Isahluko 33
1
Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
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“Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma kubantwana babantu bakho, uthi kubo: ‘Lapho ngehlisela phezu kwezwe inkemba, abantu bezwe bese bethatha umuntu phakathi kwabo, bambeke umlindi wabo,
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nalapho yena esebona inkemba yehla phezu kwezwe, abethe icilongo, axwayise abantu,
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okuzwayo ukukhala kwecilongo angaxwayi kodwa, bese yehla inkemba, imsuse, igazi lakhe liyakuba sekhanda lakhe.
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Ukukhala kwecilongo wakuzwa, kepha akaxwayanga; igazi lakhe liyakuba kuye; uma exwayile, nga ezophulile.
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Kepha uma umlindi ebona inkemba yehla, angabethi icilongo, abantu bangaxwayi, bese yehla inkemba, isuse umuntu kubo, uyasuswa ngenxa yobubi bakhe kepha igazi lakhe ngiyakulibiza esandleni somlindi.’
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“Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, ngikubeke umlindi kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli; yizwa izwi lomlomo wami, ubaxwayise, kuvela kimi.
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Lapho ngithi komubi: ‘Muntu omubi, uyakufa nokufa,’ bese wungakhulumi ukuba uxwayise omubi ashiye indlela yakhe, lowo muntu omubi uyakufa ngenxa yobubi bakhe, kepha igazi lakhe ngiyakulibiza esandleni sakho.
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Kepha uma umxwayisa omubi ukuba ashiye indlela yakhe, abuye kuyo, angabuyi kodwa endleleni yakhe, uyakufa ngenxa yobubi bakhe, kepha wena uzikhululile.
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“Wena ndodana yomuntu, yisho kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Nisho kanje, nithi: “Impela iziphambeko zethu nezono zethu ziphezu kwethu, siyonda ngenxa yazo; pho, siyakuphila kanjani na?” ’
11
Yisho kubo, uthi: ‘Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, angithokozi ngokufa komubi, kuphela ngokubuya komubi endleleni yakhe aze aphile. Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi; niyakufelani nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli na?’
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“Kepha wena ndodana yomuntu, yisho kubantwana babantu bakho, uthi: ‘Ukulunga kolungileyo akuyikumophula ngosuku lwesiphambeko sakhe, nobubi-ke bomubi akayikuwa ngabo ngosuku lokubuya kwakhe ebubini bakhe, nolungileyo akanakuphila ngakho ngosuku lokona kwakhe.’
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Lapho ngisho kolungileyo ukuthi uyakuphila nokuphila, yena abesethemba ekulungeni kwakhe kodwa, enze okubi, akuyikukhunjulwa nesisodwa sezenzo zakhe ezilungileyo, kepha uyakufela kokubi akwenzileyo.
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Lapho ngithi komubi: ‘Uyakufa nokufa,’ yena abesephenduka kodwa esonweni sakhe, enze okufaneleyo nokulungileyo,
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yena lo mubi abuyise isibambiso, akhokhe ayekuthathile, ahambe ngezimiso zokuphila, angenzi okubi, uyakuphila nokuphila, angafi.
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Akayikukhunjulelwa nesisodwa sezono zakhe azenzileyo; wenzile okufaneleyo nokulungileyo; uyakuphila nokuphila.
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“Kodwa abantwana babantu bakho bathi: ‘Indlela yeNkosi ayilingani.’ Kepha ngeyabo indlela engalingani.
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Lapho olungileyo ebuya ekulungeni kwakhe, enze okubi, uyakufa ngakho.
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Nalapho omubi ebuya ebubini bakhe, enze okufaneleyo nokulungileyo, uyakuphila ngakho.
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Nokho nisho nithi: ‘Indlela yeNkosi ayilingani.’ Ngiyakunahlulela nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli, kube yilowo nalowo ngendlela yakhe.”
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Kwathi ngomnyaka weshumi nambili wokuthunjwa kwethu, ngenyanga yeshumi, ngolwesihlanu lwenyanga, kwafika kimi ophunyukileyo eJerusalema, wathi: “Umuzi unqotshiwe.”
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Isandla sikaJehova sasiphezu kwami kusihlwa, engakafiki ophunyukileyo, kepha wavula umlomo wami engakafiki kimi ekuseni; wavulwa umlomo wami, angabe ngisaba yisimungulu.
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Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
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“Ndodana yomuntu, abakhe ezincithakalweni ezweni lakwa-Israyeli basho bathi: ‘U-Abrahama wayemunye, wadla ifa lezwe; kepha thina sibaningi, siphiwe lona libe yifa lethu.’
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Ngalokho thana kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Nidla okunegazi, niphakamisa amehlo enu ezithombeni zenu, nichitha igazi. Pho, niyakudla ifa lezwe na?
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Niyethemba enkembeni yenu, nenza izinengiso, ningcolisa, kube yilowo nalowo umkamakhelwane wakhe. Pho, niyakudla ifa lezwe na?’
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“Uyakusho kanje kubo, uthi: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Kuphila kwami, abasezincithakalweni, ngempela, bayakuwa ngenkemba, nosendle ngiyakumnika izilwane ukuba adliwe, nabasezinqabeni nasemihumeni bayakufa ngesifo.
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Ngiyakwenza izwe libe yincithakalo nokuyize, kuphele ukuzidla kwamandla alo; izintaba zakwa-Israyeli ziyakuchithwa ukuze kungabikho odlulayo.
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Bayakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova, lapho ngenzile izwe libe yincithakalo nokuyize ngenxa yazo zonke izinengiso zabo abazenzileyo.’
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“Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, abantwana babantu bakho bakhuluma ngawe ngasezindongeni naseminyango yezindlu, basho omunye komunye, omunye kumfowabo, bathi: ‘Woza uzwe ukuthi yizwi lini eliphuma kuJehova.’
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Bafika kuwe njengokufika kwabantu, bahlala phambi kwakho njengabantu bami, bezwa amazwi akho, abawenzi kodwa, ngokuba ngomlomo wabo babonakalisa uthando olukhulu, kepha inhliziyo yabo ilandela inzuzo yabo.
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Bheka, uyisihlabelelo esithandekayo sonephimbo elimnandi kubo, obetha kahle ngogubhu, ngokuba bezwa amazwi akho, abawenzi kodwa.
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“Lapho lokhu kufika — bheka, kuyeza! — bayakwazi ukuthi kwakukhona umprofethi phakathi kwabo.”