1 Abetsi Efrayimu nakakhuluma, kutfutfumele emadvodza; abephakanyisiwe ka-Israyeli. Kodvwa waba nelicala lekukhonta Bhali, wafa.
kodvwa ungasidli sitselo sesihlahla sekwati lokulungile nalokungakalungi, ngobe mhlazana usidla uyakufa nekufa.”
Jerobowamu wabe sewubiyela iShekhemu, eveni letintsaba kulaka-Efrayimu, wahlala khona. Wesuka lapho waphuma wayakwakha iPhenuweli.
“Bantfu babengilalela ngekungetsemba lokukhulu, bathule balindzele kweluleka kwami.
Ngangitsi nasengikhulumile, kungaphindzi kukhulume muntfu emvakwami, emavi ami abewela ngebunono etindlebeni tabo.
Umuntfu lotigcabhako uyawubhujiswa, umuntfu lotitfobako uyadvunyiswa.
Tonkhe letintfo atikentiwa sandla sami yini, kuze kutsi tibe khona?” kusho Simakadze. “Ngulowo-ke mine lengimatisako, lowo lotfobekile nalodzabukile emoyeni, nalolitfutfumelelako livi lami.
Ngobe inhloko yaseSiriya yiDamaseko, nenhloko yeDamaseko nguResini kuphela. Kusengakapheli iminyaka lengema-65, baka-Efrayimu bayawube sebahlakateke kakhulu, sebangasesiso sive.
Kodvwa ngatsi ngisachubeka kubita Israyeli, nabo bachubeka bakhwesha kimi. Banikela imihlatjelo kuboBhali, batfuncisela titfombe imphepho.
Ngako nyalo sengitabungcunula lobubheva bakhe, embikwemashende akhe abuka; kute lotamephula lapha etandleni tami.
Usengakatsandzi kuvuma kutsi kwakungimi lona lowamnika kudla lokutinhlavu, neliwayini lelisha, nemafutsa, lowatfululela kuye isiliva negolide, lababekusebentisa kuBhali.
Batibekela emakhosi bangakancutfulisi kimi, batikhetsela babusi bangakabonwa ngimi. Ngesiliva yabo nangegolide yabo batentela tithico letitababhubhisa bona.
Kwase kulandzela ticheme tesive saka-Efrayimu ngetigaba taso ngaphansi kwesiboniso sebuve baso. Umholi waso bekungu-Elishama, umsa wa-Amihudi.
Ngiwo lawa-ke emabito alamadvodza latfunywa nguMosi kutsi ayewuhlola lelo live. Mosi wetsa Hosheya, umsa waNuni, libito, watsi nguJoshuwa.
esiveni saka-Efrayimu kwakunguHosheya, umsa waNuni;
Ngobe wonkhe umuntfu lotiphakamisako uyawutfotjiswa, nalotitfobako uyawuphakanyiswa.”
Sono sangena ngemuntfu munye emhlabeni, sangena nekufa, kufa kwase kwendlulela kubo bonkhe bantfu, njengobe bonkhe bonile.
Lutsandvo lwaKhristu luyasichuba. Sesidzimate sefika kunasi siphetfo sekutsi: Munye lowafela bonkhe; ngako-ke bonkhe bafa.
Nkulunkulu wakhuluma kuJoshuwa, watsi: “Lamuhla wena ngitakuphakamisa embikwaso sonkhe sive saka-Israyeli, kuze sati kutsi njengobe nganginaye Mosi, nawe ngiyawuba nawe.
Emadvodza aka-Efrayimu abutsana, ashuca ewelela ngesheya kulaseSafoni, afike akhuluma kuJeftha, atsi: “Wentiwe yini lokutsi nawuhamba uyakulwa nema-Amoni ungasibiti tsine kutsi sihambe nawe? Sitawulumeka lendlu yakho siyishisele etikwenhloko yakho.”
Sive saka-Efrayimu sabuta Gideyoni, satsi: “Usiphatseleni kanje? Awukasimemi ngani nawuyakulwa nemaMidiyani?” Bamsola kakhulu ngaloko.
Samuweli watsi: “Nome wena utibona ungulomncane, kodvwa manje uyinhloko yetive tema-Israyeli; Simakadze wakugcoba kutsi ube yinkhosi etikwema-Israyeli.