Juda naThamari
1Ngaso leso sikhatsi Juda wesuka kubomnakabo wayawuhlala naHira, indvodza yase-Adulamu. 2Asekhona lapho wabonana nentfombi yemKhenani leyayibitwa ngekutsi nguShuwa, wayiteka, 3yakhulelwa, yatalela Juda indvodzana, wayetsa libito watsi ngu-Era. 4LomkaJuda waphindze wakhulelwa, wamtalela lenye futsi indvodzana, wayetsa libito watsi ngu-Onani. 5Waphindza lenye futsi indvodzana, wayetsa libito watsi nguShela. BoJuda babeseKhesibi ngesikhatsi italwa lendvodzana.
6Juda watsatsela Era, litubulo lakhe, umfati labebitwa ngekutsi nguThamari. 7Kodvwa Era, litubulo laJuda, watiphatsa kabi embikwaSimakadze. Ngako-ke Simakadze wambulala. 8Juda wase utsi ku-Onani, umnakabo-Era: “Ngena lomfelokati wemnakenu, wente lokufanele njengemkhula wakho, utalele umufi bantfwana.” 9Kodvwa Onani, njengobe abati kutsi utabe utalele umnakabo, inhlanyelo yakhe abeyicitsela phansi njalo nje nakalala nalomkhula wakhe. 10Simakadze watfukutsela ngaleso sento sa-Onani, ngako naye wambulala. 11Juda wakhuluma kumalukatana wakhe, Thamari, watsi: “Ncandzeka ubuyele kini, ekhaya leyihlo, uhlale khona ungumfelokati kuze kukhule Shela, indvodzana yami.” Loko abekusho ngobe abesaba kutsi naye angahle afe njengabomnakabo. Ngako-ke Thamari wahamba wabuyela ekhaya kubo, wayawuhlala khona.
12Emvakwesikhatsi lesidze umkaJuda, indvodzakati yaShuwa, wafa. Kwatsi kube kuphele sikhatsi sekulila, Juda naHira wase-Adulamu benyuka baya kubagundzi betimvu eThimna. 13Lomunye watjela Thamari watsi: “Uyihlotala uyakhuphuka uya eThimna kuyewugundza timvu takhe.” 14Ngako-ke Thamari wakhumula inzilo yakhe, watimbonya ngendvwangu wase uhlala esangweni lase-Enayimu, emgwacweni lophambukela eThimna. Abesati kutsi Shela abesakhulile, kodvwa abesengakanikwa kutsi amteke.
15Watsi nakambona Juda, wacabanga kutsi yingwadla, ngobe abetimbonye buso. 16Waphambuka waya kuye wafike watsi: “Kota ngitewulala nawe.” Abengati kutsi lowo kwakungumalukatana wakhe.
Thamari watsi: “Wena utanginikani nangilala nawe?”
17Waphendvula watsi: “Ngitakunika lizinyane lembuti lelisemhlambini wami.”
Thamari watsi: “Kulungile-ke, unganginika sibambiso, uze ungitfumelele lelo zinyane.”
18Juda wabuta watsi: “Sibambiso sini lengingakunika sona?”
Wamphendvula watsi: “Indandatho leneluphawu lwakho, nentsambo yakho, neludvondvolo lwakho lolusesandleni sakho.” Wamnika. Wangena, walala naye; Thamari wakhulelwa. 19Wesuka lapho Thamari wahamba, wayisusa leveyili, wembatsa inzilo yakhe yebufelokati.
20Juda wase utfumela lomngani wakhe Hira wase-Adulamu, kutsi amikise lelizinyane abuye nalesibambiso kulomfati, kodvwa akazange amtfole. 21Wabuta kulamadvodza aleyo ndzawo, watsi: “Iphi lengwadla beyilapha endleleni ngase-Enayimu?”
Baphendvula batsi: “Kute ingwadla leke yaba khona lapha.”
22Wancandzeka wabuyela kuJuda wafike watsi: “Ngehlulekile kuyitfola lengwadla, nemadvodza aleyo ndzawo atsi kute ingwadla leke yaba khona lapho.”
23Juda wamphendvula watsi: “Yiyekele itigcine leto tintfo, singaze sibe yinhlekisa kubantfu. Ngetamile kuyitfumelela lelizinyane, kodvwa wena wehlulekile kuyitfola.”
24Emvakwetinyanga letintsatfu wabikelwa Juda kwatsiwa: “Thamari, malukatana wakakho ugwadlile, manje nje sewutetfwele.”
Juda waphendvula watsi: “Mkhipheni, nimshise aze afe.”
25Kwatsi kube akhishelwe ngaphandle, watfumela livi kuyisetala lelitsi: “Umnikati waletimphahla nguye longitfolise lesisu. Ngiyakucela kutsi utibukisise ubone kutsi tabani letimphahla: indandatho leneluphawu lwakhe, nalentsambo, naloludvondvolo.”
26Juda watibona letimphahla kutsi takhe wase utsi: “Akanacala lomakoti. Ngimi lengingawufezanga umsebenti wami ngekutsi ngimnike indvodzana yami Shela.” Juda akazange aphindze alale naye futsi.
27Watsi nasabeleka, kwatfolakala kutsi esiswini sakhe kunemaphahla. 28Watsi nasabeleka, lelinye lakhipha umkhono, umbelekisi walibamba walibekisa, walegabisa lucotfo lolubovu, wase utsi: “Nali lelitelwe kucala.” 29Kodvwa lawufinyeta lomkhono walo, kwase kuphuma umnakabo kucala. Lombelekisi wase utsi: “Sewuphuma ngekufohla!” Ngako-ke wametsa libito watsi nguPheresi. 30Emvakwakhe lomnakabo waphuma seloku agabe lolo lucotfo lolubovu esandleni, wametsa libito watsi nguZera.
