Ubomi Bakho—Yintoni Injongo Yabo?

“Intliziyo yam iziqhuba ngobulumko . . . ndide ndibone ukuba yiyiphi na into ebalungeleyo oonyana babantu . . . ngemihla embalwa yobomi babo.”—INTSHUMAYELI 2:3.

1, 2. Kutheni kungaphosakalanga ukuba nomdla ngokusengqiqweni kwisiqu sikabani?

UNOMDLA kwisiqu sakho, akunjalo? Kuyinto eqhelekileyo oko. Kungoko sisitya yonke imihla, silala xa sidiniwe, yaye sithanda ukuba nabahlobo kunye nabo sibathandayo. Maxa wambi siyadlala, siqubhe, okanye senze ezinye izinto esizithandayo, sibonakalisa umdla olungeleleneyo kwiziqu zethu.

² Umdla onjalo kwiziqu zethu uvisisana noko uThixo washukumisela uSolomon ukuba akubhale: “Akukho nto ilungileyo ebantwini kunokuba badle, basele, bawubonise umphefumlo wabo okulungileyo emigudwini yabo.” Ngokusuka kumava, uSolomon wongezelela esithi: ‘Kwanaloo nto ndiyibonile, ukuba ivela esandleni sikaThixo. Ngokuba ngubani na odlayo noselayo ngaphezu kwam?’—INtshumayeli 2:24, 25, thelekisa iNW.

3. Yiyiphi imibuzo edidayo inkoliso yabantu eyifumanisa ingaphenduleki?

³ Kodwa uyazi ukuba ubomi abupheleli ekutyeni, ekuseleni, ekulaleni nasekwenzeni izinto ezithile ezilungileyo. Zikho izinto ezisivisa iintlungu, ukuphoxeka namaxhala. Yaye sibonakala sixakeke gqitha ukuba sicinge ngentsingiselo yobomi bethu. Ngaba akunjalo kuwe? UVermont Royster, owayesakuba ngumhleli weThe Wall Street Journal, emva kokubalaselisa ulwazi nobuchule bethu obandileyo, wabhala: “Nantsi into ebangel’ umdla. Xa sicinga ngomntu siqu, ngeentlekele zakhe, ngendawo yakhe endalweni, sinentlantsana yolwazi olungaphezulu kunolo sasinalo ekuqaleni. Sisenemibuzo ejingayo yokuba singoobani ibe kutheni silapha nje yaye sisinge phi.”

4. Kutheni ngamnye wethu efanele afune ukwazi ukuphendula imibuzo esibandakanyayo?

⁴ Ubungayiphendula njani le mibuzo: Singoobani? Kutheni silapha? Yaye sisinge phi? KuJulayi ophelileyo, uMnu. Royster wafa. Ngaba ucinga ukuba wayesele ezifumene iimpendulo ezanelisayo? Ngokuphathelele lo mba, Ngaba ikho indlela yokuba uzifumane? Ibe oko kunokukunceda njani uphile ubomi obonwabisayo, nobunentsingiselo ngakumbi? Makhe sibone.

Umthombo Oyintloko Wokuqonda

5. Kutheni sifanele sikhangele kuThixo xa sifuna ukuqonda ngemibuzo ephathelele intsingiselo yobomi?

⁵ Ukuba besinokuzikhangelela intsingiselo yobomi bethu, besinokungayifumani ngokupheleleyo okanye singayifumani kwaphela, njengoko kuye kwaba njalo ngenkoliso yamadoda nabafazi, kwanabo baziingcungela ngemfundo namava. Kodwa asishiywanga enyanyeni. UMdali wethu ulungiselele uncedo. Xa ucinga ngalo mba, ngaba akanguwo owona Mthombo ubalaseleyo wokuqonda nobulumko, ekubeni ‘esusela ephakadeni ase ephakadeni’ yaye enolwazi olupheleleyo ngendalo iphela nangembali? (INdumiso 90:1, 2) Wadala abantu ibe uye wazibona zonke izinto ezenzeke emntwini, ngoko unguLowo esifanele sikhangele kuye ukuze sifumane ukuqonda, kungekhona kubantu abangafezekanga, abanolwazi neengcamango ezilinganiselweyo.—INdumiso 14:1-3; Roma 3:10-12.

6. (a) UMdali uye wakulungiselela njani ukuqonda okufunekayo? (b) Ubandakanyeka njani uSolomon?

⁶ Ngoxa singenakulindela ukuba uMdali asihlebele imfihlelo yentsingiselo yobomi, uye walungiselela umthombo wokuqonda—iLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo. (INdumiso 32:8; 111:10) Incwadi yeNtshumayeli ibaluleke ngokukhethekileyo kulo mba. UThixo waphefumlela umbhali wayo, ukuze ‘ubulumko bukaSolomon bube ngaphezu kobulumko boonyana bonke basempumalanga.’ (1 Kumkani 3:6-12; 4:30-34) “Ubulumko bukaSolomon” bachukumisa ukumkanikazi othile owayetyelele kangangokuba wathi isiqingatha sabo sasingaziwa yaye abo babephulaphula ubulumko bakhe babevuya ngokwenene.a (1 Kumkani 10:4-8) Nathi sinokufumana ukuqonda nolonwabo kubulumko basezulwini uMdali wethu awabulungiselela ngoSolomon.

7. (a) Waqukumbela ngelithini uSolomon ngokuphathelele inkoliso yemisebenzi ephantsi kwamazulu? (b) Yintoni ecacisa ukuphonononga izinto ngokusengqiqweni kukaSolomon?

⁷ INtshumayeli ibonisa ubulumko obuvela kuThixo, obaphembelela intliziyo nengqondo kaSolomon. Ekubeni wayenexesha, izinto, nengqiqo yokwenjenjalo, uSolomon wahlolisisa “yonke into [eyayisenzeka] phantsi kwezulu.” Wabona ukuba inkoliso yazo “ngamampunge nokusukelana nomoya,” nto leyo eyingcamango ephefumlelweyo esifanele siyikhumbule xa sicinga ngenjongo yobomi. (INtshumayeli 1:13, 14, 16) USolomon wayethetha ngokungafihlisiyo, nangokusengqiqweni. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngamazwi akhe afumaneka kwiNtshumayeli 1:15, 18. Uyazi ukuba kangangeenkulungwane abantu baye bazama iintlobo ngeentlobo zoorhulumente, maxa wambi bezama ngokunyanisekileyo ukucombulula iingxaki nokuphucula umgangatho wobomi babantu. Noko ke, ngaba ukho oye wazilungisa ngokwenene zonke izinto ‘ezigoso’ zale nkqubo ingagqibelelanga? Yaye usenokuba ubonile ukuba okukhona lusanda ulwazi lomntu, kokukhona eqonda ngakumbi ukuba ngexeshana elifutshane lobomi, akunakwenzeka ukuba alungise izinto ngokupheleleyo. Ukwazi oko kubenza baphazamiseke abaninzi, kodwa oko akunjalo ngathi.

8. Yiyiphi imijikelo ekudala ikho?

⁸ Enye ingongoma esifanele siyiqwalasele yimijikelo ebetha ibuyelela esichaphazelayo, enjengokuphuma nokutshona kwelanga okanye intshukumo yomoya namanzi. Yayikho ngemihla kaMoses, kaSolomon, kaNapoléon neyokhokho wethu. Ibe isaqhubeka nangoku. Ngokufanayo, “kumka esinye isizukulwana, kulandele esinye isizukulwana.” (INtshumayeli 1:4-7) Ngokwembono yomntu, akukho tshintsho lungako. Abantu bamandulo nabanamhlanje baye banemisebenzi, amathemba, amabhongo nezinto abaziphumezayo ezifanayo. Kwanokuba ngokwembono yabantu, umntu othile wazenzela igama elihle okanye wabalasela ngobuhle okanye amandla, uphi loo mntu ngoku sithethayo? Akasekho yaye mhlawumbi sele elityelwe. Ezo asizongcamango ezimbi. Inkoliso yabantu ayiwazi amagama ookhokho bayo okanye ayisazi nalapho bazalelwa baza bangcwatywa khona. Unokusibona isizathu sokuba uSolomon ngokusengqiqweni abone izinto ezenziwa ngabantu nemigudu yabo ililize.—INtshumayeli 1:9-11.

9. Sinokuncedakala njani ngokuyiqonda ngokusengqiqweni imeko yoluntu?

⁹ Kunokusenza sidimazeke, le ngqiqo engokobuthixo yemeko esisiseko yoluntu inokuba nomphumo owakhayo, isishukumisela ekubeni siphephe ukubeka imilinganiselo enxaxhileyo kusukelo oluya kuthi kungekudala ludlule luze lulityalwe. Ifanele isincede siphonononge oko sikufumanayo ebomini noko sizama ukukuphumeza. Ngokomzekelo, kunokuba sizibandeze, sinokufumana uvuyo ngokutya nokusela ngokulungeleleneyo. (INtshumayeli 2:24) Kwakhona, njengoko siza kubona, uSolomon uqukumbela ngendlela eyakhayo nenik’ ithemba gqitha. Ngamafutshane, uthi sifanele siluxabise ngokunzulu ulwalamano lwethu noMdali wethu, onokusinceda sibe nekamva elonwabisa ngokungenasiphelo, nelinenjongo. USolomon wabethelela oku: “Ukuhlanganiswa kwentetho, yakuba ivakele into yonke, nanku: Yoyika uThixo, ugcine imithetho yakhe; ngokuba indawo leyo yimfanelo yoluntu lonke.”—INtshumayeli 12:13.

Ukufumana Injongo Yobomi Ngokuhlola Imijikelo Yobomi

10. USolomon wazifanisa njani izilwanyana nabantu?

¹⁰ Ubulumko basezulwini obubonakaliswa kwiNtshumayeli bunokusinceda ngakumbi ekuhloleni injongo yethu yokuphila. Njani? Ngenxa yokuba uSolomon wanikela ingqalelo ngokusengqiqweni kwezinye iinyaniso esisenokungacingi ngokufuthi ngazo. Enye ibandakanya ukufana kwabantu nezilwanyana. UYesu wafanisa abalandeli bakhe nezimvu, ukanti abantu ngokuqhelekileyo abakuthandi ukufaniswa nezilwanyana. (Yohane 10:11-16) Sekunjalo uSolomon waveza izibakala ezithile ezingenakukhanyelwa: “Ukuze uThixo abahlele [oonyana babantu], nokuze bazibone benjengamarhamncwa. Ngokuba bayahlelwa oonyana babantu, ayahlelwa namarhamncwa, sinye isihlo kubo nakuwo; njengoko kunjalo ukufa kwabo, kunjalo ukufa kwawo; . . . akukho kuligqitha komntu irhamncwa; ngokuba zonke ezo nto zingamampunge. . . . Zonke ezo nto zavela eluthulini, zonke ezo nto zibuyela eluthulini.”—INtshumayeli 3:18-20, thelekisa iNW.

11. (a) Unokuchazwa njani umjikelo oqhelekileyo wobomi besilwanyana? (b) Uvakalelwa njani ngale nkcazelo?

¹¹ Khawucinge ngesilwanyana osithandayo, mhlawumbi imbila okanye umvundla. (Duteronomi 14:7; INdumiso 104:18; IMizekeliso 30:26) Okanye usenokuba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni kanomatse; kukho iintlobo ezingaphezu kwama-300 ehlabathini lonke. Unjani umjikelo wobomi bakhe? Emva kokuzalwa kwakhe, unina uyamanyisa kangangeeveki ezimbalwa. Kungekudala uba noboya yaye uyakwazi ukuphuma ahambahambe. Usenokumbona etsibatsiba efunda ukukhangela ukutya. Kodwa ngokufuthi ubonakala ezidlalela nje, enandipha ubutsha bakhe. Emva kokukhula kangangonyaka okanye malunga nelo xesha, ufuna iqabane. Emva koko kufuneka azakhele indlwana okanye isikhundla aze anyamekele inzala yakhe. Ukuba ifumana amaqunube, iinqoba neenkozo ezaneleyo, intsapho kanomatse inokukhula ngokukhawuleza ize ifumane ithuba lokwandisa ikhaya layo. Kodwa kwiminyaka nje embalwa, esi silwanyana siyaluphala size sichanabeke ngakumbi kwiingozi nakwizifo. Xa simalunga neminyaka elishumi ubudala siyafa. Nangona zisahluka kancinane iindidi zoonomatse, lo ngumjikelo wobomi bakhe.

12. (a) Ngokusengqiqweni, kutheni umjikelo wobomi babantu abaninzi ufana nowesilwanyana esiqhelekileyo? (b) Yintoni esisenokuyicinga xa siphinda sibona isilwanyana esicinga ngaso?

¹² Inkoliso yabantu ayiwujongi njengongafanelekanga umjikelo wobomi onjalo kwisilwanyana, ibe ayilindelanga kuba unomatse abe nenjongo esengqiqweni ngobomi. Noko ke, ubomi babantu abaninzi abohlukanga kakhulu kobu, akunjalo? Bayazalwa baze banyanyekelwe xa beziintsana. Bayatya, bakhule, baze badlale xa bengabantwana. Kungekudala sele bengabantu abakhulu, bazifumanela iqabane, baze bafune indawo yokuhlala nendlela yokufumana ukutya. Ukuba bayaphumelela, basenokukhula ngokukhawuleza baze bandise ikhaya labo (indlwana) abaza kukhulisa kulo inzala yabo. Kodwa amashumi eminyaka adlula ngokukhawuleza, ibe bayaluphala. Ukuba abafi ngaphambi koku, basenokufa emva kokuphila iminyaka engama-70 okanye engama-80 ezaliswe “kukwaphuka nokungabi nto yanto.” (INdumiso 90:9, 10, 12) Usenokucinga ngezi zibakala zixhokonxa iingcinga xa uphinda ubona unomatse (okanye esinye isilwanyana ocinga ngaso).

13. Sisiphi isihlo esibakho ngokufanayo kwizilwanyana nakubantu?

¹³ Unokusibona isizathu sokuba uSolomon afanise ubomi babantu nobezilwanyana. Wabhala: “Into yonke inexesha elimisiweyo, . . . ukuzala kunexesha lako, ukufa kunexesha lako.” Esi sihlo sokugqibela, ukufa, siyafana emntwini nakwirhamncwa, ‘njengoko kunjalo ukufa kwabo, kunjalo ukufa kwawo.’ Wongezelela esithi: “Zonke ezo nto zavela eluthulini, zonke ezo nto zibuyela eluthulini.”—INtshumayeli 3:1, 2, 19, 20.

14. Abanye abantu bazama njani ukuguqula umjikelo oqhelekileyo wobomi, kodwa uba yintoni umphumo?

¹⁴ Asifanele sijonge oku kuphononongwa okusengqiqweni kwezinto njengeengcinga ezingakhiyo. Eneneni, bambi bazama ukuyiguqula le meko, mhlawumbi ngokusebenza ngokuthe kratya ukuze bafumane izinto eziphathekayo ezingaphezulu kwababenazo abazali babo. Basenokusukela imfundo ephakamileyo ukuze bakwazi ukuphila ubomi obukumgangatho ophakamileyo, ngoxa bezama ukwandisa ulwazi lwabo ngobomi. Okanye basenokunikela ingqalelo ekwenzeni imithambo okanye ekutyeni ngobungcathu ukuze babe sempilweni yaye baphile ubomi obudana. Ibe le migudu inokuzisa iingenelo ezithile. Kodwa ngubani onokuqiniseka ukuba loo migudu iza kuphumelela? Kwanokuba iyaphumelela, iya kuhlala ixesha elide kangakanani?

15. Yiyiphi indlela ecacileyo yokuqikelela ubomi benkoliso yabantu?

¹⁵ USolomon wabuza: “Ngokuba kukho amazwi amaninzi nje, andisa amampunge; umntu unalungelo lini na ngaloo nto? Ngokuba ngubani na owaziyo okumlungeleyo umntu ebomini, ngangenani lemihla yobomi bakhe obungamampunge, ayigqiba njengesithunzi? Ngokuba ngubani na onokumxelela umntu into eya kubakho emva kwakhe phantsi kwelanga?” (INtshumayeli 6:11, 12) Ekubeni ukufa kukhawuleza kuyiphelise imigudu yomntu, ngaba ngokwenene ikho ingenelo engakumbi ekuzabalazeleni ukufumana izinto eziphathekayo ezingakumbi okanye ekusukeleni imfundo ephakamileyo ngokuyintloko ngenjongo yokuba nezinto ezingakumbi? Yaye ekubeni ubomi bubufutshane kangaka, budlula njengesithunzi, abanye bacinga ukuba alikho ixesha lokujolisa imigudu kolunye usukelo loluntu xa bebona ukuba baza kusilela; yaye umntu engenakuqiniseka ukuba kuya kwenzeka ntoni kubantwana bakhe “emva kwakhe.”

Lixesha Lokuzenzela Igama Elihle

16. (a) Yintoni esifanele siyenze ezingenakuyenza izilwanyana? (b) Yiyiphi enye inyaniso efanele ichaphazele indlela esicinga ngayo?

¹⁶ Ngokungafaniyo nezilwanyana, thina bantu sinamandla okucamngca, ‘Yintoni intsingiselo yobomi bam? Ngaba ngumjikelo nje omiselweyo, onexesha lokuzalwa nexesha lokufa?’ Ngokuphathelele oko, khumbula ukunyanisa kwamazwi kaSolomon ngokuphathelele umntu nerhamncwa: “Zonke ezo nto zibuyela eluthulini.” Ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba ukufa kubuphelisa ngokupheleleyo ubomi bukabani? Kaloku, iBhayibhile ibonisa ukuba abantu abanawo umphefumlo osindayo xa besifa. Abantu bayimiphefumlo, yaye umphefumlo owonayo uyafa. (Hezekile 18:4, 20) USolomon wacacisa: “Ngokuba abadla ubomi bayazi ukuba baya kufa; ke bona abafileyo abazi lutho, abasabi namvuzo; ngokuba balityelwe, abasakhunjulwa nganto. Yonke into esiyifumanayo isandla sakho ukuba siyenze, yenze ngamandla akho; ngokuba akukho kwenza, nakucinga, nakwazi, nakulumka kwelabafileyo, apho uya khona wena.”—INtshumayeli 9:5, 10.

17. Yintoni efanele INtshumayeli 7:1, 2 isenze sicamngce ngayo?

¹⁷ Ngenxa yeso sibakala singaphephekiyo, khawucinge ngala mazwi: “Igama elilungileyo lingaphezulu nakwioli elungileyo; ulungile umhla wokufa ngaphezu komhla wokuzalwa komntu. Kulungile ukuya endlwini yesijwili kunokuya endlwini yemigidi; kuba oko kukuphela kwabantu bonke, aze ophilileyo akunyamekele ngentliziyo oko.” (INtshumayeli 7:1, 2) Simele sivume ukuba ukufa kuye kwaba “kukuphela kwabantu bonke.” Akakho umntu oye wakwazi ukusela umchiza, watya umxube weevithamin, watya ukutya okuthile, okanye wabandakanyeka kuwo nawuphi na umthambo obangela ukuba aphile ubomi obungenasiphelo. Ibe ngokuqhelekileyo kungekudala nje emva kokufa kwabo ‘abasakhunjulwa nganto.’ Ngoko kutheni igama elilungileyo “lingaphezulu nakwioli elungileyo; ulungile umhla wokufa ngaphezu komhla wokuzalwa komntu”?

18. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba uSolomon wayekholelwa kuvuko?

¹⁸ Njengoko sekutshiwo, oko kwakuthethwa nguSolomon kwakusengqiqweni. Wayebazi ookhokho bakhe uAbraham, uIsake noYakobi, ngokuqinisekileyo ababezenzele igama elihle kuMdali wethu. Ekubeni wayeqhelene noAbraham, uYehova uThixo wamthembisa ngokumsikelela yena nembewu yakhe. (Genesis 18:18, 19; 22:17) Ewe, uAbraham wazenzela igama elihle kuThixo, waza waba ngumhlobo wakhe. (2 Kronike 20:7; Isaya 41:8; Yakobi 2:23) UAbraham wayesazi ukuba ubomi bakhe nobomi bonyana wakhe babungeyonxalenye nje yomjikelo ongenasiphelo wokuzalwa nokufa. Ngokuqinisekileyo kwakukho okungaphezulu kunoko kubo. Babenethemba eliqinisekisiweyo lokuphila kwakhona, kungekhona ngenxa yokuba benomphefumlo ongafiyo, kodwa ngenxa yokuba babeza kuvuswa. UAbraham wayeyisekile ukuba “uThixo wayekwazi ukumvusa [uIsake] kwanakwabafileyo.”—Hebhere 11:17-19.

19. Kukuphi ukuqonda esinokukufumana kuYobhi ngokuphathelele intsingiselo yeNtshumayeli 7:1?

¹⁹ Eso sisikhokelo sokuqonda isizathu sokuba “igama elilungileyo lingaphezulu nakwioli elungileyo; ulungile umhla wokufa ngaphezu komhla wokuzalwa komntu.” NjengoYobhi owayephila ngaphambi kwakhe, uSolomon wayeyisekile ukuba Lowo wayedale ubomi bomntu unokububuyisela. Unokubuyisela abantu abafileyo ebomini. (Yobhi 14:7-14) UYobhi othembekileyo wathi: “[Yehova] ubungandibizayo ke, ndisabele mna, uwulangazele umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Yobhi 14:15) Khawufan’ ucinge! UMdali wethu ‘uyabalangazelela’ abakhonzi bakhe abafileyo. (“Uya kungxamela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.”—Appleyard’s Version.) Esebenzisa idini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu, uMdali unokubavusa abantu. (Yohane 3:16; IZenzo 24:15) Kuyacaca ukuba, abantu banokwahluka kwizilwanyana nje ezifayo.

20. (a) Kuxa kutheni xa umhla wokufa ulunge ngaphezu komhla wokuzalwa? (b) Ukuvuswa kukaLazaro kumele ukuba kwabachaphazela njani abantu abaninzi?

²⁰ Oku kuthetha ukuba umhla wokufa unokulunga ngaphezu komhla wokuzalwa kukabani, ukuba ngelo xesha ubani uzenzele igama elihle kuYehova, onokuvusa abathembekileyo abafayo. USolomon Omkhulu, uYesu Kristu, wakungqina oko. Ngokomzekelo, wabuyisela ebomini indoda eyayithembekile uLazaro. (Luka 11:31; Yohane 11:1-44) Njengoko unokuthelekelela, uninzi lwabo bazibonelayo xa uLazaro wayebuyela ebomini lwachukumiseka kakhulu, lwakholwa kuNyana kaThixo. (Yohane 11:45) Ngaba ucinga ukuba lwaluziva lungenanjongo ebomini, lungazazi ukuba lungoobani nokuba lusinge phi na? Kunoko, lwabona ukuba kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba lube zizilwanyana nje ezizalwayo, ziphile kangangexesha elithile, zize zife emva koko. Injongo yalo ebomini yayinxibelelene ngokungqalileyo nangokusondeleyo nokwazi uYise kaYesu nokwenza ukuthanda Kwakhe. Kuthekani ngawe? Ngaba le ngxubusho ikuncedile wabona, okanye wabona ngokucace ngakumbi, indlela ubomi bakho obunokuba nayo nobufanele bube nayo ngayo injongo yokwenene?

21. Yiyiphi inkalo yokufumana intsingiselo yobomi bethu esisafuna ukuyihlolisisa?

²¹ Ukanti, ukuba nenjongo yokwenene nenentsingiselo ebomini kuthetha okungaphezulu lee kunokucinga ngokufa nokuphila kwakhona emva koko. Kubandakanya oko sikwenzayo ngobomi bethu bemihla ngemihla. USolomon wakucacisa nako oko kwiNtshumayeli, njengoko siza kubona kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Uyakhumbula?

◻ Zifana njani izilwanyana nabantu?

◻ Kutheni ukufa kubalaselisa into yokuba inkoliso yemigudu nemisebenzi yabantu ililize?

◻ Unokulunga njani umhla wokufa ngaphezu kowokuzalwa?

◻ Ukuba nenjongo enentsingiselo kwethu ebomini kuxhomekeke kuluphi ulwalamano?

[Pictures On Page 10]

Intsingiselo yobomi bakho yahluke njani ngokuphawulekayo kuleyo yezilwanyana?