UJOBHO 24

₁Kubayini oSabekako angabeki iinkhathi zokugweba?

Kubayini labo abamaziko bafune amalanga anjalo bangawafumani?

₂Kukhona abatjhidisa iinkhonkhwani,

belusa imihlambi abayithumbileko.

₃Bathumba abodumbana beentandani,

bemuke umhlolokazi ikomakhe ngesibambiso.

₄Bafuqula abadududu endleleni,

abakhwahlileko enarheni bayabhaca nabezako.

₅Abachakileko banjengabodumbana,

iye, abodumbana bommango erhalawumbeni:

Baphuma baye emsebenzini wemihla,

bazumane neenquqwana zokudla ebhudwini,

kobana kube kukudla kwabantwababo.

₆Emasimini babuthelela amakhikhizela wakhona,

baburuje eendiribeni zeenkhohlakali.

₇Ngokutlhoga iingubo, balala lize,

baswele kokuzembesa emakhazeni.

₈Bathambiswa lizulu leentaba,

bazisitha edwaleni kobana baphephe.

₉Kukhona abahlwitha onganayise ebeleni,

benze isibambiso ngesana lochakileko.

₁₀Iinkhwahla zikhamba hlubule, azinazambatho;

zithwala iintjherefu zekoroyi ngendlala.

₁₁Emini zihlala emkghotheni wendlela;

zigadange amadiribe ngomrhawu.

₁₂Ngedorobheni kuquma abahlongakalako,

imiphefumulo esebuhlungwini bamanceba ifuna isizo,

kodwana uZimu akasoli namunye ngobumbi.

₁₃“Kunalabo abahlubuka ukukhanya,

abangazi iindlela zakhona,

begodu abahlali emizileni yakhona.

₁₄Lokha nakuhlwako umbulali uyavuka,

abulale ochakileko noswelako,

iye, ebusuku unanaba njengesela.

₁₅Ilihlo lesihlobongi ligada ukuhlwa,

sizitjele sithi, ‘Angingabonwa’,

nje-ke, sifihla ubuso baso.

₁₆Ebusuku iinkumba ziyagqekezwa,

emini abagqekezi bayazivalela,

ngombana abazwani nomkhanyo.

₁₇Ilanga labo lithoma nakumnyama tshu,

bajayelene nokwesabeka kobumnyama.

₁₈“Nina nithi, ‘Abantwabo bakhukhulwa mamanzi,

isabelo sabo senarha sizakuba sisethuko,

akunamuntu ozakunaka iindiribe zabo.

₁₉Isomiso nomtjhiso ziginya amanzi werhwaba,

ngokunjalo nethuna lirhiribidela abonileko.

₂₀Umbelethakhe uzamkhohlwa,

iimpethu zimudle,

angeze asakhunjulwa nakanye,

iye, ubumbi bephulwa njengeenkuni.

₂₁UZimu uzakondla inyumba,

iye, umfazi onganamntwana,

kanye nomhlolokazi ongaphathwa kuhle.

₂₂Ngamandlakhe uzakukhukhula iinrhonga,

amele onganathemba epilweni.

₂₃Uzamnikela ukuphepha ukuze ename

ngombana amehlwakhe aseendleleni zeenrhonga.

₂₄Iinrhonga ziphakanyiswa kwesikhatjhana

kodwana zibuye zinyamalale;

zibuna njengotjani bezibuthelelwe ndawonye;

mbala, zigwetjwa njengeenqwambe zekoroyi.’

₂₅“Amezwami aliqiniso!

Ngubani ongangiphikisa,

awenze abe lilize na?”