Isahluko 17
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Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
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“Ndodana yomuntu, yisho imfumbe, ukhulume ngomfanekiso kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli,
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uthi: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Ukhozi olukhulu olunamaphiko amakhulu noluzimpaphe zalo zinkulu, lugcwele izimpaphe ezinemibala eyahlukeneyo, lweza eLebanoni, lwathatha isihloko somsedari,
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lwanquma igatsha elisha eliphezulu, lwaliyisa ezweni labahwebi, lwalibeka emzini wabathengi.
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“ ‘Lwathatha nasembewini yezwe, lwayitshala emhlabathini othelayo, lwayibeka ngasemanzini amaningi, lwayifaka njengomnyezane.
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Yamila, yaba ngumvini owenabayo, omfushane ngesimo, ukuze amagatsha awo abhekane nalo, nezimpande zawo zibe phansi kwalo; waba ngumvini-ke, waveza amagatsha, wakhipha amahlumela.
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“ ‘Kepha kwakukhona nolunye ukhozi olukhulu olunamaphiko amakhulu nezimpaphe eziningi; bheka, lo mvini wabhekisa izimpande zawo kulo, waphumisela kulo amagatsha awo ukuba luwunisele kunemisele lapho wawutshalwe khona.
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Wawusemhlabathini omuhle ngasemanzini amaningi ukuba uveze amagatsha, uthele izithelo, ube ngumvini omuhle.’
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“Thana: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Uyakuphumelela na? Aluyikusiphula izimpande zawo, lunqume izithelo zawo, ukuze ubune, kubune onke amaqabunga ahlumelelayo, bese kungafuneki amandla amakhulu nabantu abaningi ukuwusiphula ngezimpande zawo, na?
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Bheka, lapho usutshaliwe, uyakuphumelela na? Awuyikubuna nokubuna, lapho umoya wasempumalanga uwuthinta, ubune emiseleni lapho uhlumele khona, na?’ ”
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Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
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“Thana kuyo indlu ehlubukayo: ‘Anazi ukuthi lezi zinto ziyini?’ Yisho ukuthi: ‘Bheka, inkosi yaseBabele yafika eJerusalema, yathatha inkosi yalo nezikhulu zalo, yabayisa kuyo eBabele.
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Yayisithatha owenzalo yobukhosi, yenza isivumelwano naye, yamngenisa phansi kwesifungo, yasusa abakhulu bezwe,
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ukuze umbuso uthotshiswe, ungaziphakamisi, kepha ume ngokugcina isivumelwano sakhe.
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Kepha wahlubuka kuyo ngokuthuma izithunywa zakhe eGibithe ukuba aphiwe amahhashi nabantu abaningi. Uyakuphumelela, uyakubaleka yini owenzayo lokho, uyakusaphula isivumelwano, aphunyuke, na?
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“ ‘Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, impela endaweni yenkosi eyambeka inkosi, esifungo sayo wasidelela, nesivumelwano sayo wasaphula, uyakufa naye phakathi kweBabele.
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UFaro akayikumenzela impi enkulu nebandla elikhulu empini, lapho benqwabela iduli, bakhe izinqaba, ukuze banqume abantu abaningi.
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Ngokuba udelele isifungo ngokusaphula isivumelwano, wakwenza konke lokhu, noma enikile isithembiso sakhe; bheka, kayikuphunyuka.
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“ ‘Ngalokho isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Kuphila kwami, impela isifungo sami asideleleyo nesivumelwano sami asaphulileyo ngiyakukwehlisela phezu kwekhanda lakhe.
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Ngiyakweneka inetha lami, abanjwe ogibeni lwami, ngimyise eBabele, ngimahlulele khona ngeseqo sakhe eqe ngaso kimi.
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Bonke ababalekayo bakhe kuwo onke amaviyo akhe bayakuwa ngenkemba, nabaseleyo bayakuhlakazelwa kuyo imimoya yonke, nazi ukuthi mina Jehova ngikukhulumile.
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“ ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Nami ngiyakuthatha esihlokweni somsedari omude, ngisitshale, nginqume emagatsheni amasha aphezulu elithambileyo, ngilitshale entabeni ende ephakemeyo,
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ngilitshale empakameni yentaba yakwa-Israyeli, liveze amagatsha, lithele izithelo, libe ngumsedari omuhle, kuhlale phansi kwamagatsha onke izinyoni zezinhlobo zonke, zihlale ethunzini lamagatsha alo.
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Yonke imithi yasendle iyakwazi ukuthi mina Jehova ngiwisile umuthi omude, ngiphakamisile umuthi omfushane; ngomisile umuthi oluhlaza, ngihlumisile umuthi owomileyo. “ ‘Mina Jehova ngikukhulumile, ngakwenza.’ ”