9 Alo, urhahlawulelani-ke gadesi Jerusalema, nangabe unekosi na? Kghani umlulekakho uhlongakele, nawulokhu uzibinyabinya inga umfazi oseenhlungwini zokubeletha nje na?
Abantu bazakukhungatheka, bembathwe ziinhlungu neenhlabi njengomfazi onemirhelo; baqalane ngokukakamala, ubuso babo buphaphatheke.
Ngalokho idini lami liyagedla ngisahlelwe ziinhlungu njengomfazi obelethako; ngiyabinyabinyeka ngebanga lalokho engikuzwako, ngikakamale ngalokho engikubonako.
Njengomfazi osidisi osele azokubeletha azibinyabinya, aliliswa ziinhlabi besinjalo-ke nathi ngenca yakho, Somnini.
Wena mfazi ohlala eLibhanoni, wena onesihlakana emisedarini, uzakububula lokha nawehlelwa ziinhlabi, iye, imirhelo efana neyokubeletha!”
USomnini uthi: “Wena ncekwami Jakopo, ungabi nevalo; ungapheli amandla wena Israyeli. Qala, sele ngizokusindisa ukude neenzukulwana zakho enarheni ezithunjwe kiyo. UJakopo uzakubuya abe nokuthula, azigedle; kungabi nomuntu ozamethusela.”
Kuzabe kube nini ngibona iphawu ngizwe netjhada lepalapala na?
Mbala, ngezwa isililo inga ngesomfazi onemirhelo, silisizi njengaloyo obeletha izibulo; iye, isililo sendodakazi yeZiyoni elwela ukuphefumula, yelula izandla isithi: “Maye mina, ngiyatsirimezeka, ipilwami inikelwe esandleni sababulali.”
Imizi izakuthunjwa neemphephelo zithathwe. Mhlokho iinhliziyo zamabutho wakwaMowabi zizakuba njengeyomfazi obelethako.
Lokha ikosi yeBhabheli nayizwa ngemibiko yabo, yangenwa mamanzi emadolweni, isizi liyibambile; iye, iinhlungu njengomfazi obelethako.
Lalela isililo sabantu bekhethu, sizwakala enarheni ekude sithi: “USomnini gade angasi seZiyoni na? Kghani iKosi yalo ayisese ngaphakathi kwalo na?” USomnini uphendula uthi: “Kubayini bangithukuthelise ngeenthombe zabo, iye, ngabosingazimu abanganabubhadekelo na?”
Ozesiweko kaSomnini, okuphila kwethu, wabanjwa emgodini wezifu zabo; iye, esadlumbana ngaye bona emthunzinakhe sizakuhlala hlangana nezizwe.
Yeke bathi: “Thina abesinakosi nasinje ngombana sibhalelwe kuhlonipha uZimethu. Njekhona ikosi leyo, beyizasenzelani nje?”
Nakufika iinhlabi zokubeletha, u-Efrayimu uba mntwana odlhayeleko: Nakufika isikhathi uyarhodobala, angaphumi esibelethweni!
Lokhu kuzabalitshwayo bonyana ama-Israyeli kuzawathatha amalanga amanengi anganakosi, anganababusi, anganamihlabelo nanyana amatje akhethekileko, atlhoge nomlayezo wakaZimu.
Uzakujama begodu eluse abantu bakhe emandleni kaSomnini, ebizweni eliphakamileko lakaSomnini uZimakhe. Abantu bakhe bazakuhlala bavikelekile; ngambala uzakuduma iphasi loke.
Umfazi nasele atjhidele ukubeletha, uzwa iinhlungu ngombana isikhathi sakhe vane sesifikile; kodwana umntwana nasele abelethiwe akasakhumbuli ubuhlungu ngombana sekubelethwe umntwana ephasini.
Bekasidisi begodu alila ngemirhelo.