5—Inguquko KaSolomon

Kabini ngexesha lolawulo lukaSolomon, uYehova wavela kuye enamazwi okuncoma nokucebisa—ngombono wasebusuku eGibheyon, xa isithembiso sobulumko, ubutyebi kunye nokuphakanyiswa kwakukhatshwa yingcebiso yokuba ahlale ethobekile ethobela; nasemva kokugcwaliswa kwetempile, xa uYehova waphinda kwakhona ukumkhuthaza ukuba anyaniseke. Zazicacile izilumkiso, zimangalisa izithembiso, ezanikwa uSolomon; kanti ke, ngaye, owayesithi kwiimeko, kwisimilo, nasebomini abonakale ekufanele ukuthobela umyalelo ahlangabezane nokulindelwe lizulu, kubhalwe kwathiwa: “akawugcina umthetho abemwisele wona uYehova.” “Intliziyo yakhe, yemka kuYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli, owayebonakele kuye izihlandlo ezibini emwisele umthetho ngaloo nto, ukuba angalandeli thixo bambi.” I Kumkani 11:9, 10. Lwalugqibelele kakhulu ukreqo lwakhe, ilukhuni kakhulu intliziyo yakhe kukwaphula umthetho, kangangokuba imeko yakhe yayisondele kakhulu ekubeni ibe yengenathemba.AN 75.1

Ukusuka kuvuyo lokuthetha nezulu, uSolomon wabuya wafumana ukwaneliseka kwiziyolo ngokuzivela kwakhe. Uthi ngala mava:AN 76.1

“Ndazenzela imisebenzi emikhulu, ndazakhela izindlu: ndazityalela izidiliya, ndazenzela amasimi nemiyezo: . . . Ndathenga amakhoboka namakhobokazana: . . . Ndaziqwebela nesilivere, negolide, nezinto eziziinqobo zookumkani ngookumkani, nezamazwe ngamazwe; ndazenzela iimvumi neemvumikazi, neziyolo zoonyana babantu, inkosikazi namakhosikazi. Ndaba mkhulu ke, ndanda ngaphezu kwabo bonke ababeseYerusalem ngaphambi kwam. . . .AN 76.2

“Andiwabandezanga into yonke ayibizayo amehlo am; andiyivimbanga intliziyo yam namnye umvuyo; ngokuba intliziyo yam yayivuya emigudwini yam yonke. . . . Ndabheka mna ezenzweni zam zonke, ezazenzayo izandla nasemigudwini yam endaphuka yiyo ukuyenza; ndayibona yonke loo nto ingamampunge nokusukelana nomoya ; akukho lungelo phantsi kwelanga.AN 76.3

“Ndazijika mna, ndakhangela ubulumko, nobugeza, nobuyatha; ngokuba ngumntu oyini na, lowo uya kuza emva kokumkani? Lo ubeselenziwe kade. . . . Ndabuthiya ke ubomi. . . . Ndayithiya yonke imigudu yam, endaphuka yiyo phantsi kwelanga.” Intshumayeli 2:4-18.AN 76.4

Ngamava wakhe akrakra, uSolomon wakufunda ukungaphathi nto kobomi obufuna kwizinto zasemhlabeni okona kulungileyo kubo. Wakhela oothixo babahedeni izibingelelo, kodwa wafumanisa indlela esingamampunge ngayo isithembiso sabo sokuphumza umphefumlo. Iingcinga ezimnyama neziwuxheshayo umphefumlo, zamkhathaza imini nobusuku. Kuye lwalungasekho uvuyo lobomi okanye uxolo lwengqondo, laye ikamva limnyama kukungabi nathemba.AN 76.5

Sekunjalo, uYehova akazange amshiye. Ngezigidimi zokungxolisa nezibetho eziqatha, wazama ukuvusa kukumkani ukuba akuqonde ukuba nesono kwendlela yakhe. Wayisusa inkathalelo ekhuselayo wavumela iintshaba ukuba zimngcungcuthekise zibenze buthakathaka ubukumkani bakhe. “Ke uYehova wamvelisela uSolomon utshaba olunguHadade umEdom. . . . UThixo wamvelisela omnye umchasi onguRezon, . . . umthetheli wempi,” owaya “wakruquka ngamaIsrayeli; waye engukumkani kwa-Aram (kwiSiriya). NoYarobheham, . . . umkhonzi kaSolomon,” “igorha elinobukroti,” naye “wasiphakamisa isandla kukumkani.” 1 Kumkani 11:14-28.AN 77.1

Ekugqibeleni, uYehova wathumela kuSolomon isigidimi esothusayo ngomprofeti: “Ngenxa enokuba unaloo nto, akwawugcina umnqophiso wam, nemimiselo yam endikumiseleyo, okwenene, ndiya kubukrazula ubukumkani kuwe, ndibunike umkhonzi wakho. Kodwa ke andiyi kukwenza oko ngemiha yakho, ngenxa kaDavide uyihlo; ndiya kubukrazula esandleni sonyana wakho.” Iindima 11, 12.AN 77.2

Othuke wangathi ebesephupheni sesi sigwebo sokohlwaywa esivakaliswa kuye nendlu yakhe, uSolomon, isazela siphaphamile, waqala ukububona ubuyatha bakhe bunje ngoko bunjalo. Esohlwayeka emoyeni, ingqondo nomzimba zibuthakathaka, wabuya enxaphile enxaniwe kumaqula asehlabathini awaphukileyo, ukuba aphinde asele emthonjeni wobomi. Kuye, ekugqibeleni, uqeqesho lokuphatheka nzima lwawufeza umsebenzi walo. Kwakukudala exikixwa luloyiko lwentshabalalo epheleleyo kuba engakwazi ukubuya ebudengeni; kodwa ngoku wabona kwisigidimi asinikiweyo, umtha wethemba. UThixo wayengamnqamlanga kwaphela, kodwa wayemi (uThixo) elungele ukumhlangula kubukhoboka obukhohlakele ngaphezu kwengcwaba, nangenawo yena amandla okuzikhulula ngokwakhe.AN 77.3

Ezaliswe ngumbulelo, uSolomon wawavuma amandla nobubele baLowo “[ungo]yena uphakamileyo” (Intshumayeli 5:8); wathi, eguquka, waqala ukuwalanda amanyathelo asinga kumgangatho ophakamileyo wobunyulu nobungcwele apho wawa esuka khona ukuza kufika apha. Wayengenakho ukuthemba ukusinda kwiziphumo ezibhexeshayo zesono, wayengenakho ukuyikhulula ingqondo yakhe kuko konke ukukhumbula indlela yokuziyekelela awayeyihamba, kodwa wayeza kuzama ngokunyanisekileyo ukubathibaza abanye ekulandeleni ubuyatha. Wayivuma ngentobeko imposiso yeendlela zakhe, aliphakamise ilizwi lakhe ekulumkiseni abanye hleze balahleke bangabe babuye ngenxa yeempembelelo zobubi awaya waqala ukubenza.AN 78.1

Umntu oguquka ngenene akazisusi izono zakhe kwinkumbulo yakhe. Akathi, ngako nje ukuba afumane uxolo, akhulelwe kukungazikhathaleli iimpazamo azenzileyo. Ucinga ngabo bebekhokelelwe ebubini likhondo lakhe, aze azame ngazo zonke iindlela ukubakhokela babuyele kwindlela yenyaniso. Okona kucace ngakumbi ukukhanya angene kuko, okona luqinayo ulangazelelo lwakhe ukubeka iinyawo zabanye endleleni elungileyo. Akagqithi engxamile kwihambo yakhe ephum’ ecaleni, akwenze okungalunganga kwakhe kube ngathi kuyinto engenamsebenzi, kodwa uphakamisa isiboniso sengozi, ukuze babe nokulumka abanye.AN 78.2

USolomon wayivuma into yokuba “[I]ntliziyo yoonyana babantu izele bububi; ibubugeza entliziyweni yabo besadla ubomi.” Intshumayeli 9:3. Uphinda athethe athi, “Ekubeni isigwebo singawiswa kamsinyane emsebenzini ombi, ngenxa yoko intliziyo yoonyana babantu izele ngaphakathi kwabo kukwenza okubi. Nakubeni umoni esenzaokubi izihlandloezilikhulu, ayolule imihla yakhe,noko ndiyazi ukuba kuya kulunga kwabamoyikayo uThixo, kwaboyikayo ebusweni bakhe; kungalungi kongendawo, angayoluli imihla yakhe, njengethunzi; ekubeni engoyiki ebusweni bukaThixo.” Intshumayeli 8:11-13.AN 78.3

Ngomoya wempefumlelo, ukumkani wazibhalela izizukulwana ezilandelayo imbali yeminyaka yakhe awayichitha ngelize ngezifundo zayo ezilumkisayo. Ngaloo ndlela, nangona imbewu awayihlwayelayo yaba nesivuno esibi kubantu bakhe, ubomi bakhe abuzange bube yilahleko ngokupheleleyo. Ngobulali nokuthobeka, uSolomon yindoda “[eya]bafundisa abantu ukwazi, yalinganisela, yabagocagoca, yayila imizekeliso emininzi.” Inga ingafumana amazwi anandiphekayo,kuthi nokubhalwayo kulunge, ibe ngamazwi enyaniso. Amazwi ezilumko anjengeemviko; anjengezikhonkwane ezitshonisiweyo asezintlanganisweni anikwe ngumalusi emnye. Nangaphezu koko, nyana wam, vuseleleka.” Intshumayeli 12:9-12.AN 79.1

“Ukuhlanganiswa kwentetho, yakuba ivakele into yonke nanku,” wabhala, “Yoyika uThixo ugcine imithetho yakhe; ngokuba indawo leyo yimfanelo yoluntu lonke. Ngokuba izenzo zonke uThixo uya kuzizisa ekugwetyweni, izinto zonke ezifihlakeleyo, nokuba zilungile nokuba zimbi.” Iindima 13, 14.AN 80.1

Oko akubhalileyo uSolomon kamva, kubonisa ukuba, njengoko wakuqonda ngakumbi nangakumbi ukukhohlakala kwendlela yakhe, wakunika ingqwalasela eyodwa ukuyala abatsha ukuba bangawi kwiimpazamo ezamkhokelela ekuchitheni ngelize ezona zipho zibalulekileyo zeZulu. Ngentlungu nehlazo, wavuma ukuba ngexesha lokubaphezulu kwasebudodeni, xa wayemele ukuba umfumene uThixo eyintuthuzelo yakhe, engumxhasi wakhe, nobomi bakhe, wemka ekukhanyeni kweZulu nasebulumkweni bukaThixo, wabeka ukunqula izithixo endaweni yokunqula uYehova. Ngoku ke, akuba efunde ngamava alusizi ubuyatha bobomi obunjalo, inzondelelo yolangazelelo lwakhe yayikukusindisa abanye ekungeneni kumava akrakra awathi wadlula kuwo yena.AN 80.2

Ngemvakalelo echukumisayo, wabhala ngamalungelo nemithwalo ephambi kwabantu abalulutsha emsebenenzini kaThixo:AN 80.3

“Kumnandi ukukhanya, kulungile emehlweni ukulibona ilanga. Ngokuba umntu, ukuba uthe wadla ubomi iminyaka emininzi, makavuye ngayo yonke iphela, noko ke akhumbule imihla yobumnyama, ukuba iya kuba mininzi. Yonke into ezayo ingamampunge. Vuya, ndodana, ebutshenibakho,ikuchwayitise intliziyo yakho ngemihla yobudodana bakho, nangokukhangela kwamekho akho; kodwa yazi ukuba ngenxa yezo zinto zonke uThixo uya kukusa ematyaleni. Yisuse ke ingqumbo entliziyweni yakho, ubudlulise ububi enyameni yakho; ngokuba ubutsha nobudoda bungamampunge.” Intshumayeli 11:7-10.AN 80.4

“Uze umkhumbule ke uMdali wakho
ngemihla yobutsha bakho,
Ingekezi imihla yobubi,
Ingekafiki iminyaka owothi ngayo,
Ayindiyolele;

Lingekabi mnyama ilanga,
Nokukhanya, Nenyanga, Neenkwenkwezi,
Engekabuyi amafu emva kwemvula;

“Loo mini baya kugevezela abagcini bendlu
Agobe amadoda anobukroti,
Ziyeke iintokazi ezisilayo ngokuba zimbalwa,
Kube mnyama kwabakhangela ngeefestile;
Zivalwe iingcango ngasesitratweni,

“Kwakubon’ ukuba sidambile isandi sokusila,
Evuka kwazisathetha iintaka,
Zinqwile zonke iintombi zengoma;

“Naxeshikweni baya kuzoyika iindawo eziphakamileyo,
Neento eziqhiphula umbilini zibe sendleleni;

“Utyatyambe um-amangile,
Uchabachabase umqhathu
Utshitshe umnqweno;

“Ngokuba umntu esiya ekhayeni lakhe laphakade,
Bajikajike ezitratweni abambambazeli;
“Ingekaqhawuki intambo yesilivere,
Lityumke iselwa legolide,
Uqhekeke umphanda emthonjeni,
Yaphuke ivili iwe equleni; “Lungekabuyeli emhlabeni uthuli,
Njengoko belunjalo,
Umoya ubuyele kuThixo
Owawunikayo.”AN 81.1

Intshumayeli 12:1-7.

Akukho kulutsha kuphela, kodwa nakwabo bavuthiweyo ngeminyaka, nakwabo sebesihla induli yobomi bejonge kwilanga lasentshona, ubomi bukaSolomon buzele sisilumkiso. Siyabona sive ngokungazinzi kolutsha, abantu abatsha bexengaxenga phakathi kokulungileyo nokungalunganga, ube wona umsinga wemizwa emibi ubonakala unzima kakhulu kubo. Kwabo bakwiminyaka ethe xaxe ukukhula, asilindelanga oku kungazinzi nokunganyaniseki; silindele ukuba isimilo sizinze, kubekho ukumila nzulu ekuziphatheni ngokwemithetho-siseko. Phofu akusoloko kunjalo. Ngeli xesha kanye uSolomon wayemele ukuba unje ngom-oki ome bhunxe, wawa ekuqineni kwakhe phantsi kwamandla okulingwa. Xa kwakufuneka amandla akhe abe aqine kakhulu, wasuka wafumaneka enobuthakathaka obungathethekiyo.AN 82.1

Kwimizekelo enjalo, simele ukufunda ukuba, ekuphaphameni nasekuthandazeni kulapho kukho inkuseleko kwabatsha nakwabadala. Ukukhuseleka akuxhomekeki kwisikhundla esiphezulu nakumalungelo amakhulu. Umntu usenokuba wonwabele ubuKristu benene iminyaka emininzi, kodwa use sesichengeni sokuhlaselwa nguSathana. Edabini lesono esingaphakathi nokulingwa okungaphandle, noyena wayesisilumko nonamandla, uSolomon, woyiswa. Ukusilela kwakhe kusifundisa ukuba, nokuba izakhono zengqondo zomntu zingakanani, nokuba umkhonze ngokunyaniseka kangakanani uThixo kwixesha elidluleyo, akanako nakanye ukubuthemba, aze akhuseleke kobakhe ubulumko nemfezeko.AN 82.2

Kuzo zonke izizukulwana nakuwo onke amazwe, isiseko senene nomfuziselo wokwakhiwa kwesimilo sinye. Umthetho ongcwele, “Uze uyithande iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nommelwane wakho, njengoko uzithanda ngako,” umthetho-siseko omkhulu owabonakalaliswa esimilweni nasebomini boMsindisi wethu, kuphela kwesiseko esiqinileyo, isikhokelo ekuphela kwaso esiqinisekileyo. Luka 10:27. “Kuya kubakho ukuzimaseka kwamaxesha akho, nobutyebi bosindiso,” ubulumko nokwazi okunokunikwa kuphela lilizwi likaThixo. Isaya 33:6.AN 83.1

Kuyinyaniso ngoku kwanje ngexesha amazwi ayethethwa kuIsrayeli ngokuthobela imithetho yaKhe: “Bubulumko benu, nengqondo yenu, emehlweni abantu.” Duteronomi 4:6. Kulapha kuphela ukukhuseleka kokugqibelela komntu ngamnye, ubunyulu bekhaya, ukuma kakuhle kwasekuhlaleni, okanye ukuzinza kwesizwe. Phakathi kwazo zonke iingxuba-kaxaka zobomi kunye neengozi nokubangisana okuphixanayo, umthetho ekuphela kwawo okhuselekileyo noqinisekileyo kukwenza oko uThixo akuthethayo. “Izimiselo zikaYehova zithe tye,” kwaye “okwenzayo oko akayi kuza ashukunyiswe ngaphakade.” Iindumiso 19:8; 15:5.AN 83.2

Abo bakuphulaphulayo ukulumkisa kokreqo lukaSolomon, baya kuziphepha zisaqala ukuvela izono ezamoyisayo. Kuphela kukuthobela okufunwa liZulu okuya kumgcina umntu kude nokreqo. UThixo uthululele emntwini ukukhanya okukhulu neentsikelelo ezininzi; kodwa, ngaphandle kokuba oku kukhanya nezi ntsikelelo zamkelwe, azisiso isikhuselo ekungathobelini nasekuphumeni endleleni. Xa abo uThixo abaphakamisele kwizikhundla zokuthenjwa kakhulu bekushiya ukumthemba (Yena) basuke bathembe ubulumko bomntu, ukukhanya kwabo kuya kuba bubumnyama. Izakhono zabo abazinikiweyo zisuka zibe sisabatha.AN 83.3

Kuya kuda kuphele ungquzulwano, bekho abo baya kumka kuThixo. USathana uza kuzilungisa iimeko kangangokuba, ngaphandle kwamandla ezulu, ziya kuthi, phantse zingaqatshelwanga, ziziqobe amandla iinqaba zomphefumlo. Kufuneka sibuze kwinyathelo ngalinye, “Ingaba le yindlela yeNkosi?” Lo gama ubomi busekho, kuya kuhlala kufuneka ukulindwa kwezinto ezithandwayo kunye nemizwa ngeyona ndlela iqinileyo. Akukho nomzuzu nokuba mnye esiya kukhuseleka ngawo ngaphandle kokuba sixhomekeke kuThixo, ubomi bufihlwe kuKristu. Ukuhlala ngokuphaphama nokuthandaza ezo ziindlela zenkuseleko yobunyulu.AN 84.1

Bonke abangena eMzini kaThixo baya kungena ngesango elimxinwa—ngomzamo obuhlungu; kuba “akusayi kungena kuwo nanye into eyenza inqambi.” IsiTyhilelo 21:27. Sekunjalo, akukho noyedwa owileyo ekufuneka ancame kukuphelelwa lithemba. Abantu abagugileyo, abakha bamhlonipha uThixo, basenokuba bayingcolisa imiphefumlo yabo, babingelela okuhle kwisibingelelo senkanuko; kodwa ukuba bathi baguquke basishiye isono, babuyele kuThixo, lisekho ithemba abalibekelweyo. Lowo uthi, “Thembeka kude kube sekufeni, ndokunika isithsaba sobomi,” ukwanika isimemo esithi, “Ongendawo makashiye indlela yakhe, indoda enobutshinga mayishiye iingcinga zayo, ibuyele kuYehova; woba nemfesane kuyo; ibuyele kuThixo wethu, ngokuba woxolela ngokukhulu.” IsiTyhilelo 2:10; Isaya 55:7. UThixo usithiyile isono, kodwa uyamthanda umoni. “Ndiya kukuphilisa ukubuya kwabo umva,” utsho; “Ndiya kubathanda ngesisa.” Hoseya 14:4.AN 84.2

Ukuguquka kukaSolomon kwakunyanisekile; kodwa umonakalo owenziwa ngumzekelo wokwenza okubi kwakhe, awunakuze ususwe. Ngexesha lokukreqa kwakhe, babekho abantu ebukumkanini bakhe abahlala benyanisekile koko bakuphathisiweyo, begcine ubunyulu nokunyaniseka kwabo. Sekunjalo, abaninzi balahlekiswa; yathi imikhosi yenkohlakalo eyanikwa ukusebenza ngokungeniswa konqulo lwezithixo nezenzo zehlabathi aya kwazi ukunqandwa ngukumkani oguqukayo.AN 84.3

Impembelelo yakhe kokulungileyo yathezwa amandla kakhulu. Abaninzi baba nokuthingaza okukhulu ukubeka ithemba labo ekukhokeleni kwakhe. Nangona ukumkani wasivuma isono sakhe, wada wabhala ukwenzela ukuzuza kwezizukulwana ezilandelayo ingxelo yobuyatha bakhe kwanokuguquka kwakhe, wayengenako ukuthemba ngokupheleleyo ukuba angayitshabalalisa impembelelo embi yezenzo zakhe ezigwenxa. Beqiniswe lukreqo lwakhe, abaninzi baqhubeka besenza ububi, ububi kuphela. Kunjalo nje, kwindlela yokuhla kwabaninzi kubalawuli abamlandelayo, ingafunyanwa impembelelo elusizi yokusetyenziswa ngendlela engeyiyo kwamandla akhe awayewanikwe nguThixo.AN 85.1

Ebuhlungu yimbonakalo embi kakhulu yobubi bendlela yakhe, uSolomon wanyanzeleka ukuba athi, “Bulunge ubulumko ngaphezu kweempahla zokulwa; ke yena umoni emnye utshabalalisa okulungileyo okuninzi.” “Kukho ububi endibubonileyo phantsi kwelanga, obunjengokulahleka okuphuma konegunya.”AN 85.2

“Iimpukane ezifileyo zinukisa zibilise amafutha omqholi; ubudenge obuncinane bunzima kunobulumko nozuko.” Intshumayeli 9:18, 10: 5, 6, 1.AN 85.3

Phakathi kwezifundo ezininzi ezifundiswa bubomi bukaSolomon, asikho esicinezelwa kakhulu ngaphezu kwamandla empembelelo kokulungileyo okanye kokubi. Nokuba ingaba incinane kangakanani indawo esiyibambileyo, sinayo yona impembelelo kokulungileyo okanye kwinkxwaleko. Ngaphaya kokwazi okanye ukulawula kwethu, iyabonakala kwabanye iyintsikelelo okanye isisiqalekiso. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kungobumnyama bokunganeliseki, nomona, okanye ngetyhefu enomzila wesono esithile esithandwayo; okanye inokuba izele ngamandla okholo anika ubomi, isibindi, kunye nethemba, nemnandi livumba lothando. Into eqinisekileyo yeyokuba iya kuba namandla [impembelelo leyo] okuhle okanye okubi.AN 85.4

Into yokuba impembelelo yethu iya kuba sisongo sokufa esisa ekufeni, yingcamango eyoyikekayo, kanti ke inako ukubanjalo. Umphefumlo omnye olahlekisiweyo, uncame ulonwabo lukanaphakade—ngubani onokuyiqikelela ilahleko engako! Kanti ke, isenzo esinye sobutyhuthutyhuthu, igama elinye elingacingisiswanga, ngakwicala lethu linokuba nempembelelo enzulu kakhulu eliyenzayo ebomini bomnye eya kuthi ibe kukutshabalala komphefumlo wakhe. Ibala elinye nje esimilweni lingajika abaninzi bemke kuKristu.AN 86.1

Njengoko imbewu ehlwayelweyo iveza isivuno, naso siphinde sihlwayelwe, siyaphindaphindeka isivuno. Isenzo ngasinye, ilizwi ngalinye, liyimbewu eya kuthwala isiqhamo. Sonke isenzo esicingisisiweyo sobubele, sokuthobela, sokuzincama, siya kuziveza kwabanye, kuthi ngabo sivele nakwabanye. Ngokunjalo, sonke isono somnqweno, senkohlakalo, okanye sokungavani siyimbewu eya kuhluma “kwingcambu [yo]bukrakra” eya kubangcolisa abaninzi. Hayi ke ubukhulu benani eliya kungcoliswa “ngabaninzi’! Ngoko ke, ukuhlwayela okulungileyo nokubi kuya kuqhubeka kujonge isivuno sangoku nesikanaphakade.AN 86.2