6 Kwathi lokha nabafika emadlelweni, badla bebatatamala iziswanezi. Kuthe nasele zitatamele njalo, bazikhukhumeza; kungebangelo bangikhohlwa.
Babe nombuswabo owabanikela wona ngokulunga kwakho okukhulu, kodwana azange bakulotjha enarheni ebanzi nenothileko leyo owayendlala phambi kwabo. Azange baphenduke emisebenzinabo yobukhohlakali.
Isikhohlakali siyazitjhaya, asinandaba noSomnini; woke amahlelwaso akanaZimu.
Nangingasutha khulu ngizakukhohlwa ngithi: “Konje phana ngubani uSomnini loyo?” Nangingaswela ngizakweba, ngokwenza njalo, ngihlambalaze ibizo lakaZimami.
ngombana nina bafazi nikhohlwe uZimu wesindiswenu, azange nikhumbule idwala lobuphephelo benu. Ngalokho-ke nanyana nitjala iintjalo ezikhethekileko nihlomelele uzinyana wezizwe ezitjhili iingojwana,
USomnini uthi: “Kubayini ngifanele ngikucolele, wena Juda? Abantwabakho bangilahlile, bafunga ngozinyana ongekho. Nasele ngibondlile, bahlobonga; bazidlhunya ngekumbeni yesitjhatjha.
Nje-ke, nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uSomandla: “Njengombana ungikhohliwe bewangifulathela, wena uzakuthwala umphumela wokuzipatha kwakho ngameswe newobungwadla bakho.”
Ngokuhlakanipha kwakho okudluleleko, iye, ngekghono lakho lokurhweba wengezelele umnothwakho! Mbala, umkhumbulwakho uyazikhakhazisa ngebanga lomnothwakho.’
U-Israyeli ube sidiribe esimrarela; isithelo sakhe sanda. Isithelo sakhe nasilokhu sanda, wakha ama-aldari amanengi. Inarhakhe nayilokhu iphumelela, wakghabisa amatjakhe akhethekileko.
Kodwana u-Efrayimu uzibetha isifuba uthi: “Nginjinge tle; umnotho lo, ngizifunyanele wona mina. Ngomnothwami ongaka lo, abe akunamuntu ongafunyana isiphosiso esingako inga sisono.”
Ngizamhlawulisela amalanga agade atjhisela ngawo aboBhali itjhwalo: Amalanga azimomonda ngawo ngobuphaziphazi, walandelana neenthandwa zakhe. Kodwana mina wangikhohlwa.” Kutjho uSomnini.
Iinthandwa zakhe azilandelelako zingameyami, azifune angazifunyani. Khona-ke uzakuqaquluka athi: ‘Awa-yeke, angibuyele kusobentwana ngombana bekangiphethe kuhle.’
Abantu bami bayabhubha ngokutlhoga ilwazi. Ngebanga lokobana wale ilwazi, nami ngiyakulandula awusimphristami; ngebanga lokobana unina umthetho kaZimu, nami ngizokunina abantwabakho.”
“Ngokwanda kwabaphristi, kunjalo nokwanda kokona kwabo kimi. Ngizakuphendula ukuhlonitjhwa kwabo kube kurhubutjhwa.
Ngambala mina nginjengengwenyama ku-Efrayimu, nginjengengwenyama enamandla endlini kaJuda. Mina ngiyarathurathula bengikhambe; ngidudula kutlhogeke nomenyeli.
Akhange balile kimi ngeenhliziyo zabo, kodwana barhahlawula isililo basemibhedenabo. Bazirhaya ngebanga lekoroyi newayini.
U-Israyeli ukhohlwe uMdalakhe, wazakhela iingodlo. UJuda ubiyele amadorobho amanengi. Kodwana uSomnini uzokuthumela umlilo emadorobhenabo bese urhayila iingodlo zabo.
Bazibekela amakhosi ngingakatjho, bazikhethela ababusi ngaphandle kwemvumo yami. Bazenzela iinthombe ngesiliva nangegolide labo, kube kubhujiswa kwalo!
Ngitjho neDwala elakubelethako walikhohlwa, walibala uZimu owezwa ubuhlungu ngawe.