To The Word – Day 85

₂Zwanini, bantu bonke,

uqaphele, mhlaba nokugcwala kwakho,

iNkosi uJehova ibe ngufakazi ngani,

iNkosi isethempelini layo elingcwele.

₃Ngokuba bhekani, uJehova uphuma endaweni yakhe,

ehle, anyathele ezindaweni eziphakemeyo zomhlaba.

₄Izintaba ziyakuncibilika phansi kwakhe,

nezigodi ziyakuqhekezeka

njengengcina phambi komlilo,

njengamanzi athululwe emaweni.

₅Konke lokhu kungenxa yesiphambeko sikaJakobe

nangezono zendlu yakwa-Israyeli.

Siyini isiphambeko sikaJakobe?

Asiyilo iSamariya na?

Ziyini izindawo eziphakemeyo zakwaJuda?

Aziyilo iJerusalema na?

₆“Ngiyakwenza iSamariya libe yizihlephu zasendle

nendawo yokutshala izivini,

ngiqulele amatshe alo esigodini,

ngambule isisekelo salo.

₇Zonke izithombe zalo ezibaziweyo ziyakwaphulwa,

nakho konke elikukhokhelweyo kuyakushiswa ngomlilo,

nayo yonke imifanekiso ngiyakuyenza ukuba ibe yincithakalo,

ngokuba likuqoqile ngenkokhelo yobufebe;

kuyakubuye kube yinkokhelo yobufebe.”

₈Ngenxa yalokho ngiyakukhala,

ngihhewule,

ngihambe ngihlutshuliwe,

ngihamba ze;

ngenze isililo njengamakhanka,

ngikhale njengezintshe.

₉Ngokuba amanxeba alo awanakuphulukiswa,

lokhu sekufikile nakwaJuda,

kufinyelela esangweni labantu bami naseJerusalema.

₁₀Ningakulandisi eGati, ningakhali e-Akha;

eBeti Afera huquzelani othulini.

₁₁Dlulani nina enakhileyo eShafiri ngobunqunu nangehlazo;

abakhe eSawanani abaphumi;

ukukhala kwaseBeti Eseli akunivumeli ukuhlala khona.

₁₂Ngokuba abakhe eMaroti banemihelo ngokuhle,

lokhu okubi kwehlile kuvela kuJehova,

kwafika esangweni laseJerusalema.

₁₃Bophelani enqoleni ihhashi elinejubane,

nina enakhileyo eLakishi;

lona lalingukuqala kwezono kuyo indodakazi yaseSiyoni,

ngokuba iziphambeko zakwa-Israyeli zafunyanwa kuwe.

₁₄Ngalokho uyakupha iMoresheti Gati isipho sokuvalelisana;

izindlu zase-Akizibi ziyakuba yinkohliso kuwo amakhosi akwa-Israyeli.

₁₅Ngisezakwehlisa phezu kwenu

enakhileyo eMaresha oyakunidla:

udumo luka-Israyeli luyakufika e-Adulamu.

₁₆Ziphucule,

zigunde ngenxa yabantwana bokwenama kwakho,

wandise ubumpandla bakho njengenqe,

ngokuba bayakuthunjwa kuwe.

₁Wo! kwabaceba ububi,

benze okubi emibhedeni yabo!

Ekukhanyeni kokusa bayakwenza,

ngokuba kusemandleni ezandla zabo.

₂Bafisa amasimu, bawadluzule,

nezindlu, bazisuse;

bacindezela indoda nendlu yayo,

umuntu nefa lakhe.

“Bhekani, ngiceba okubi ngalo mndeni,

eningayikukhipha kukho izintamo zenu;

futhi ningahambi ngokuzidla,

ngokuba lokhu kuyisikhathi esibi.

₄Ngalolo suku bayakuphakamisa umfanekiso ngani,

bakhale isililo, bathi:

‘Sichithiwe nokuchithwa;

isabelo sabantu bami sinikwa omunye;

yeka ukubuya kwakhe kimi;

abahlubuki babelwa amasimu ethu.’ ”

₅Ngalokho akuyikubakho ophonsa intambo ngenkatho

ebandleni likaJehova.

₆“Ningaprofethi,” baprofetha,

basho njalo,

“ningaprofethi ngalokho;

ihlazo aliyikusifica.”

₇Kuyakushiwo, nina ndlu kaJakobe,

ukuthi uMoya kaJehova unyinyekile;

yizenzo zakhe lezi na?

“Awamahle yini amazwi ami kohamba ngobuqotho?

₈Kepha kade bevukile abantu bami baba yizitha;

nihlubula ingubo esambathweni sabadlula ngethemba,

befulathele ukulwa.

₉Niyaxosha abesifazane babantu bami ezindlini zokuthokoza kwabo,

nisusa ezinganeni zabo ubukhosi bami kuze kube phakade.

₁₀Sukumani nihambe,

ngokuba lokhu akusikho ukuphumula kwenu;

ngenxa yabayingcosana niyachitha ngokuchitha okunamandla.

₁₁Uma bekuhambahamba umuntu

okhuluma umoya nje namanga, athi:

‘Ngiyakuprofetha kuwe ngewayini nangophuzo olunamandla,’

ubeyakuba ngumprofethi walaba bantu.

₁₂“Ngiyakukubutha, Jakobe, wonke wakho;

ngiyakuqoqa nokuqoqa insali yakwa-Israyeli;

ngiyakubabeka ndawonye njengezimvu zaseBosira,

njengomhlambi phakathi kwedlelo lawo,

kwenziwe ukukhamuluka okuvela kubantu.

₁₃Umfohli ukhuphuka ngaphambi kwabo;

sebefohlile, badlulela esangweni,

baphuma ngalo;

inkosi yabo idlulile phambi kwabo,

noJehova usesihlokweni sabo.”

“Zwanini nina zinhloko zakwaJakobe,

nani zikhulu zendlu yakwa-Israyeli ukuthi:

Akusikho okwenu ukwazi ukulunga

₂nina enizonda okuhle,

nithanda okubi,

enebula kubo isikhumba sabo,

nenyama yabo emathanjeni abo,

₃enidla inyama yabantu bami,

nihlinza kubo isikhumba sabo,

naphula amathambo abo,

yebo, nibaqoba njengokwasekhanzini

nanjengenyama phakathi kwebhodwe.”

₄Khona bayakukhala kuJehova,

kepha akayikubaphendula;

uyakusitheza ubuso bakhe kubo ngaleso sikhathi

ngenxa yokwenza kwabo izenzo zabo zibe zimbi.

₅Usho kanje uJehova:

“Ngabaprofethi abadukisa abantu bami,

abathi, bese nakho okokuhlafuna ngamazinyo abo,

bamemeze bathi: ‘Ukuthula,’

nongabeki lutho emlonyeni wabo bamlungisele ukulwa.

₆Ngalokho ubusuku buyakunehlela ukuze ningabi nambono,

kuhlwe kini, ningabe nisabhula;

ilanga liyakushonela abaprofethi,

usuku lube mnyama phezu kwabo.

₇Ababoni bayakuba namahloni,

ababhuli bayangaze;

bayakumboza amadevu abo bonke,

ngokuba akuveli mpendulo kuNkulunkulu.”

₈Kepha mina ngigcwele amandla ngoMoya kaJehova

ngokulunga nangobuqhawe

ukuba ngimtshele uJakobe iziphambeko zakhe,

u-Israyeli izono zakhe.

₉Ake nizwe lokhu nina zinhloko zendlu kaJakobe

nani zikhulu zendlu yakwa-Israyeli

eninengwa ngukwahlulelwa,

nihlanekezela konke ukulunga,

₁₀enakha iSiyoni ngegazi neJerusalema ngobubi,

₁₁elizinhloko zalo zahlulela ngemivuzo,

nelibapristi balo bafundisa ngenkokhelo,

nelibaprofethi balo babhula ngemali,

bencike nokho kuJehova, bethi:

“UJehova akaphakathi kwethu na?”

Asiyikwehlelwa ngokubi.

₁₂Ngalokho ngenxa yenu iSiyoni liyakulinywa njengensimu,

iJerusalema libe yincithakalo,

intaba yendlu ibe yizindawo eziphakemeyo zamahlathi.

₁Kepha kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo

intaba yendlu kaJehova

iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba,

iphakame kunamagquma,

nabantu bayakugobhozela khona.

₂Izizwe eziningi ziyakuhamba, zithi:

“Wozani sikhuphukele entabeni kaJehova

nasendlini kaNkulunkulu kaJakobe;

uyakusifundisa izindlela zakhe,

sihambe emikhondweni yakhe,

ngokuba umthetho uyakuvela eSiyoni,

nezwi likaJehova eJerusalema.

₃Uyakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe eziningi,

anqume phakathi kwezizwe ezinamandla ezikude;

ziyakukhanda izinkemba zazo zibe ngamakhuba,

imikhonto yazo ibe ngocelemba;

isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba,

zingabe zisafuna ukulwa.

₄Bayakuhlala,

kube yilowo nalowo phansi komvini wakhe

naphansi komkhiwane wakhe;

akakho oyakubesabisa,

ngokuba umlomo kaJehova Sebawoti ukhulumile.

₅Ngokuba bonke abantu bahamba,

kube yilowo nalowo ngegama likankulunkulu wakhe,

kepha thina siyakuhamba ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu wethu

kuze kube phakade naphakade.

₆“Ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova,

“ngiyakubutha abaqhugayo,

ngiqoqe abaxoshiweyo nengenze okubi kubo,

₇ngenze abaqhugayo babe yinsali,

abadediselwe kude babe yisizwe esinamandla;

uJehova uyakubusa phezu kwabo entabeni yaseSiyoni

kusukela manje kuze kube phakade.

₈Wena mbhoshongo womhlambi,

negquma lendodakazi yaseSiyoni kuyakufika kuwe,

yebo, ukubusa kokuqala kuyakufika,

umbuso wendodakazi yaseJerusalema.”

₉Umemezelani manje ngokumemeza okungakho na?

Ayikho inkosi kuwe,

ubhubhile umluleki wakho,

lokhu ubanjwe yimihelo njengobelethayo.

₁₀Yiba nemihelo, uzale,

ndodakazi yaseSiyoni njengobelethayo,

ngokuba manje uyakuphuma emzini,

uhlale endle,

ufike naseBabele,

lapho uzakophulwa khona;

lapho uJehova uyakukukhulula esandleni sezitha zakho.

₁₁Manje izizwe eziningi zikubuthanele;

zithi: “Malingcoliswe,

amehlo ethu alibuke iSiyoni.”

₁₂Kepha azazi imicabango kaJehova,

aziqondi amasu akhe,

ngokuba uzibuthile njengezithungu esibuyeni.

₁₃“Suka ubhule, ndodakazi yaseSiyoni,

ngokuba ngiyakwenza uphondo lwakho lube yinsimbi,

nezinselo zakho ngizenze insimbi;

uyakuchoboza abantu abaningi,”

kwahlukaniselwe uJehova inzuzo yabo,

nemfuyo yabo kuyo iNkosi yomhlaba wonke.

₁Buthana ngamaviyo,

ndodakazi yamaviyo;

usivimbezele,

bayakumshaya umahluleli wakwa-Israyeli ngenduku esihlathini.

₂“Kepha wena Betlehema Efratha,

omncane ukuba ube phakathi kwemindeni yakwaJuda,

ngiyakuphunyelwa ngovela kuwe,

ozakuba ngumbusi kwa-Israyeli,

okuvela kwakhe kusukela endulo ezinsukwini zaphakade.”

₃Ngalokho bayakukhashelwa,

bese yibuyela insali yabafowabo kubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.

₄Uyakuma, aluse ngamandla kaJehova nangokuphakama kwegama

likaJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe;

sebeyakuhlala,

ngokuba uzakuba mkhulu

kuze kube semajukujukwini omhlaba.

₅Ukuthula kuyakuba yilokhu:

lapho umAsiriya engena ezweni lakithi,

anyathele ezindlini zethu zobukhosi,

siyakumvusela abelusi abayisikhombisa

nezikhulu zabantu eziyisishiyagalombili.

₆Bayakuchitha izwe lase-Asiriya ngenkemba,

nezwe lakwaNimrode ezintubeni zalo,

asophule kumAsiriya,

lapho engena ezweni lakithi,

nalapho enyathela emikhawulweni yethu.

₇Insali yakwaJakobe iyakuba phakathi kwabantu abaningi

njengamazolo avela kuJehova,

ngengezihlambi otshanini ezingahlaleli muntu,

zingahlaleli abantwana babantu.

₈Insali yakwaJakobe iyakuba phakathi kwezizwe,

phakathi kwabantu abaningi,

njengengonyama phakathi kwezilwane zasehlathini,

njengebhongo lengonyama phakathi kwemihlambi yezimvu,

elithi lapho lidabula,

linyathele, lidwengule,

kungekho owophulayo.

₉Masiphakanyiswe isandla sakho phezu kwezitha zakho,

zinqunywe zonke izitha zakho.

₁₀“Kuyakuthi ngalolo suku,” usho uJehova,

“nginqume amahhashi akho phakathi kwakho,

ngichithe izinqola zakho,

₁₁ngiyinqume imizi yasezweni lakho,

ngizidilize zonke izinqaba zakho.

₁₂Ngiyakunquma ukulumba esandleni sakho,

kungabe kusabakho kuwe abahlola imihlola.

₁₃Ngiyakunquma izithombe zakho ezibaziweyo

nezinsika zakho phakathi kwakho,

ungabe usakhonza imisebenzi yezandla zakho.

₁₄Ngiyakubasiphula o-Ashera* bakho phakathi kwakho,

ngiyichithe imizi yakho.

₁₅Ngiyakwenza impindiselo ngentukuthelo nangokufutheka

kuzo izizwe ezingalalelanga.”

₁Ake nizwe akushoyo uJehova, ethi:

“Suka ulwe phambi kwezintaba,

uzwise amagquma izwi lakho.

₂Zwanini, zintaba,

ukuphikisana kukaJehova,

nani zisekelo zomhlaba eziqinileyo,

ngokuba uJehova unokuphikisana nabantu bakhe,

uyakumelana nabo.

₃“Bantu bami, ngenzeni kini;

kuyini enginikhathaze ngakho na?

Ngiphenduleni.

₄Nganikhuphula ezweni laseGibithe,

nganihlenga endlini yezigqila,

ngathuma phambi kwenu oMose, no-Aroni, noMiriyamu.

₅Bantu bami, ake nikhumbule

okwacetshwa nguBalaki inkosi yakwaMowabi,

nalokho amphendula ngakho uBileyamu indodana kaBeyori,

nokwakuphakathi kweShithimi neGiligali,

nize nazi izenzo ezilungileyo zikaJehova.”

₆Ngiyakusondela kuJehova nginantoni,

ngikhothame kuNkulunkulu ophezulu, na?

Ngiyakufika ngiphethe iminikelo yokushiswa,

nginamathole amnyaka munye, na?

₇UJehova uyakwenamela izinkulungwane zezinqama

nezinkulungwane eziyishumi zemifula yamafutha na?

Ngiyakunika izibulo lami ngenxa yesiphambeko sami,

isithelo sesisu sami ngenxa yesono senhliziyo yami, na?

₈Ukutshelile, muntu, okuhle;

uJehova ufunani kuwe,

kungabi ngukwenza ukulunga kuphela nokuthanda umusa,

uhambe noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka, na?

₉Izwi likaJehova liyamemeza kuwo umuzi.

Ukwesaba igama lakho ngukusindiswa;

zwanini induku noyimisileyo.

₁₀Kusekhona inzuzo embi endlini yababi,

ne-efa* elincane eliqalekiswayo, na?

₁₁“Ukhona ohlanzekile onesilinganiso esibi

nesikhwama sezisindo ezikhohlisayo na?

₁₂“Abacebileyo bawo bagcwele ubudlova,

nabakhileyo kuwo bakhuluma amanga,

nolimi lwabo lunenkohliso emlonyeni wabo.

₁₃Ngalokho mina ngiyakugulisa ngokushaya,

ngikuchithe ngenxa yezono zakho.

₁₄Lapho udlayo, awuyikusutha,

kube khona ukulamba phakathi kwakho;

uyakususa, ungakhululi kodwa,

nokukhululayo ngiyakukukhaphela enkembeni.

₁₅“Uyakutshala, ungavuni kodwa;

uyakunyathela iminqumo, ungazigcobi kodwa ngamafutha,

nezithelo zomvini, ungaliphuzi nokho iwayini.

₁₆Izimiso zika-Omri ziyagcinwa,

nazo zonke izenzo zendlu ka-Ahabi;

nihamba ngamacebo abo;

ngalokho ngiyakunenza incithakalo

nabakhileyo khona into encimfelwayo;

niyakuthwala ihlazo labantu bami.”

₁Maye kimi!

Ngokuba nginjengokuvunwa kwezithelo zasehlobo,

njengokukhothozwa komvini;

akukho hlukuzo lokudliwa;

umphefumulo wami uyafisa ikhiwane eliyingqalabutho.

₂Abathembekileyo babhubhile emhlabeni,

akakho oqotho phakathi kwabantu;

bonke baqamekela igazi;

bayazingelana, kube yilowo nalowo umfowabo ngenetha.

₃Izandla zabo ziphezu kokubi ukukuthuthukisa;

isikhulu sinesicelo,

umahluleli ubheka umvuzo;

omkhulu ukhuluma ngesifiso somphefumulo wakhe;

bayakwalukanisa.

₄Omuhle wabo unjengobobe,

olungileyo mubi kunothango lwameva;

usuku lwabalindi bakho nolokuhanjelwa kwakho lufikile;

sekuyakuba ngukukhungatheka kubo.

₅Ningamethembi umngane,

ningakholwa ngumhlobo;

gcina iminyango yomlomo wakho kuye olala ngasesifubeni sakho.

₆Ngokuba indodana idelela uyise;

indodakazi ivukela unina;

umalokazana uvukela uninazala,

nezitha zomuntu ngamadoda endlu yakhe.

₇Kepha mina ngiyakumbheka uJehova;

ngiyakulindela uNkulunkulu wokusindiswa kwami;

uNkulunkulu wami uyakungizwa.

₈Ungathokozi ngami, sitha sami;

ngokuba uma ngiwile, ngiyakuvuka;

lapho ngihlezi ebumnyameni,

uJehova uzakuba ngukukhanya kwami.

₉Ngiyakuthwala ulaka lukaJehova,

ngokuba ngonile kuye,

aze amele indaba yami,

angenzele ukwahlulelwa,

angiphumisele ekukhanyeni,

ngibone ukulunga kwakhe.

₁₀Isitha sami siyakukubona,

sisitshekelwe ngamahloni,

esona besithi kimi:

“Uphi uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho?”

Amehlo ami ayakusibona;

manje siyakunyathelwa njengodaka lwasezitaladini.

₁₁Kuyakufika usuku lokwakha izingange zakho;

ngalolo suku umkhawulo wakho uyakudediselwa kude.

₁₂Ngalolo suku bayakufika kuwe

bevela e-Asiriya nasemizini yaseGibithe,

kusukela eGibithe kuze kube seMfuleni,*

kusukela elwandle kuze kube selwandle,

kusukela entabeni kuze kube sentabeni.

₁₃Kepha izwe liyakuba yincithakalo

ngenxa yabakhileyo kulo ngezenzo zabo.

₁₄Yalusa abantu bakho ngentonga yakho,

izimvu zefa lakho

ezihlala zodwa ehlathini phakathi kweKarmeli;

mazaluke eBashani nakwaGileyadi njengasezinsukwini zasendulo.

₁₅“Njengasezinsukwini zokuphuma kwakho ezweni laseGibithe

ngiyakubabonisa izimangaliso.”

₁₆Abezizwe bayakubona,

babe namahloni ngamandla abo onke,

babeke isandla sabo emlonyeni wabo,

izindlebe zabo zibe yizithulu.

₁₇Bayakukhotha uthuli njengenyoka,

baphume bethuthumela njengezinto ezinabuzelayo emhlabathini

ezindaweni zazo ezivalelweyo,

bafike ngokuqhaqhazela kuJehova uNkulunkulu wethu,

besabe ngenxa yakho.

₁₈Ngubani onguNkulunkulu onjengawe

othethelela insali yefa lakho ububi bayo,

uyiyekele isiphambeko sayo, na?

Akabambeleli entukuthelweni yakhe kuze kube phakade,

ngokuba wenamela umusa.

₁₉Uyakubuye asibekezelele,

anyathele phansi ububi bethu;

yebo, uyakuphonsa zonke izono zabo ekujuleni kolwandle.

₂₀Uyakunika uJakobe ukuthembeka no-Abrahama umusa

owakufungela obaba kwasezinsukwini zasendulo.