo kumabunzi ezicaka zakhe!” ₄Ndaliva lixelwa nenani labo baphawulwayo. Kwaphawulwa ikhulu elinamashumi mane anesine amawaka kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli. ₅Kwisizwe sakwaJuda kwaphawulwa ishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwaRubhen yaba lishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwaGadi yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, ₆kwesakwa-Ashere yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwa-Nafetali yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwaManase yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, ₇kwesakwa-Simon yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwaLevi yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwaIsakare yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, ₈kwesakwaZebhulon yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwesakwaJosefu yalishumi elinambini lamawaka, kwaza nakwesakwaBhenjamin yalishumi elinambini lamawaka.

₉Emva koko ndabona kusithi thu ihlokondiba elalingenakubalwa bani. Abo yayingabantu beentlanga ngeentlanga, izizwe ngezizwe, neelwimi ngeelwimi. Babemi phambi kwesihlalo sokulawula naphambi kweXhwane. Babevathe ezimhlophe, bephethe amasundu, ₁₀bedanduluka besithi: “Huntshu! Usoyisele uThixo ohleli esihlalweni sakhe sokulawula, nalo iXhwane!” ₁₁Izithunywa zonke zazimi zingqonge isihlalo eso sokulawula namadoda amakhulu kwakunye nezilwanyana ezine, zathi qubudu phambi kukaThixo osesihlalweni sakhe, zanqula ₁₂zisithi:

₁₃Enye inkonde yathi kum: “Aba bantu bambethe iingubo ezimhlophe ngoobani, bevela phi?”

Ndaphendula ndathi: ₁₄“Mhlekazi, kwazi wena.”

Yona yathi: “Aba bantu ngabo baphume kwiinkxwaleko zengcinezelo. Bazihlambile zamhlophe iingubo zabo ngamandla egazi leXhwane. ₁₅Yiyo loo nto bemi phambi kukaThixo bemnqula imini nobusuku endlwini yakhe. Lowo uhleli kwisihlalo sakhe sokulawula wobafukamela. ₁₆Abayi kulamba, abayi kunxanwa, abayi kugqatswa lilanga, bengayi kuva bushushu. ₁₇Kaloku iXhwane elimi esazulwini sebhotwe liza kubalúsa, libaqhubele kwimithombo yamanzi aphilisayo. Wobasul' iinyembezi uThixo.”

₁Ke kaloku iXhwane laluqhaqha uphawu lwesixhenxe. Kwathi nzwanga ezulwini isithuba esingangecala leawara enye. ₂Emva koko ndabona izithunywa ezisixhenxe ezima phambi koThixo, zinikwa amaxilongo asixhenxe.

₃Esinye isithunywa esasiphethe isitya sokuqhumisa segolide seza kuma ngaseqongeni lesiqhumiso. Sanikwa isiqhumiso esininzi, ukuze sisinikele kunye nemithandazo yayo yonke imilowo phezu kweqonga legolide elaliphambi kwesihlalo sokulawula. ₄Umsi wenyukela kuThixo kunye nemithandazo yemilowo, isithunywa simenzela isiqhumiso. ₅Isithunywa ke sithathe isitya sesiqhumiso sasizalisa ngomlilo esasiwuthathe eqongeni apho, sasiphosa ezantsi emhlabeni. Ngoko nangoko kwabakho ukugqekreza kweendudumo nokutshawuza kombane, wanyikima umhlaba.

₆Izithunywa ezisixhenxe ezaziphethe amaxilongo asixhenxe, ngoku zalungela ukuwavuthela.

₇Salivuthela esokuqala isithunywa ixilongo laso. Kwawa isichotho nomlilo, zixutywe negazi. Satsha nqu isiqingatha sesithathu somhlaba. Isiqingatha sesithathu seendidi zonke zemithi, nalo lonke uhlobo lwengca lwatsha lwaphela.

₈Salivuthela ixilongo laso nesesibini isithunywa. Kwaba ngathi intabakazi enkulu iphoswe elwandle ivutha; sathi isiqingatha sesithathu solwandle saba ligazi. ₉Kwafa isiqingatha sesithathu sazo zonke iindidi zezinto ezihlala elwandle. Kwatshabalala isiqingatha sesithathu sazo zonke iinqanawa.

₁₀Nesesithathu salivuthela elaso ixilongo. Kwathi qithi into enkulu yenkwenkwezi ezulwini, ivutha ililahle. Yawela phezu kwesiqingatha sesithathu semilambo nemithombo. ₁₁Le nkwenkwezi kwakusithiwa ukubizwa kwayo nguKrakrayo. Saza ke isiqingatha sesithathu sawo onke amanzi saba krakra njengokrakrayo, kwafa inyambalala yabantu ngokuwasela.

₁₂Salivuthela nesesine isithunywa ixilongo laso. Kwabakho ukugqabhuka kwesiqingatha sesithathu selanga nenyanga neenkwenkwezi, isiqingatha sesithathu sazo asabi nakukhanya. Sathi ke nesiqingatha semini asabi nakukhanya, kwaba njalo nasebusuku.

₁₃Kuthe kusenjalo ndabona ukhozi luphaphazela phezu kwam. Ndaluva lukhala lusithi: “Yhoo! Yhoo! Yhoo, abantu bomhlaba! Yazi boba yini na zakuvakala izandi zamanye amaxilongo amathathu xa ziwavuthela izithunywa ezithathu!”

₁Emva koko isithunywa sesihlanu salivuthela ixilongo laso. Ndabona inkwenkwezi eyayiwe emhlabeni, inikwa isitshixo somwonyo oya enzonzobileni. ₂Yawuvula umwonyo wenzonzobila. Kwaphuma umsi kuwo, owawungathi uvela kwizikokazi lomlilo. Loo msi walisitha ilanga nomoya. ₃Kwavela iinkumbi, ziphuma kuloo msi, zeza emhlabeni. Zazinolwamvila olufana nolukanomadudwane. ₄Zaziyalelwe ukuba ze zingayichukumisi ingca, naso nasiphi na isityalo okanye umthi. Zazithunyelwe kubantu ababengaphawulwanga ngophawu lukaThixo ebunzi. ₅Zazithunyelwe ukubathuthumbisa iinyanga ezintlanu ngobuhlungu obufana nolwamvila lukanomadudwane, kodwa zingabulali. ₆Ngelo xesha abantu boba bekufuna ukufa, kube kona ukufa kungafumaneki. Bokunqwenela ukufa, kodwa kona kubaphambe.

₇Ezo nkumbi zazikhangeleka ngathi ngumkhosi wamahashe uxhabashele emfazweni. Entloko zazitsho ngezinto ezazingathi zizithsaba zegolide, zinobuso obufana nobomntu. ₈Zazitsho ngeenwele ezinde, zinamazinyo afana nawengonyama. ₉Zazifake izikhuselo-sifuba ezingathi zezentsimbi. Isandi sokurhatshaza kwamaphiko azo sasivakala ngathi sisandi seenqwelo zamahashe zisinga edabini. ₁₀Imisila yazo yayifana neyoonomadudwane, inolwamvila. Babusemsileni apho ubuhlungu bokuthuthumbisa abantu iinyanga ezintlanu. ₁₁Inkosi yazo yayisisithunywa sasenzonzobileni. Igama layo lalinguAbhadon ngesiHebhere, uApoliyon ngesiGrike.

₁₂Lidlule ishwangusha lokuqala. Kodwa aseza amabini.

₁₃Salivuthela ixilongo laso isithunywa sesithandathu. Ndeva ilizwi livela phakathi kweempondo zeqonga lamadini legolide, elaliphambi kukaThixo. ₁₄Lathi kwisithunywa sesithandathu esasiphethe ixilongo masizikhulule izithunywa ezine ezazibotshelelwe kumlambokazi iEfrati. ₁₅Zakhululwa zozine ezo zithunywa ukuba zibulale isiqingatha sesithathu soluntu. Zazihleli zilimiselwe kakade eli thuba, kanye ngalo nyaka nangale nyanga, ngalo mhla kanye nangeli xesha. ₁₆Ndalixelelwa inani lemikhosi yamahashe. Yayingamakhulu amabini ezigidi. ₁₇Waba nje umbono endaba nawo wamahashe nabo bawakhweleyo: Babetsho ngezikhuselo-sifuba ezibomvu, nezizuba, nezimthubi. Amahashe iintloko zazifana nentloko yengonyama. Ayephuma umlilo ngomlomo, kuqhuma umsi nesalfa. ₁₈Kwabulawa isiqingatha sesithathu soluntu ngezi zibetho zozithathu zomlilo, nomsi, nesalfa. ₁₉Ubuhlungu bala mahashe babusemlonyeni nasemisileni. Imisila yayineentloko ngathi ziinyoka. Ayeluma ngayo imisila.

₂₀Amasalela abantu abasindayo kweso sibetho akazange ahlukane nezithixo awayezenzele. Akazange ayeke ukunqula iindimoni nezithixo ezaziqingqwe ngegolide nesiliva nobhedu, amatye nangomthi, izinto ezazingenako nokubona nokuva nokushukuma oku. ₂₁Akazange azisole nokuzisola ngobugebenga, nobugqwirha, ukurheletya, nobututu bawo.

₁Ke kaloku ndabona enye ingwanyalala yesithunywa isihla iphuma ezulwini. Sasithiwe wambu lilifu, intloko yaso ithiwe thande ngumnyama. Ubuso babubengezela ngathi lilanga. Yona imilenze yayingathi ziintsika zomlilo. ₂Esandleni sasiphethe incwadana, ivuliwe. Sasingxabalazile, unyawo lokunene lumi elwandle, olwasekhohlo lusemhlabeni. ₃Sakhwaza ngelizwi elingathi ngumgqumo wengonyama. ₄Emva kwaloo mkhwazo kwaphendula izithonga ezisixhenxe zendudumo. Ndithe xa ndiza kuyibhala into eyayithethwa ziindudumo ezisixhenxe, ndeva ilizwi liphuma ezulwini lisithi: “Into ethethwa ziindudumo musa ukuyibhala, ilihlebo.”

₅Isithunywa eso besingxabalazile ndasibona sisiphakamisela ezulwini isandla saso sokunene. ₆Safunga uSonini-nanini, owadala izulu nehlabathi, ulwandle nezinto zonke ezilapho kuzo, sathi: “Ixesha limkile! ₇Liya kuthi lakufika ithuba lokuba isithunywa sesixhenxe sikhalise ixilongo laso, icebo elingaziwa mntu likaThixo lifezekiswe, kanye njengoko wayethembisile kwizicaka zakhe ezazivakalisa udaba.”

₈Kwakhona ilizwi elaliphuma ezulwini ndaliva lisithi kum: “Yiya uyithathe incwadi leyo ivulekileyo iphethwe sisithunywa esingxabalazele phezu kolwandle nomhlaba.”

₉Ndiyile, ndacela ukuba isithunywa sindinike incwadana leyo. Sithe ke sona: “Yithathe uyitye. Yona yofana nobusi emlonyeni, kodwa iya kukuqumbela.”

₁₀Ndayithatha ke esandleni sesithunywa eso ndayitya. Okunene yaba mnandi njengobusi emlonyeni, kodwa ndithe ndakuyiginya ndaqunjelwa. ₁₁Ndaxelelwa kwathiwa: “Kwakhona kufuneka uvakalise udaba lukaThixo olumayela nezizwe ngezizwe, iintlanga ngeentlanga, iilwimi, nezikumkani.”

₁Ke kaloku ndanikwa ingcongolo ende yokulinganisa, kwathiwa: “Hamba uye kulinganisa *indlu kaThixo, neqonga lamadini, ubale nabo banqulayo. ₂Ke yona inkundla engaphandle uze ungazihluphi ngayo, kuba inikezelwe ezintlangeni. Zona ke ziya kusixusha ngeenyawo isixeko esingcwele isithuba esingangeenyanga ezingamashumi amane anambini. ₃Ngokunjalo ndiya kumisa amangqina amabini, ukuze avakalise udaba. Ngazo zonke ezo ntsuku zilishumi elinambini lamakhulu, mashumi omathandathu, aya kuba enxibe ezirhwexayo zokuzila.”

₄La mangqina ke yiminquma emibini, kunye nezibane ezibini ezimi phambi kweNkosi yehlabathi. ₅Ukuba kukho bani ufuna ukuwenzakalisa, emlonyeni wawo kuya kuphuma umlilo ulutshabalalise olo tshaba. Uya kufa ngolo hlobo ke umntu ofuna ukuwenzakalisa la mangqina. ₆Ewe, aya kuba namagunya okusivala isibhakabhaka ingani imvula ngexesha lokuvakalisa kwawo udaba lukaThixo. Futhi anawo amagunya okuwajika amanzi abe ligazi; ihlabathi liphela aya kuba namagunya okulihlisela izibetho ngezibetho ngokuthanda kwawo.

₇La mangqina aya kuthi akuba egqibile ukuluvakalisa udaba olo, kuphume irhamncwa enzonzobileni. Lona ke liya kulwa nawo liwabulale. ₈Imizimba yawo iya kuqungquluza esitalatweni sesixeko esikhulu, apho yaxhonywa khona emnqamlezweni iNkosi yawo. Esi sixeko sifuziselwa yiSodom okanye iJiputa. ₉Imizimba yala mangqina iya kuhlala apho iintsuku ezintathu ezinesiqingatha, baze abantu bezizwe ngezizwe, iintlanga ngeentlanga, neelwimi ngeelwimi, beze kuyibona, bangavumi ukuba ingcwatywe. ₁₀Ukufa kwaba babini kuya kuba yinto emnandi ebantwini behlabathi. Baya kwenza itheko, banikane izipho. Kaloku la mangqina aya kubangcungcuthekisa abantu behlabathi. ₁₁Emva kweentsuku ezintathu ezinesiqingatha uThixo wawaphefumlela la mangqina avuka, baza bonke abayibonileyo loo nto barhwaqela. ₁₂Kwavakala umkhwazo ophuma ezulwini usithi kuwo: “Nyukani nize apha!” Zathi zisabukele iintshaba zawo, anyukela ezulwini ngelifu. ₁₃Kanye ngawo loo mzuzu kwabakho inyikima eyoyikekayo, saza isahlulo seshumi sesixeko eso satshabalala. Kwafa abantu abangamawaka asixhenxe. Abaseleyo bangenwa lunkwantyo, baza badumisa ubukhulu boThixo osezulwini.

₁₄Ngoku lidlule ishwangusha lesibini, kambe ke liyeza elesithathu kamsinya!

₁₅Ngokunjalo nesesixhenxe isithunywa salikhalisa ixilongo, kwaza kwavakala imikhwazo ezulwini, isithi: “Ngoku ihlabathi liza kulawulwa yiNkosi kunye noMthanjiswa wayo uKrestu, yaye ke iya kulawula kude kube ngunaphakade kanaphakade.” ₁₆Kananjalo amashumi amabini anesine amadoda amakhulu athe nqadalala phambi koThixo, athi qubudu phambi kwakhe, anqula embonga, ₁₇esithi:

₁₉Yasuka yavuleka *indlu kaThixo esezulwini. Yatsho yabonakala ityesi yomnqophiso. Ngokunjalo ke kwabakho nezabhokwe zemibane, intswahla, ukugqekreza kweendudumo, nonyikimo-mhlaba, kunye nemvula yesichotho.

₁Kwavela umqondiso ocacileyo esibhakabhakeni – umfazi wayambethe ilanga, inyanga isezinyaweni zakhe, nesithsaba seenkwenkwezi ezilishumi elinambini simthe jize intloko. ₂Wayekhulelwe, ekhala ziintlungu zokubeleka.

₃Kuvele omnye umqondiso esibhakabhakeni. Kuthe gqi igongqongqo elibomvu krwe. Lalineentloko ezisixhenxe neempondo ezilishumi; linezithsaba ezisixhenxe kwezo ntloko. ₄Umsila walo wavuthulula isiqingatha sesithathu seenkwenkwezi, waziwisela phantsi emhlabeni. Igongqongqo lema ngaphambi kwalo mfazi wayeza kubeleka, ukuze luluthi bimbilili usana olo xa luvelayo. ₅Umfazi lowo wazala umntwana oyinkwenkwe, owayemiselwe ukuzilawula ngegunya elingqongqo zonke iintlanga. Kodwa olo sana lwathiwa xhwi lwasiwa ewongeni kuThixo ohleli kwibhotwe lakhe. ₆Umfazi yena wabalekela entlango apho wayelungiselelwe indawo khona nguThixo. Wahlala apho egcinakele amakhulu alishumi elinambini namashumi amathandathu eentsuku.

₇Kwabakho idabi ezulwini. UMikayeli nezithunywa zakhe balihlasela igongqongqo. Lazilwela nalo kunye nezithunywa zalo. ₈Kodwa loyiswa, laza laphelelwa yindawo ezulwini. ₉Ke igongqongqo – inyoka endala eyakhohlisa uluntu luphela, uSathana, umtyholi – laphoswa ezantsi emhlabeni kunye nezithunywa zalo.

₁₀Kuvakele ilizwi lidanduluka livela ezulwini lisithi: “Luthwasile ngoku uloyiso negunya nolawulo lukaThixo wethu. Lithwasile ngoku igunya lomthanjiswa wakhe uKrestu. Kaloku umtyholi lo wayesoloko ewamangalela ubusuku nemini amawethu phambi kukaThixo wethu, ukhutshelwe ngaphandle ezulwini.” ₁₁Bamoyisile ngamandla edini leXhwane nangenyaniso kaThixo ebebekade beyingqinela, bengoyiki ukububeka esichengeni ubomi babo. ₁₂Memelelani ke ngoko, mazulu kwakunye nabo bahlala khona! Kodwa, hayi ishwangusha elisemhlabeni naselwandle! Kaloku umtyholi uze kuzo egragrama ngumsindo, kuba uyazi ukuba selephelelwe lixesha.

₁₃Lithe igongqongqo lakuqonda ukuba lilahlelwe emhlabeni, laphuthuma kulaa mfazi wayezele umntwana oyinkwenkwe. ₁₄Kodwa wayenikwe amaphiko afana nawokhozi umfazi, ukuze abhabhele entlango apho wayeza kugcinakala khona iminyaka emithathu enesiqingatha engenakuhlaselwa ligongqongqo, inyoka endala. ₁₅Ke lona igongqongqo, inyoka leyo, lahlanza umlambo wamanzi emva komfazi lowo ukuze akhukuliswe. ₁₆Suka umhlaba wona wamnceda umfazi. Wavuleka, wawaginya loo manzi ayephume kwelo gongqongqo. ₁₇Lamxhiba umfazi, lahamba laya kusikhuphela kwinzala yakhe eso sixhiba, engabo bonke abo bathobela imithetho kaThixo, bebambelele kwiimfundiso zikaYesu. ₁₈Lafana lee nkamalala apho elunxwemeni igongqongqo.