18 Nangingena eveni, ngibona labo lababulewe ngenkemba; nangingena edolobheni, ngibona umonakalo lobangwe yindlala. Umphrofethi nemphristi bahambe kanyekanye, baya eveni labangalati.’ ”
Awu dolobha leligcwele siyaluyalu! Awu dolobha lemsindvo nekujabula! Bantfu bakho labafile abakabulawa yinkemba, futsi abafelanga emphini.
Nabo labo bayayendza ngenca yeliwayini, babhadzatele ngenca yetjwala, baphristi nebaphrofethi bayayendza ngenca yetjwala, basangene ingcondvo ngenca yeliwayini, badzayiteliswa tjwala, bayayendza nababona imibono, bayakhubatela nabakhipha tincumo.
Baphristi abazange babute, batsi: ‘Uphi Simakadze?’ Labo labafundzisa ngemtsetfo abazange bangati, nebaholi bangivukela. Baphrofethi baphrofetha ngaBhali, balandzela tithico letingenamsebenti.”
Angizange sengibatfume labaphrofethi, noko bagijime nemilayeto yabo; angizange sengikhulume kubo, noko sebaphrofethile.
Baphrofethi baphrofetha emanga, baphristi baphetse ngeligunya labo, nebantfu bami bakutsandza ngaleyo ndlela. Kodvwa nitakwenta njani ekupheleni?”
“Kusukela kulomncane kakhulu kuye kulomkhulu kakhulu, bonkhe babogubhela kwesabo; baphrofethi nebaphristi bayafanana, bonkhe bayayengana.
Ningaphumeli emasimini, nome-ke nihambe emigwacweni, ngobe sitsa siphetse inkemba, kuyesabeka yonkhe indzawo.
Ngako-ke bafati babo ngibanikela kulamanye emadvodza, nemasimi abo ngiwanike labanye bantfu, kutsi abe ngewabo. Kusukela kulomncane kakhulu kuye kulomkhulu kakhulu, bonkhe babogubhela kwesabo. Baphrofethi nebaphristi bayafanana, bonkhe bayayengana.
“Awu Simakadze, buka nje kutsi ngihlupheke kangakanani! Ngisemalahleni lapha ngekhatsi, inhlitiyo yami ikhatsatekile, ngobe bengingulelikhulu lihlubuka. Ngephandle, inkemba iyabulala; ngekhatsi ekhaya, kunekufa kodvwa.
Vuka ukhale kusengusebusuku, ngesikhatsi balindzi bangena emsebentini wabo, utfulule inhlitiyo yakho njengemanti ebukhoneni baSimakadze. Phakamisela tandla takho kuye ngenca yetimphilo tebantfwana bakho lasebacaleka ngenca yendlala, ekucaleni nasekupheleni kwato tonkhe titaladi.
Labo lababulawa ngenkemba bancono kunalabo labafa babulawa yindlala; badvutjutwe yindlala, baze baguga baphela ngenca yekweswela kudla emasimini.
“Ngephandle yinkemba, ngekhatsi sifo lesibulalanako nendlala; labo labasemaphandleni bayakufa ngenkemba, nalabo labasedolobheni bayawudliwa yindlala nesifo lesibulalanako.
“Ngimi lenganinika tisu letingenalutfo kuwo onkhe emadolobha enu, nekwesweleka kwesinkhwa emakhaya enu onkhe; kodvwa anikabuyeli kimi,” kusho Simakadze.
Babusi balamadolobha bawabusa ngekudizelwa, kanjalo nebaphristi bayatsengwa kuze bachaze bahumushe nemtsetfo, nebaphrofethi imibono netembulo tabo batichaza ngekudizelwa; noko basajinge bachoshe ngekutsi Simakadze unabo, batsi: “Kute lokutasehlela, ngobe Simakadze unatsi.”
“Simakadze uyawunicosha kanye nenkhosi yenu lenitibekele yona, niye esiveni leningasati nine kanye naboyihlomkhulu. Ngulapho niyawufike nikhonte labanye bonkulunkulu khona, bonkulunkulu labentiwe ngetigodvo nangematje.
“Simakadze uyakunisakatela emkhatsini wato tonkhe tive, kusuka ngala kwemhlaba kuye ngale kwawo. Lapho-ke niyawukhonta labanye bonkulunkulu labentiwe ngelugodvo, nangelitje, leningazange senibati nine ngisho nabokhokho benu imbala.
Ngenca yebudli babo bayawutsengiselana ngani ngemavi ebucili. Kusukela emandvulweni kulahlwa kwabo akulibali, nekubhujiswa kwabo akweteli.