INCWADI KAJAKHOBE

1 Mina Jakhobe+ inceku kaNkulunkulu leyeNkosi uJesu Khristu, kuzizwana ezilitshumi lambili ezisabaleleyo:

Ngiyalibingelela!

2 Bafowethu, thokozani kakhulu nxa lisehlelwa yizilingo ezitshiyeneyo,+ 3 njengoba lisazi ukuthi ukholo lwenu oluhlolwe ngendlela le* lwenza liqinisele.+ 4 Kodwa vumelani ukuqinisela kuqede umsebenzi wakho ukuze liphelele, lingabi lasici kukho konke njalo lingasileli ngalutho.+

5 Ngakho nxa ekhona phakathi kwenu ongelakho ukuhlakanipha kaqhubeke ekucela kuNkulunkulu+ ngoba yena ubapha ngesihle bonke futhi engelansolo.*+ Uzakuphiwa sibili+ 6 kodwa kaqhubeke ecela elokholo,+ engathandabuzi ngitsho lakancane+ ngoba othandabuzayo unjengegagasi lolwandle eliphetshulwa ngumoya lisiya le lale. 7 Phela umuntu onjalo akumelanga akhangelele ukwamukela loba yini evela kuJehova,* 8 ungqondombili+ njalo uyatshintshatshintsha kuzo zonke izindlela zakhe.

9 Kodwa umzalwane ophansi kathokoze* ngokuphakanyiswa kwakhe,+ 10 lonothileyo kathokoze ngokwehliswa kwakhe+ ngoba uzakufa njengeluba leganga. 11 Njengoba nje ilanga liphuma litshise bhe libunise isilimo, iluba laso likhithike lobuhle baso buphele, umuntu onothileyo laye uzatshabalala elokhu egijimisana lenotho.+

12 Uyathokoza umuntu oqhubeka eqinisela nxa elingwa+ ngoba uzathi esamukelwa athole umqhele wokuphila,+ lowo uJehova* awuthembisa labo abaqhubeka bemthanda.+ 13 Nxa umuntu elingwa kangatsho ukuthi, “Ngilingwa nguNkulunkulu” ngoba uNkulunkulu ngeke alingwe ngezinto ezimbi njalo yena kalingi muntu. 14 Kodwa lowo lalowo ulingwa ngokudonswa langokuhugwa* yisifiso sakhe.+ 15 Nxa isifiso leso sesikhulile* sizala isono, nxa isono sesenziwe, siletha ukufa.+

16 Lingadukiswa bafowethu abathandekayo. 17 Zonke izipho ezinhle lazo zonke izipho ezipheleleyo zivela phezulu,+ zehla zivela kuYise wezibane zasezulwini+ ongatshintshiyo futhi ongaphenduphendukiyo njengemithunzi etshedayo.+ 18 Kwakuyintando yakhe ukuthi asilethe ekuphileni ngelizwi leqiniso+ ukuze sibe luhlobo lwezithelo zokuqala lwezidalwa zakhe.+

19 Kumele likwazi lokhu bafowethu abathandekayo: Wonke umuntu kumele aphangise ukulalela, aphuze ukukhuluma,+ aphuze lokuzonda+ 20 ngoba ukuzonda komuntu akukulethi ukulunga kukaNkulunkulu.+ 21 Ngakho-ke susani konke ukungcola lakho konke okuyizinto okuncane okubi,*+ likwamukele ngobumnene ukugxiliswa kwelizwi elenelisa ukulisindisa.*

22 Kumele libe ngabantu abenza lokho ilizwi elikutshoyo+ lingabi ngabalizwayo nje kuphela, liziyenga ngemicabango engamanga. 23 Loba ngubani olizwayo ilizwi kodwa angenzi lokho elikutshoyo+ unjengomuntu okhangela ubuso bakhe* esibukweni, 24 athi esezikhangelile asuke ahambe, ahle akhohlwe ukuthi ungumuntu onjani. 25 Kodwa lowo okhangelisisa umthetho opheleleyo+ wenkululeko futhi aqhubeke ekuwo uba ngulowo owenzayo umsebenzi, hatshi ozwayo abesekhohlwa njalo uzathokoza ngakwenzayo.+

26 Loba ngubani ocabanga ukuthi uyamkhonza uNkulunkulu kodwa engalubambi* ulimi lwakhe+ uyaziyenga enhliziyweni yakhe njalo ukukhonza kwakhe akuncedi ngalutho. 27 Indlela yokukhonza* ehlanzekileyo lengangcolanga ngokubona kukaNkulunkulu uBaba wethu yile: ukunakekela izintandane+ labafelokazi+ ekuhluphekeni kwabo+ kanye lokuzigcina singelasici emhlabeni.+

2 Bafowethu, nxa lilobandlululo liyabe libambelele yini ekholweni elilalo eNkosini yethu ekhazimulayo uJesu Khristu?+ 2 Nxa emhlanganweni wenu kungafika indoda elendandatho zegolide eminweni futhi egqoke impahla ezinhle kakhulu, besekufika lenye engumyanga egqoke impahla ezingcolileyo, 3 liqakathekisa egqoke impahla ezinhle kakhulu yini beselisithi, “Wena hlala lapha endaweni le enhle,” kodwa lithi kulo ongumyanga, “Wena qhubeka umi,” kumbe lithi, “Hlala laphaya esenabelweni* senyawo zami”?+ 4 Nxa lisenza njalo, liyabe lingakhethani+ yini njalo liyabe lingayisibo abahluleli abakhipha izahlulelo ezimbi yini?+

5 Lalelani bafowethu abathandekayo. UNkulunkulu kabakhethanga yini abantu abangabayanga ngokubona komhlaba lo ukuthi babe ngabanothileyo ekukholweni+ futhi babe zindlalifa zoMbuso awuthembisa labo abamthandayo?+ 6 Kodwa lina libeyisile abayanga. Abanothileyo kayisibo yini abalicindezelayo+ labalihudulela phambi kwemithethwandaba? 7 Abalithuki yini ibizo elihle elaliphiwayo? 8 Lenza kuhle sibili nxa lisenza okusemthethweni wobukhosi* osembhalweni othi, “Kumele uthande umakhelwane wakho ngendlela ozithanda ngayo.”+ 9 Kodwa nxa liqhubeka libandlululana+ lenza isono njalo umthetho ulithola lilecala lokuba yizephulamthetho.+

10 Nxa umuntu elalela wonke uMthetho kodwa aphambuke kokukodwa kuphela, uyabe esewephule wonke+ 11 ngoba lowo owathi, “Ungafebi,”*+ waphinda wathi, “Ungabulali.”+ Ngakho nxa ungafebi kodwa ubulala usuyisephulamthetho. 12 Qhubekani likhuluma futhi liziphatha njengabantu abazakwahlulelwa ngumthetho wabakhululekileyo*+ 13 ngoba lowo ongaphathi abanye ngesihawu kasoze enzelwe isihawu nxa esesahlulelwa.+ Isihawu sinqoba ukwahlulela.

14 Kunceda ngani bafowethu nxa umuntu esithi ulokholo kodwa engelamisebenzi?+ Kambe ukholo lolo lungamsindisa yini?+ 15 Nxa kulabafowethu loba odadewethu abaswela okokugqoka* lokudla okweneleyo kwalolosuku, 16 omunye wenu abesesithi kubo, “Hambani ngokuthula likhudumale futhi lidle lisuthe,” kodwa angabaniki lokho abakuswelayo ukuze baphile, kunceda ngani lokho?+ 17 Yikho-ke lokholo olungelamisebenzi lufile.+

18 Lanxa kunjalo, omunye uzakuthi: “Wena ulokholo, mina ngilemisebenzi. Ngitshengisa ukholo lwakho olungelamisebenzi, mina ngizakutshengisa ukholo lwami ngemisebenzi yami.” 19 Uyakholwa yini ukuthi kuloNkulunkulu oyedwa? Wenza kuhle sibili. Kodwa lamadimoni ayakukholwa futhi aqhaqhazele.+ 20 Muntu ongelalwazi, uyafuna yini ukwazi ukuthi ukholo olungelamisebenzi alusizi ngalutho? 21 Ubaba wethu u-Abrahama akuzange yini kuthiwe ulungile ngemisebenzi ngemva kokunikela ngendodana yakhe u-Isaka e-alithareni?+ 22 Uyabona ukuthi watshengisa ngemisebenzi ukuthi ulokholo futhi ukholo lwakhe lwapheleliswa yimisebenzi yakhe,+ 23 kwagcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “U-Abrahama wakholwa kuJehova* kwathiwa ulungile,”+ wasebizwa ngokuthi ngumngane kaJehova.*+

24 Liyabona ukuthi umuntu kuzathiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi hatshi ngokholo kuphela. 25 Kwaba njalo langoRahabi owayeyisifebe. Akuzange yini kuthiwe ulungile ngemisebenzi ngemva kokwamukela kuhle izithunywa lokuzitshela ukuthi zihambe ngenye indlela?+ 26 Njengoba nje umzimba ongelamoya* ufile,+ lokholo olungelamisebenzi lufile.+

3 Bafowethu, kababanengi phakathi kwenu okumele bafundise njengoba lisazi ukuthi sizakwahlulelwa kabuhlungu kulabanye.+ 2 Phela sonke siyaphambanisa* izikhathi ezinengi.+ Nxa umuntu engaphambanisi* ngelizwi, uyabe ephelele* njalo esenelisa ukuwufaka amatomu wonke umzimba wakhe. 3 Nxa sifaka amatomu emlonyeni webhiza ukuze silenze lisilalele siyabe siqondisa lomzimba walo wonke. 4 Khangelani lemikhumbi, mikhulu kakhulu njalo iqhutshwa ngumoya olamandla kodwa iqondiswa ngokuluphini okuncane ukuze iye loba ngaphi umtshayeli afuna iye khona.

5 Lolimi luyisitho somzimba esincane. Lanxa kunjalo luyazikhukhumeza kakhulu. Ake licabange ukuthi igusu elikhulu lithungelwa ngumlilo omncane njani! 6 Ulimi lalo lungumlilo.+ Ulimi lumela konke okungalunganga okusezithweni zemizimba yethu ngoba lungcolisa umzimba wonke+ futhi luthungela* ukuphila komuntu ngomlilo njalo lona luthungelwa yiGehena.* 7 Yonke imihlobo yezinyamazana zeganga leyezinyoni leyezinanakazana* kanye leyezidalwa zaselwandle iyathanjiswa futhi abantu yibo abayithambisileyo. 8 Kodwa kakho ongathambisa ulimi. Aluqondiseki njalo luyalimaza, lugcwele itshefu ebulalayo.+ 9 Ngalo sidumisa uJehova* uBaba futhi ngalo siqalekisa abantu abenziwe “bafanana loNkulunkulu.”+ 10 Emlonyeni munye kuphuma isibusiso lesiqalekiso.

Bafowethu, akuqondanga ukuthi izinto lezi zenzakale.+ 11 Kambe emthonjeni owodwa kungagobhoza amanzi amnandi lamanzi ababayo? 12 Bafowethu, isihlahla somkhiwa singathela ama-oliva yini loba isihlahla samagilebisi sithele amakhiwane?+ Lamanzi alesawudo ngeke akhiphe amanzi amnandi.

13 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo lozwisisayo phakathi kwenu? Katshengise ngokuziphatha kwakhe okuhle ukuthi imisebenzi yakhe uyenza ngobumnene futhi ubumnene lobo buvela ekuhlakanipheni. 14 Kodwa nxa lilomhawu omubi+ futhi lithanda izingxabano+ ezinhliziyweni zenu, lingazikhukhumezi+ liqambela iqiniso amanga. 15 Lokhu ayisikho ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu kodwa ngokomhlaba,+ kukhokhelwa yizifiso zenyama* futhi kulesidimoni. 16 Lapho okulomhawu lengxabano khona kulengxabangxoza layo yonke into embi.+

17 Kodwa ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu, okokuqala kumsulwa,+ besekusiba lokuthula,+ kuzimisele ukulalela, kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle,+ akubandlululi+ futhi akuzenzisi.+ 18 Kanti njalo isithelo sokulunga sihlanyelwa lapho okulokuthula khona+ kusenzelwa labo* abenza ukuthi kube lokuthula.+

4 Kuyini okwenza ukuthi phakathi kwenu kube lokulwa lezimpi? Izinto lezi kaziveli ezifisweni zenyama yini eziqhubeka zilwisana lani ngaphakathi kwenu?*+ 2 Liyafisa kodwa alitholi lutho. Liqhubeka libulala njalo lihawukela kodwa kalizuzi lutho. Liqhubeka lisilwa futhi lisiba lezimpi.+ Alilalutho ngoba kaliceli. 3 Nxa lingacela kalitholi ngoba licela lilenhloso engayisiyo lisenzela ukusebenzisa elikucelayo ezifisweni zenu zenyama.

4 Zifebe,* kalikwazi yini ukuthi ukuba ngumngane womhlaba yikuba yisitha sikaNkulunkulu? Ngakho loba ngubani ofuna ukuba ngumngane womhlaba uzenza isitha sikaNkulunkulu.+ 5 Kumbe licabanga ukuthi akulasizatho sokuthi umbhalo uthi: “Umoya wokuba lomona ophakathi kwethu uqhubeka ufisa zonke izinto”?+ 6 Lanxa kunjalo, umusa omkhulu asenzela wona ungcono. Yikho umbhalo usithi: “UNkulunkulu umelana labaziphakamisayo+ kodwa ulomusa omkhulu kwabathobekileyo.”+

7 Ngakho-ke zehliseni kuNkulunkulu+ kodwa melanani loDeveli+ njalo uzalibalekela.+ 8 Sondelani kuNkulunkulu laye uzasondela kini.+ Gezani izandla zenu lina zoni,+ lihlambulule inhliziyo zenu+ lina abangqondombili. 9 Dabukani emoyeni lilile futhi likhale.+ Ukuhleka kwenu akutshintshe kube yikulila, lentokozo yenu ibe yikuphelelwa lithemba. 10 Zithobeni phambi kukaJehova,*+ yena uzaliphakamisa.+

11 Bafowethu, yekelani ukuchothozana.+ Loba ngubani okhuluma kubi ngomzalwane kumbe owahlulela umzalwane wakhe ukhuluma okuphikisana lomthetho njalo wahlulela umthetho. Manje nxa usahlulela umthetho awukwenzi okusemthethweni kodwa usungumahluleli. 12 Munye kuphela otshaya imithetho longuMahluleli,+ lowo olamandla okusindisa lokubhubhisa.+ Manje wena ungubani ukuthi wahlulele umakhelwane wakho?+

13 Zwanini-ke lina elithi: “Lamuhla kumbe kusasa sizakuya edolobheni leliya siyehlala khona okomnyaka owodwa njalo sizakwenza ibhizimusi sithole inzuzo,”+ 14 kodwa lingakwazi ukuthi ukuphila kwenu kuzabe kunjani kusasa.+ Phela liyinkungu ebakhona okwesikhatshana nje ibisinyamalala.+ 15 Lina kumele lithi: “Nxa kuyikuthanda kukaJehova*+ sizaphila senze lokhu loba lokhuya.” 16 Kodwa liyazigqaja lizitshaya isifuba. Konke ukuzitshaya isifuba okunjalo kubi. 17 Yikho nxa umuntu ekwazi ukuthi angakwenza njani okuqondileyo kodwa angakwenzi, wenza isono.+

5 Zwanini lina elinothileyo, khalani futhi lilile ngenxa yosizi oluzalehlela.+ 2 Inotho yenu isibolile, lezigqoko zenu sezidliwe yizibungu.*+ 3 Igolide lenu lesiliva senu sekurusile njalo irusi leyo izafakaza okubi ngani futhi izakudla inyama yenu. Elikubutheleleyo kuzakuba njengomlilo ezinsukwini zokucina.+ 4 Lalelani! Izisebenzi ezivune emasimini enu ziqhubeka zikhala ngoba alizibhadalanga iholo lazo, lokukhala kwabavunayo bekhalela uncedo sekufike endlebeni zikaJehova* wamabutho.+ 5 Liphila ntofontofo, liphilela ukusuthisa izifiso zenu kulumhlaba. Izinhliziyo zenu selizinonisile angathi zinyamazana ezinoniselwa ilanga lokuhlatshwa kwazo.+ 6 Seligwebe abanye, labulala olungileyo. Pho yena kaliphikisi yini?

7 Ngakho bekezelani bafowethu kuze kube yisikhathi sokuba khona kweNkosi.+ Phela umlimi uqhubeka ezilindele izithelo zomhlabathi eziligugu, uyazibekezelela kuze kune izulu lokuqala, kune lelokucina.+ 8 Lani tshengisani ukuthi liyabekezela,+ liqinise inhliziyo zenu ngoba ukuba khona kweNkosi sekusondele.+

9 Lingasolani bafowethu* ukuze lingahlulelwa.+ UMahluleli usemi emnyango. 10 Bafowethu, lingiselani abaphrofethi abakhuluma ebizweni likaJehova,*+ ababehlupheka+ futhi bebekezela.+ 11 Sithi bayathokoza* sibili labo abaqiniselayo!+ Selezwa ngokuqinisela kukaJobe,+ labona ukuthi uJehova* wacina emenzeleni,+ okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova* ulozwelo olukhulu futhi ulesihawu.+

12 Phezu kwakho konke bafowethu, yekelani ukufunga ngezulu loba ngomhlaba kumbe ngesinye nje isifungo. Kodwa “uYebo” wenu kabe nguyebo, “loHatshi” wenu abe nguhatshi+ ukuze lingabi ngabafanele ukwahlulelwa.

13 Ukhona yini phakathi kwenu osebunzimeni? Kaqhubeke ethandaza.+ Ukhona yini othabileyo? Kahlabele izingoma zokudumisa.+ 14 Ukhona yini ogulayo phakathi kwenu? Kabize abadala+ bebandla bamthandazele futhi bamgcobe ngamafutha+ ebizweni likaJehova.* 15 Umthandazo owenziwa ngokholo uzakwenza ogulayo* asile futhi uJehova* uzamvusa. Kanti njalo nxa enze izono uzathethelelwa.

16 Ngakho vumani izono zenu+ komunye lomunye, lithandazelane ukuze lisiliswe. Umthandazo womuntu olungileyo okhuleka encenga ulamandla futhi uyanceda kakhulu.*+ 17 U-Elija wayengumuntu owayelemizwa enjengeyethu, lanxa kunjalo wathi ethandaza ngenhliziyo yonke ecela ukuthi izulu lingani, lakanye kalizange line elizweni okweminyaka emithathu lenyanga eziyisithupha.+ 18 Waphinda wathandaza kwasekusina izulu futhi umhlabathi wathela.+

19 Bafowethu, nxa omunye wenu angaduka eqinisweni kodwa omunye abesembuyisela endleleni, 20 yazini ukuthi lowo onceda umuntu oyisoni ambuyisele endleleni eyiyo+ uzamsindisa* ekufeni njalo uzasibekela izono ezinengi.+