To The Word – Day 207

₁Ke kaloku kwathi kwinyanga yesibhozo yonyaka wesibini wolawulo lukaDariyo, ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lafikela *umshumayeli uZakariya unyana kaBherekiya unyana kaIdo.

₂Lalisithi: “UNdikhoyo wayebaqumbele gqitha ooyihlo-mkhulu. ₃Yithi ke kubo: Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Buyelani kum,’ nguwo lowo umlomo kaNdikhoyo onamadla onke, ‘nam ke ndobuyela kuni,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ₄Sanukuhamba ekhondweni looyihlo-mkhulu, bona babexelelwa ngabashumayeli bamandulo besithi: Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Guqukani kwiindlela zenu zobubi, nahlukane nemisebenzi yobugwenxa. Kambe ke abazange bandiphulaphule, bengazange bandithobele,’ utsho uNdikhoyo. ₅Ngoku ke baphi ooyihlo abo? Bona abashumayeli baphila ngonaphakade na? ₆Kodwa ke, andithi amazwi am ngokunjalo nemimiselo yam endandiyithume izicaka zam abashumayeli yabafumana ooyihlo-mkhulu abo?

“Kaloku ke bazisola bathi: ‘Ngenene uNdikhoyo onamandla onke usiphethe ngokweendlela zethu; usivuze ngokwemisebenzi yethu, njengoko wayezimisele ukwenjenjalo.’ ”

₇Ngomhla wamashumi amabini anesine kwinyanga yeshumi elinanye, nyanga leyo ekuthiwa nguShebhati, kwakuloo nyaka wesibini wolawulo lukaDariyo, ilizwi *likaNdikhoyo lamfikela *umshumayeli uZakariya unyana kaBherekiya unyana kaIdo.

₈Ndasuka ndaba nombono ebusuku: Phambi kwam ndabona umfo ekhwele ihashe elibomvu. Wayemi engxingweni phakathi kwemithi yemetile. Emva kwakhe kwakukho amanye amahashe, abomvu, amfusa, namhlophe.

₉Ndaza ke ndathi: “Ithetha ntoni le nto, nkosi yam?”

Isithunywa eso ebesithetha nam sathi: “Ndiza kukubonisa intsingiselo yezi zinto.”

₁₀Ke loo mfo umi phakathi kwemithi yemetile waphendula wathi: “Aba ngabathunywe nguNdikhoyo ukulityhutyha ihlabathi liphela.”

₁₁Banika ingxelo kweso sithunywa sikaNdikhoyo siphakathi kwemithi yemetile, bathi: “Silityhutyhile ihlabathi lonke, saza salifumana lizole nzwanga.”

₁₂Ke isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo sathi: “Ndikhoyo onamandla onke, koda kube nini ungenaluvelwano neJerusalem needolophu zakwaJuda owaziqumbelayo le minyaka ingamashumi asixhenxe?” ₁₃UNdikhoyo ke wasiphendula ngamazwi obulali nentuthuzelo eso sithunywa sasithetha nam.

₁₄Isithunywa eso ke esasithetha nam sathi: “Lubhengeze olu daba uthi: Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Ndinekhwele elikhulu ngeJerusalem neZiyon. ₁₅Kambe ke ndiziqumbele kakhulu izizwe ezixhamla ulonwabo. Bendingaqumbanga kakhulu, kodwa zona zisuke zayongezelela inkxwaleko.’

₁₆“Ngoko ke utsho uNdikhoyo ukuthi: ‘IJerusalem ndiza kuyivelela ngenceba, ibuye yakhiwe indlu yam khona,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke. ‘Ewe, intambo yokulinganisa iza kolulwa phezu kweJerusalem.’ ₁₇Phinda ubhengeze uthi: Utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ukuthi: ‘Iidolophu zam ziya kuphinda ziphuphume yinkqubela, iZiyon ndibuye ndiyithuthuzele mna Ndikhoyo, ndiyichonge iJerusalem.’ ”

₁₈Ndathi ndakukhangela ndabona nazo iimpondo ezine phambi kwam. ₁₉Ndabuza kweso sithunywa sasithetha nam ndathi: “Yintoni intsingiselo yazo?”

Saphendula sathi: “Ezi zezi mpondo zachitha-chitha uJuda noSirayeli neJerusalem.”

₂₀Ke kaloku *uNdikhoyo wandibonisa iingcibi ezine, ₂₁ndaza ke ndathi: “Ezi ngcibi zize kwenza ntoni na?”

Waphendula wathi: “Ezi mpondo ngabo bachitha-chitha uJuda kangangokuba kungabikho bani unokuphakamisa intloko yakhe. Kambe ke iingcibi ezi zize kubarhwaqelisa; ziza kuzaphula iimpondo izizwe ezalifaka uphondo ilizwe lakwaJuda, labachitha-chitha abemi balo.”

₁Ndaphinda ndathi ndakukhangela ndabona nanko umfo phambi kwam ephethe esandleni sakhe intambo yokulinganisa. ₂Ndaza ndathi: “Uya phi?”

Ke yena wathi kum: “Ndiza kulinganisa iJerusalem, ndifumanise ububanzi nobude bayo.”

₃Semka ke eso sithunywa sasithetha nam, saza sahlangatyezwa sesinye, ₄sathi kuso: “Sukelisa, uthethe nalaa mfana, uthi: ‘IJerusalem iza kuba sisixeko esingabiyelwanga, kuba yoba nabantu abaninzi gqitha ndawonye nempahla yabo. ₅Ndim ngokwam oya kuba ludonga lwayo lomlilo ndiyijikeleze, ubungangamsha bam bube ngaphakathi kwayo.’ Nguwo lowo umlomo kaNdikhoyo.”

₆“Hoyinaa! Sabani ezweni langasentla,” utsho uNdikhoyo. “Kaloku ndinichitha-chithele kumacala omane ehlabathi,” utsho uNdikhoyo.

₇“Ewe, yiza, Ziyon! Balekani, nina enihlala eBhabheli.” ₈Kaloku uNdikhoyo onamandla onke ondigunyazise wandithuma kwizizwe ezanixhaphazayo, uthethe wathi: “Nabani na onichukumisayo uchukumisa ukhozo lweliso lwam. ₉Ndosuka ndiziheshe ezo zizwe ngesandla sam, ibe zizo ezixhatshazwa ngamakhoboka azo. Ke kaloku notsho niqonde ukuba nguNdikhoyo onamandla onke ondithumileyo.”

₁₀“Memeza ugcobe, ntombi eyiZiyon, kuba ndiyeza, ndaye ndiza kuhlala apho kuwe,” utsho uNdikhoyo. ₁₁“Ngaloo mini izizwe ezininzi ziya kubandakanywa noNdikhoyo, zibe ngabantu bam. Ndiya kuhlala phakathi kwenu, nani nitsho niqonde ukuba nguNdikhoyo onamandla onke ondithumileyo. ₁₂UJuda uya kuba lilifa nesabelo sikaNdikhoyo apha kulo mhlaba ungcwele, aze abuye ayichonge iJerusalem. ₁₃Yithini cwaka phambi koNdikhoyo, nonke bantu behlabathi; kaloku yena ngoku uvukile ekhayeni lakhe elingcwele.”

₁Ke kaloku wandibonisa umbingeleli omkhulu uYoshuwa emi phambi kwesithunywa *sikaNdikhoyo; yena uSathana emi ngasekunene kwakhe eza kummangalela. ₂UNdikhoyo ke uthe kuSathana: “NdinguNdikhoyo nje ndiyakukhalimela, Sathana! Ewe, ndinguNdikhoyo onyule iJerusalem nje ndiyakukhalimela! Kaloku lo mfo ufana nesikhuni esixhwilwe emlilweni.”

₃Ngoko ami phambi kwesithunywa uYoshuwa wayenxibe iimpahla ezingcolileyo. ₄Isithunywa ke sathetha nâbo babemi phambi kwaso sathi: “Mkhululeni ezo mphala zingcolileyo.”

Sabhekisa kuYoshuwa ke sathi: “Uyabona ke, ndibususile ubugwenxa bakho; ndaye ke ndiza kukunxiba iimpahla zexabiso.”

₅Mna ke ndathi: “Mabamthwalise entloko iqhiya ecocekileyo.” Baza ke bamthwalisa iqhiya ecocekileyo, baza bamnxibisa iimpahla, isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo sisemi njalo.

₆Ke kaloku isithunywa sikaNdikhoyo samthembisa sathi: ₇“UNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Ukuba uthe wahamba ngeendlela zam, wayithobela imimiselo yam, indlu yam iya kulawulwa nguwe, ngokunjalo neenkundla zam zibe phantsi kwakho; kananjalo ke nawe uya kuba nendawo phakathi kwaba bemi apha.

₈“ ‘Yoshuwa, mbingeleli omkhulu, phulaphula, beve nabo oogxa bakho abakungqongileyo; abo bangumqondiso wezinto ezizayo. Kaloku ndiya kuvelisa ihlumelo elisisicaka sam. ₉Uyabona ke ndibeke ilitye phambi koYoshuwa, litye elo elinamehlo asixhenxe kulo. Kulo ke ndiya kukrola umbhalo, isono seli lizwe ndisisuse ngamini-nye,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke.”

₁₀“UNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Ngaloo mini nonke ngabanye elowo uya kumema ummelwane wakhe, ahlale naye phantsi komdiliya noba ngumkhiwane.’ ”

₁Esaa sithunywa sasithetha nam sabuya seza sandivusa njengomntu ovuswa ebuthongweni bakhe, ₂sathi kum: “Ubona ntoni?”

Ndaza ndathi: “Ndibona isiphatho sezibane esenziwe ngegolide. Entloko sinesitya nezibane ezisixhenxe ezinxityelelwe yimibhobho esixhenxe. ₃Kanjalo esi sibane sixhakwe ngasekunene nangasekhohlo yimithi emibini yomnquma.”

₄Ndabuza kweso sithunywa sasithetha nam, ndathi: “Ziyintoni na ezi zinto, nkosi yam?”

₅Ke isithunywa esasithetha nam saphendula sathi: “Awuzazi na ukuba ziyintoni ezi zinto?”

Ndaza ndathi: “Hayi, nkosi yam.”

₆Ke sona sathi kum: “Eli lilizwi *likaNdikhoyo kuZerubhabheli: ‘Akungabukroti, kungengawo namandla, kodwa kungoMoya wam kuphela,’ utsho uNdikhoyo onamandla onke.

₇“Kuxa uyintoni, wena ntaba iphakamileyo? Phambi koZerubhabheli wosuka ube njengethafa. Uya kubeka ilitye lokugqibela ekwakhiweni kwendlu kaThixo, abantu bekhwaza besithi: ‘Thamsanqela! Thamsanqela, Thixo!’ ”

₈Ke kaloku ndafikelwa lilizwi likaNdikhoyo lisithi: ₉“Izandla zikaZerubhabheli zisibekile isiseko sendlu kaThixo; ikwazizandla zakhe eziya kuyiphetha. Nawe uya kutsho uqonde ukuba uNdikhoyo onamandla onke nguye ondithumileyo kuwe. ₁₀Ngubani owudelelayo umhla ongenaziganeko zingako? Kambe baya kuvuya bakubona uZerubhabheli ephethe isixhobo sokulungelelanisa. Ezi zibane zisixhenxe ngamehlo kaNdikhoyo ajonga ihlabathi lonke jikelele.”

₁₁Ndasibuza ke isithunywa eso ndathi: “Yeyani le minquma mibini ixhake isiphatho sezibane ngasekhohlo nangasekunene?” ₁₂Kwakhona ndabuza ndathi: “Ngawani la masebe mabini omnquma asecaleni kwale mibhobho mibini yegolide iphokoka ioyile ebugolide?”

₁₃Siphendule sisithi: “Awuzazi na ezi zinto?”

Ndathi: “Hayi, nkosi yam.”

₁₄Saza ke sona sathi: “Aba ngabo babini bathanjiselwe ukukhonza iNkosi yehlabathi jikelele.”

₁Ndithe ndakukhangela ndabona nanko umqulu uphaphazela. ₂Isithunywa sandibuza sathi: “Ubona ntoni?”

Ke mna ndithe: “Ndibona umqulu ophaphazelayo. Umalunga neemitha ezilithoba ubude, neemitha ezine ezinesiqingatha ububanzi.”

₃Saza sathi kum: “Esi sisiqalekiso esijinga phezu kwawo wonke umhlaba. Kwelinye icala kubhalwe kwathiwa wonke umntu olisela uza kugxothwa angabikho. Kanti ke kwelinye kuthiwa wonke umntu ofunga exoka uza kugxothwa angabikho. ₄UNdikhoyo onamandla onke uthi: ‘Ndiza kusikhupha esi siqalekiso size singene emzini walowo ulisela, nakuwo umzi walowo ufunga igama lam exoka. Siya kuhlala apho emzini wakhe, siwutshabalalise kunye nezinti zawo namatye awo.’ ”

₅Siphinde sathi gqi isithunywa ebesithetha nam, sathi kum: “Khangela, kukho nenye into evelayo.”

₆Ndaza ndathi: “Yintoni na?”

Siphendule sathi: “Yibhaskiti leya ivelayo.” Saza sathi: “Iqulethe isono sabantu ehlabathini lonke.”

₇Eso sivalo sayo selothe saphakama, kwathi kanti apho ngaphakathi kuhleli umfazi. ₈Isithunywa sathi: “Lo mfazi umele inkohlakalo.” Saza ke samtyhiliza sambuyisela ebhaskitini, savala.

₉Ndakukhangela ke ndabona apho phambi kwam abafazi ababini bephaphazela ngamaphiko abo emoyeni; ewe, babetsho ngamaphiko ngathi yingwamza. Bayichola loo bhaskiti, baphaphazela nayo esibhakabhakeni.

₁₀Ndabuza ke apho kweso sithunywa sasithetha nam, ndathi: “Ngaba bayisa phi ibhaskiti leyo?”

₁₁Saphendula sathi: “Bayisa ezweni laseShinare apho iza kwakhelwa indlu khona. Xa seyigqityiwe ukwakhiwa loo ndlu, le bhaskiti iya kubekwa apho kwisiza sayo.”