Incwadi YeBhayibhile 21—INtshumayeli
Umbhali: NguSolomon
Indawo Eyabhalelwa Kuyo: EYerusalem
Ukugqitywa Kokubhalwa Kwayo: Ngaphambi kowe-1000 B.C.E.
1. INtshumayeli yabhalelwa yiphi injongo ephakamileyo?
INCWADI yeNtshumayeli yabhalelwa injongo ezukileyo. USolomon, njengenkokeli yabantu abazahlulele kuYehova, wayenembopheleleko yokubagcina bemanyene bekwabambelele ngokuthembekileyo kuzahlulelo lwabo. Wafuna ukuyinyamekela le mbopheleleko ngokusebenzisa isiluleko sobulumko seNtshumayeli.
2. Le njongo ivakaliswe njani kwigama leNtshumayeli lesiHebhere, elithi ngaloo ndlela libe lelifaneleke ngakumbi kunegama lesiGrike nelesiNgesi?
2 KwiNtshumayeli 1:1 (NW) ubhekisela kuye ‘njengomhlanganisi.’ Eli gama ngolwimi lwesiHebhere lelithi Qo·heʹleth, kwaye kwiBhayibhile yesiHebhere, le ncwadi ibizwa ngelo gama. ISeptuagint yesiGrike inikela igama elithi Ek·kle·si·a·stesʹ, elithetha “ilungu le-ecclesia (ibandla; umanyano),” ekuthatyathwe kulo igama lesiNgesi elithi Ecclesiastes. Noko ke, igama elithi Qo·heʹleth, liguqulelwa ngokuchanileyo ngokuthi “UMhlanganisi,” kwaye esi ikwasisibizo esifanelekileyo esibhekisela kuSolomon. Sidlulisela injongo kaSolomon ngokubhala le ncwadi.
3. USolomon wayengumhlanganisi ngayiphi ingqiqo?
3 UKumkani uSolomon waba ngumhlanganisi ngayiphi ingqiqo ibe yintoni le wayihlanganisayo? Wayehlanganisa abantu bakhe, amaSirayeli, namaqabane abo, abaphambukeli ababexhwarhe apho. Bonke aba wabahlanganisela elunqulweni loThixo wakhe, uYehova. Ngaphambilana wayakhe itempile kaYehova eYerusalem, kwaye ekunikezelweni kwayo wababizela ndawonye, okanye wabahlanganisa bonke ukuba baze kunqula uThixo. (1 Kum. 8:1) Ngoku, ngokusebenzisa INtshumayeli, wayefuna ukuhlanganisela abantu bakhe kwimisebenzi enenzuzo baze bayiphephe imisebenzi elilize nengenaziqhamo yeli hlabathi.—INtshu. 12:8-10.
4. Kufunyaniswa njani ukuba uSolomon wayengumbhali?
4 Nangona uSolomon engabizwanga ngokungqalileyo ngegama, iindinyana eziliqela zanelisa ngokupheleleyo ekumiseleni yena njengombhali. Lo mhlanganisi uzichaza ‘njengonyana kaDavide’ owaba ‘ngukumkani kwaSirayeli eYerusalem.’ Oku kunokubhekisela kuKumkani uSolomon kuphela, kuba ookumkani abangena esikhundleni sakhe eYerusalem babelawula phezu koYuda kuphela. Ngaphezu koko, kunjengokuba lo mhlanganisi ebhala oku: “Mna ndikhulise ndandisa ubulumko, ngaphezu kwabo bonke ababephethe iYerusalem phambi kwam; nentliziyo yam ibone kakhulu ubulumko nokwazi.” (1:1, 12, 16) Oku kufanela uSolomon. INtshumayeli 12:9 (NW) isixelela ukuba “wahlolisisa, wenza nophando olunzulu, ukuze ayile imizekeliso emininzi.” UKumkani uSolomon wenza imizekeliso engama-3 000. (1 Kum. 4:32) INtshumayeli 2:4-9 isixelela ngenkqubo yombhali yokwakha; imiyezo yezidiliya, amasimi nemiyezo; inkqubo yokunkcenkceshela; ukulungelelaniswa kwamakhoboka namakhobokazana; ukuzifumbela isilivere negolide; nezinye izinto awazifezayo. Konke oku koko kanye kwenziwa nguSolomon. Xa ukumkanikazi waseShebha wabona ubulumko nokuba nempumelelo kukaSolomon, wathi: “Bendingaxelelwanga nesiqingatha esi.”—1 Kum. 10:7.
5. INtshumayeli imele ukuba yabhalelwa phi kwaye nini?
5 Le ncwadi ibonisa ukuba yabhalelwa eYerusalem xa isithi umhlanganisi wayengukumkani “eYerusalem.” Kumele ukuba kwakuphambi konyaka we-1000 B.C.E., phakathi kulawulo lukaSolomon lweminyaka engama-40, emva kokuba ezibhokoxe kwizinto eziliqela awayezisukela abhekisela kuzo kule ncwadi kodwa ngaphambi kokuwexukela kwakhe kunqulo-zithixo. Ngelo xesha wayezuze ulwazi oluninzi ngemisebenzi yeli hlabathi nosukelo lwalo lwezinto eziphathekayo. Ngelo xesha wayenokuba wayesakholisekile kuThixo kwaye ephantsi kwempefumlelo Yakhe.
6. Ziziphi iimpikiswano eziye zaphakanyiswa mayela nokuphefumlelwa kweNtshumayeli, kodwa zinokuphendulwa njani?
6 Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba INtshumayeli “iphefumlelwe nguThixo”? Bambi basenokukuthandabuza ukuphefumlelwa kwayo ekubeni ingalikhankanyi nakanye igama likaThixo, uYehova. Phofu ke, ngokuqinisekileyo ikhuthaza unqulo lokwenyaniso lukaThixo, kwaye ngokuphindaphindiweyo isebenzisa ibinzana elithi ha·ʼElo·himʹ, “uThixo oyinyaniso.” Abanye basenokuphikisa ngelokuba kwezinye iincwadi zeBhayibhile ayicatshulwa ngokungqalileyo INtshumayeli. Phofu ke, iimfundiso ezinikelwayo nemigaqo emiselwa kule ncwadi ivisisana ngokupheleleyo nazo zonke iZibhalo. ICommentary kaClarke, Umqulu III, iphepha 799, ithi: “Incwadi, enomxholo othi Koheleth, okanye Ecclesiastes [INtshumayeli], kudala isamkelwa, liBandla lamaYuda nelamaKristu, njengeyabhalwa phantsi kwempefumlelo kaSomandla; kwaye yayigqalwa ngokufanelekileyo njengenxalenye yezibhalo ezingcwele.”
7. Yintoni kwimvelaphi kaSolomon eyamenza wakufanelekela ngokubalaseleyo ukubhala incwadi yeNtshumayeli?
7 “Abahlalutyi abaqatha” abazizilumko zeli hlabathi baye bathi INtshumayeli ayibhalwanga nguSolomon kwaye ayiyonxalenye yokwenyaniso yaso “sonke iSibhalo,” besithi ulwimi lwayo nengcamango yayo zizinto zeminyaka yamva. Abathethi nto ngovimba wenkcazelo amele ukuba uSolomon wazifumbela wona ngokukhulisa kwakhe urhwebo namashishini anenkqubela kwizizwe ngezizwe, nenkcazelo awayifumana koosomaqhuzu abahambahambayo nangezinye iindlela zokunxibelelana namazwe angaphandle. (1 Kum. 4:30, 34; 9:26-28; 10:1, 23, 24) Kunjengokuba uF. C. Cook kwincwadi yakhe ethi Bible Commentary, Umqulu IV, iphepha 622, esithi: “Imisebenzi yemihla ngemihla nezinto ezilusukelo ezakhethwa ngukumkani omkhulu wamaHebhere zimele ukuba zamenza wangowahluke mpela kubomi, kwingcinga nakwintetho yomHebhere oqhelekileyo.”
8. Yiyiphi eyona ngongoma inamandla yokungqina ukuba INtshumayeli iyinxalenye yezibhalo eziphefumlelweyo?
8 Noko ke, ngaba kuyimfuneko ngenene ukuba kude kubhenelwe kwimithombo yangaphandle ukuze kungqinelwe ukuba INtshumayeli iyinxalenye yezibhalo eziphefumlelweyo? Ukuhlolisisa incwadi ngokwayo kuya kutyhila kungekuphela nje ukuvisisana koko ikuquletheyo kodwa kwanokuvisisana kwayo nazo zonke iZibhalo, ezo ngenene eyinxalenye yazo.
OKUQULETHWE YINTSHUMAYELI
9. Yintoni umhlanganisi ayifumanayo ngokuphathelele imisebenzi yoonyana babantu?
9 Ukuba lilize kwendlela yomntu yobomi (1:1–3:22). Amazwi okuqala avakalisa umxholo wale ncwadi: “Amampunge awo amampunge, itsho iNtshumayeli; amampunge awo amampunge; yonke into ingamampunge.” Yintoni ezuzwa luluntu ngokubulaleka nokusebenza kwalo nzima? Izizukulwana ziyafika zidlule, imijikelezo yemvelo iyaziphindaphinda emhlabeni, kwaye “akukho nto intsha phantsi kwelanga.” (1:2, 3, 9) Umhlanganisi uyimisele intliziyo yakhe ekufuneni nasekuphandeni ubulumko ngokuphathelele imisebenzi eyintlekele yoonyana babantu, kodwa ufumanisa ukuba ebulumkweni nakubuyatha, kwizenzo zobugorha nakwimisebenzi enzima, ekutyeni nasekuseleni, zonke izinto “zingamampunge nokusukelana nomoya.” Uthi ke ‘abuthiye ubomi,’ ubomi obuyintlekele nokusukelana nezinto eziphathekayo.—1:14; 2:11, 17.
10. Siyintoni isipho sikaThixo, kodwa yintoni ekugqibeleni eyehlela uluntu olunesono?
10 Yonke into inexesha layo elimisiweyo—ewe, uThixo ‘uzenze zantle zonke izinto ngexesha lazo.’ Ufuna ukuba izidalwa zakhe zibunandiphe ubomi emhlabeni. “Ndiyazi ke ukuba akukho nto ilungileyo phakathi kwabo, ingekukuvuya nokuzizuzela okulungileyo ebomini babo. Kwanokuba wonke umntu adle, asele, abone okulungileyo emigudwini yakhe yonke: sisipho sikaThixo eso.” Kodwa, yeha! Kuba isiphelo soluntu olunesono siyafana neso sezilwanyana: “Njengoko kunjalo ukufa kwabo, kunjalo ukufa kwazo; mnye umoya kubo bonke nakuzo zonke; akukho kuyigqitha komntu inkomo; ngokuba zonke ezo nto zingamampunge.”—3:1, 11-13, 19.
11. Sisiphi isiluleko sobulumko umhlanganisi asinika umntu owoyika uThixo?
11 Isiluleko sobulumko kwabo boyika uThixo (4:1–7:29). USolomon uvuyisana nabafileyo, kuba bakhululekile kuko “konke ukucudisa okwenziwayo phantsi kwelanga.” Wandula ke ahlabele mgama echaza imisebenzi engamampunge nemibi. Kwakhona ngobulumko ululeka ngelokuba “kulungile ukuba babe ngababini kunokuba abe mnye” nelokuba “umsonto ontluntathu awuhle uqhawulwe.” (4:1, 2, 9, 12) Unikela icebiso elihle ngokuhlanganisana kwabantu bakaThixo: “Gcina unyawo lwakho xeshikweni uya endlwini kaThixo; ukusondela ukuba uve.” Musa ukungxama uthethe phambi koThixo; ‘amazwi akho makabe mbalwa,’ kwaye sizalisekise isibhambathiso sakho kuThixo. “Ke yoyika uThixo.” Xa amahlwempu ecudiswa, khumbula ukuba “oyena uphakamileyo ukhangele phezu kophakamileyo; kukho abaphakamileyo naphezu kwabo.” Uthi, isicaka nje esiphantsi siya kulala ubuthongo obumnandi, kodwa indoda esisityebi ixhalabe gqitha kangangokuba ayinakulala. Ukanti, yeza ize ehlabathini, kwaye kuwo wonke umsebenzi wayo onzima, ayinakuphuma iphethe nto kweli hlabathi.—5:1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15.
12. Liliphi icebiso elinikelwayo ngemibandela enzulu ebomini nangokubaluleka kobulumko ngaphezu kwemali?
12 Umntu usenokuzuza ubutyebi nozuko, kodwa kumnceda ntoni na ukuphila “iwaka leminyaka kude kube kabini” ukuba akakubonanga okulungileyo? Kulunge ngakumbi ukunikela ingqalelo kwimibandela enzulu ebomini njengokufa kunokunxulumana nezidenge “endlwini yemigidi”; ewe, kulunge ngakumbi ukukhalinyelwa sisilumko, kuba njengokuqhuqhumba “kwevaba ngaphantsi kwembiza, kunjalo ukuhleka kwesidenge.” Ubulumko bunengenelo. “Ngokuba ubulumko bungumthunzi, imali ingumthunzi; ke ukugqithisela kokwazi kukuba ubulumko buyabasindisa abo banabo.” Ngoko, kutheni le nto indlela yoluntu iye yezisa ububi? “UThixo wamenza umntu wathi tye; ke bona bafune ubuqili obuninzi.”—6:6; 7:4, 6, 12, 29.
13. Umhlanganisi ucebisa kwaye uncomela ntoni, ibe uthini ngendawo abantu abaya kuyo?
13 Isiphelo esinye kubo bonke (8:1–9:12). “Umthetho wokumkani wugcine,” ucebisa ngelo umhlanganisi kodwa uphawula ukuba kungenxa yokuba isigwebo singawiswa kamsinyane emsebenzini ombi le nto “intliziyo yoonyana babantu izele ngaphakathi kwabo kukwenza okubi.” (8:2, 11) Yena ngokwakhe ukhuthaza ukuzonwabisa, kodwa kukho enye intlekele! Zonke iindidi zabantu zihamba indlela enye—eya ekufeni! Abaphilileyo bayayazi into yokuba baya kufa, “ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho . . . Yonke into esiyifumanayo isandla sakho ukuba siyenze, yenze ngamandla akho; ngokuba akukho kwenza, nakucinga, nakwazi, nakulumka kwelabafileyo, apho uya khona wena.”—9:5, 10.
14. (a) Bubuphi ubulumko obusebenzisekayo umhlanganisi abubethelelayo? (b) Kuyintoni ukuhlanganiswa kwentetho?
14 Ubulumko obusebenzisekayo nemfanelo yoluntu (9:13–12:14). Umhlanganisi uthetha ngezinye iintlekele, ‘njengobudenge obubekwe kwiindawo eziphezulu.’ Ukwabalaselisa nemizekeliso emininzi yobulumko obusebenzisekayo, kwaye uvakalisa ukuba ‘kwanobutsha nobudoda bungamampunge’—ngaphandle kokuba kuthotyelwa ubulumko bokwenyaniso. Uthi: “Uze umkhumbule ke uMdali wakho ngemihla yobutsha bakho.” Kungenjalo, ukwaluphala kuya kusuka nje kukubuyisele eluthulini lomhlaba, nto leyo ebangela kunkenteze amazwi omhlanganisi athi: “Amampunge awo amampunge . . . into yonke ingamampunge.” Yena ngokwakhe uye wabafundisa ngokuqhubekayo abantu ulwazi, kuba “amazwi ezilumko anjengeemviko,” ekhuthaza ukwenziwa kwemisebenzi emihle, kodwa ngokubhekisele kubulumko beli hlabathi ulumkisa ngelithi: “Ukwenza iincwadi ezininzi akunakuphela, nokuphikela ukufunda okuninzi kudinisa inyama.” Wandula ke umhlanganisi aqukumbele incwadi ngovutho-ndaba lwayo oluzukileyo, eshwankathela konke oko akuthethileyo ngamampunge nobulumko esithi: “Ukuhlanganiswa kwentetho, yakuba ivakele into yonke, nanku: Yoyika uThixo, ugcine imithetho yakhe; ngokuba indawo leyo yimfanelo yoluntu lonke. Ngokuba izenzo zonke uThixo uya kuzizisa ekugwetyweni, izinto zonke ezifihlakeleyo, nokuba zilungile nokuba zimbi.”—10:6; 11:1, 10; 12:1, 8-14.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE YINGENELO
15. USolomon uwubonisa njani umahluko phakathi kwemisebenzi eyintlekele nemisebenzi enenzuzo?
15 Kunokuba ibe yincwadi ebalaselisa nje ububi, iNtshumayeli izaliswe yinkcazelo exabisekileyo neqaqambileyo yobulumko bukaThixo. Xa edwelisa izinto ezininzi azifezileyo nazichaza njengamampunge, uSolomon akakuquki ukwakhiwa kwetempile kaYehova eNtabeni yaseMoriya eYerusalem, okanye unqulo olunyulu lukaYehova. Akasichazi isipho sikaThixo sobomi njengamampunge, kodwa ubonisa ukuba sasilungiselelwe ukuba umntu asinandiphe aze abone okulungileyo. (3:12, 13; 5:18-20; 8:15) Imisebenzi emibi yileyo yokumtyeshela uThixo. Ubawo usenokumqwebela ubutyebi unyana wakhe, kodwa intlekele ibutshayela kuthi tu kwaye akukho nto asala nayo. Bekuya kuba kokulunge ngakumbi ukumlungiselela ilifa lobutyebi bokomoya elihlala lihleli. Kuyintlekele ukuba nentabalala yezinto uze ungakwazi ukuzinandipha. Bonke ubutyebi behlabathi boba bububi xa ‘besimka’ baye ekufeni, bengaphethe nto ezandleni zabo.—5:13-15; 6:1, 2.
16. IQo·heʹleth, okanye INtshumayeli, ivisisana njani neemfundiso zikaYesu?
16 KuMateyu 12:42, uKristu uYesu wabhekisela kuye ‘njengomkhulu kunoSolomon.’ Ekubeni uSolomon wayefanekisela uYesu, ngaba amazwi kaSolomon akwincwadi iQo·heʹleth abonakala evisisana neemfundiso zikaYesu? Sifumana izinto ezininzi ezifanayo! Ngokomzekelo, uYesu wabalaselisa ubukhulu bomsebenzi kaThixo esithi, “UBawo uyasebenza kude kube ngoku, nam ndiyasebenza.” (Yoh. 5:17) USolomon ukwabhekisela kwimisebenzi kaThixo esithi: “Ndasibona ke sonke isenzo sikaThixo, ukuba akanako umntu ukusifumana isenzo eso senzekayo phantsi kwelanga; nakubeni umntu esaphuka ukusifuna, akasifumani. Nokuba sithe isilumko safuna ukwazi, asinakukufumana.”—INtshu. 8:17.
17. Ziziphi ezinye izinto ezifanayo ezinokufunyanwa kumazwi kaYesu nakaSolomon?
17 UYesu noSolomon bakhuthaza abanquli bokwenyaniso ukuba bahlanganisane. (Mat. 18:20; INtshu. 4:9-12; 5:1) Amagqabaza kaYesu ‘angokupheliswa kwale nkqubo yezinto’ nalawo ‘angamaxesha amisiweyo eentlanga’ avisisana namazwi kaSolomon athi “into yonke inexesha elimisiweyo, nomcimbi wonke unexesha lawo phantsi kwezulu.”—Mat. 24:3, NW; Luka 21:24, NW; INtshu. 3:1.
18. UYesu nabafundi bakhe baxelisa uSolomon ngokunikela ziphi izilumkiso?
18 Ngaphezu koko, uYesu nabafundi bakhe baxelisa uSolomon xa belumkisa ngemigibe yezinto eziphathekayo. Ubulumko bungumthunzi wokwenyaniso, kuba “buyabasindisa abo banabo,” utsho njalo uSolomon. UYesu uthi: “Funani ke tanci ubukumkani bukaThixo nobulungisa bakhe, zaye zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” (INtshu. 7:12; Mat. 6:33) KwiNtshumayeli 5:10 kubhalwe oku: “Othanda isilivere akaneliswa yisilivere; nalowo uthanda intabalala, akangenelwa nto. Kwanaloo nto ingamampunge.” Isiluleko esifana neso sinikelwa nguPawulos kweyoku-1 kuTimoti 6:6-19 esithi “ukuthanda imali yingcambu yezinto zonke ezimbi.” Kukho nezinye iindinyana ezifanayo kwezinye iingongoma zemfundiso yeBhayibhile.—INtshu. 3:17—IZe. 17:31; INtshu. 4:1—Yak. 5:4; INtshu. 5:1, 2—Yak. 1:19; INtshu. 6:12—Yak. 4:14; INtshu. 7:20—Roma 3:23; INtshu. 8:17—Roma 11:33.
19. Liliphi ithemba elonwabisayo esinokuba nalo ngoxa sihlanganisana ekunquleni uYehova namhlanje?
19 Ulawulo loBukumkani loNyana kaThixo othandekayo, uYesu Kristu, lowo ngokwenyama wayeyinzala kaKumkani uSolomon owayesisilumko, luya kumisela ibutho elitsha lasemhlabeni. (ISityhi. 21:1-5) Oko uSolomon wakubhalayo ukuze kukhokele abalawulwa bakhe kubukumkani bakhe bokomfuziselo kubaluleke gqitha kubo bonke abo ngoku bathembela ngoBukumkani bukaThixo obulawulwa nguKristu Yesu. Phantsi kolawulo lwabo uluntu luya kuphila ngemigaqo efanayo yobulumko naleyo umhlanganisi ayibekayo kwaye luya kusivuyela ngonaphakade isipho sikaThixo sobomi obonwabileyo. Ngoku lixesha lokuba sihlanganisane ekunquleni uYehova, ukuze silubone ngokupheleleyo uvuyo lobomi phantsi koBukumkani bakhe.—INtshu. 3:12, 13; 12:13, 14.