8 Ukuya ngentando kaZimu wesivumelwano umphorofidi ulilihlo phezu kwaka-Efrayimu, kodwana ubekelwe izifu ngandlela zoke nendlini kaSomnini kunobutha;
U-Eliya owavela eTitjhibe yeGiliyadi wathi ku-Arhabi: “Ngifunga uSomnini uZimu wakwa-Israyeli engimlotjhako ngithi, akuzukuba nombethe nazulu eminyakeni ezako kufikela lapha ngitjho khona bona akube njalo.”
Ngemva kwesikhathi eside, emnyakeni wesithathu wesomiso, ilizwi lakaSomnini lafika ku-Eliya lathi: “Khamba ufese uziveze ku-Arhabi ukuze ngithumele izulu enarheni godu.”
Nje-ke biza abantu kilo loke lakwa-Israyeli bona bazokuhlangana nami entabeni iKarameli. Uze nabaphorofidi abamakhulu amane namatjhumi amahlanu bakaBhali nebaka-Atjhera abamakhulu amane abagoma etafuleni laka-Izebeli.”
UTsedekhiya umsa kaKenana wenza iimpondo zesimbi wathi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini, ‘Ngeempondwezi, uzakutlhofoza ama-Aramu abe aphele nya.’ ”
USomnini wabuza wathi, ‘Uzamyenga njani?’ Yena wathi, ‘Ngizakuphuma bese ngiba mummoya wamala emilonyeni yabo boke abaphorofidi bakhe.’ USomnini wathi, ‘Khamba uyomyenga, uzakuphumelela.’
UMikaya wathi: “Nange ngambala ungabuya uphephile, uZimu uzabe angakakhulumi ngami.” (Umphorofidi lo ufaniswa nowathi: “Yizwani noke nina bantu!”)
Yeke ikosi yakwa-Israyeli yabizela abaphorofidi ndawonye, babamadoda amakhulu amane. Wababuza wathi: “Nithi angiphume ngiyokulwa neRamothi eGiliyadi, namkha ngihlale na?” Baphendula bathi: “Khamba ngombana uSomandla uzoyinikela ezandleni zekosi.”
Kwakhe kwathi amanye ama-Israyeli asangcwaba umuntu othize, masinyana abona isiqhema semigulukudu. Khonokho aphosela isidumbeso elibeni laka-Elitjha. Kuthe bona isidumbu sithinte amathambo ka-Elitjha, savuka sajama ngeenyawo.
Yeke wathatha inaka eliwe ku-Eliya wabetha amanzi ngalo kodwana azange ahlukane. Warhuwelela wathi: “Uphi-ke nje uSomnini, uZimu waka-Eliya?” Wabetha amanzi kwesibili, ahlukana phakathi, wabese uyayama.
Waya esiyalweni wathela itswayi ngaphakathi wathi: “Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini, ‘Ngiphilisile amanzi la. Angeze kusavela ukufa namkha ukupholoja godu emanzinapha.’ ”
U-Elitjha wathi: “Lethanapha iflowuru.” Wayithela ngepotweni wathi: “Phakululelani abantu bona bagome.” Yeke bekungasenalitho eliyingozi ngepotweni.
Incekwakhe yambuza yathi: “Ngingabapha njani abantu abalikhulu ukudla okuncani kangaka?” Kodwana u-Elitjha waphendula wathi: “Nikela abantu bona bagome ngombana nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini, ‘Bazakugoma bekusale.’ ”
Nje-ke uNamani wehla wafika wazicwilisa kalikhomba eJordani njengokutjho kwelizwi lomuntu kaZimu. Umzimbakhe waphuluka waba njengowomsanyana wahlambuluka.
Ikhwekhwe lakaNamani lizokunamathela kuwe neenzukulwana zakho isiphelani.” UGerhazi watjhiya u-Elitjha sele amhlophe njengesithwathwa ngekhwekhwe.
nalokha induna nayitjela umuntu kaZimu bonyana lokhu angeze kwenzeka, ngitjho nanyana uZimu bekangavula iintunja ezulwini, umuntu kaZimu wayitjela wathi: “Lokho uzazibonela ngamehlwakho, kodwana angeze wakunuka.”
Induna esisandla sekosi yaphendula umuntu kaZimu yathi: “Lokhu angeze kwenzeka, ngitjho nanyana uZimu bekangavula iintunja ezulwini!” U-Elitjha wathi: “Lokho uzazibonela ngamehlwakho, kodwana angeze wakunuka.”
Siphunyuke njengenyoni ephuma esithiyweni sabathiyi: Isithiyo sonakele, thina saphunyuka!
Akunamuntu owaziko bona isikhathi sakhe sizokufika nini: Njengehlambi nayibanjwa ngenede enesihluku namkha iinyoni ezibanjwa ngesithiyo, ngokunjalo abantu babambeka esithiyweni ngesikhathi sehlekelele, lokha nayibehlela msinyana.
Abaqaphi bangifumana nabalokhu bakhambakhamba ngedorobheni. “Akhange nibone othandwa mphefumulwami na?”
Ngibeke abalindi emithangalenakho Jerusalema, angeze bathula ubusuku namkha emini. Nina enibiza uSomnini, ningazinikeli ukuphumula,
Benginjengemvana ekhuliswe ekhaya yathathwa yasiwa ekuhlatjweni. Azange bengitjheje bonyana bebenza ubukhwebetjhana ngami basithi: “Asonakaliseni umuthi nobuhlaza bawo; asiwugawuleni ukuze ungasaphila, ibizo lawo lingasakhunjulwa.”
Nje-ke ngathi: “Awu, Somnini, Somandla, qala abaphorofidi babatjela bathi, ‘Anizukubona isabula nendlala ayizukunithinta, kodwana mina, Somnini ngizanipha ukuthula kwamambala endaweni le.’ ”
“Phakathi kwabaphorofidi beSamariya ngabona nasi into enyenyisako: Baphorofida ngoBhali bese badurhisa abantu bami, u-Israyeli.
Kuzakuba nelanga lapha abalindi bazakurhuwelela khona eentabeni zakwa-Efrayimu bathi, ‘Yizani sikhuphukeleni eZiyoni, kuSomnini uZimethu.’ ”
Bahlenga inceba labantu bami ngokulithatha lula, bathi ‘Kunokuthula! Kunokuthula!’ khisibe akunakuthula do.
Ngibeke abalindi phezu kwabo ngathi, ‘Lalelani itjhada lepalapala!’ Kodwana bona bathi, ‘Abe asizokulalela.’
Abaphorofidi bakho bakuvezele ikohliso nelize, azange bembule icala lakho kobana batjhugulule ubujamo bakho. Kunalokho bakulethele imilayezo eyikohliso nedurhisako.
Kwenzeka ngebanga lezono zabaphorofidi balo namacala wabaphristi balo, abathulula iingazi zabalungileko ngaphakathi kwalo.
“Ndodana yomuntu, ngikubeka bona ube mlindi wendlu yakwa-Israyeli. Ngesikhathi soke lokha nawuzwa ilizwi emlonyenami, ngiyelelisela yona.
“Nje-ke wena ndodana yomuntu, ngikwenze umlindi wendlu yakwa-Israyeli. Lokha nawuzwa ilizwi livela emlonyenami, ngiyelelisela bona.
“Lalelani lapha nina baphristi! Yelelani nina baphathi bakwa-Israyeli! Ulalele wena Sigodlo! Isigwebo ngesenu: Nibe sisifu eMitsipha, Naba sigolanede eThabhori:
Amalanga wokuhlunguphazwa afikile; amalanga wokulungisa afikile! U-Israyeli uzazizwela. Nithi: “Umphorofidi udlhayele, umuntu kaZimu uyarhapha!” Vele unjalo, wenziwa zizonokazi zenu ezinengezi, nobutha benu obesabekako!
benzele umphorofidi umlindi ozikileko. Njengemalangeni weGibeya uSomnini uzobalalamela ngokukhohlakala kwabo bese ubahlunguphaza ngebanga lezono zabo.
Loyo okuthiwa ngongcono kunabo uhlaba njengomunga, nokuthiwa ulunge khulu unjengesibuya sameva. Imini yokuhlunguphazwa kwabo seyifikile, ababalaleleko bazababamba. Nje-ke bazazizwa inga bayatjha.
Ingathana azange ngenze hlangana nabo iimangaliso ezingazange zenziwe mumuntu omunye, bebangekhe babe nomlandu wesono. Kodwana gadesi sebabonile engikwenzileko, bangihloyile mina noBaba.
Kodwana nakube ngamangami iqiniso lakaZimu landisa iphazimulwakhe, ngisabekelwani-ke umlandu wokuba sisoni na?
Lalelani abarholi benu nibathobele ngombana bahlala njalo beluse imiphefumulwenu njengabantu abazazilanda ngayo. Nje-ke abenze umsebenzabo ngokuthaba kungabi ngokunyama ngombana lokho angeze kwanisiza ngalitho.