1, 2. Noa n’eka yiwe babya bawithe mubiiriki, kandi mubabana butsibuki?

NOA mwayinanulha busana n’enduhi. Thathera akasasani inianikere okwa mulabba omunene akalhuhuka hake okwa mubiiri inianemusamalira eyihya sy’obwathu bunene kutsibu obukahimbawa. Inianemwowa ekibehu eky’enimba kutse ekoroto eyihuhire; etoko y’erikongotha-kongotha bakahimba. Ah’abya ikere aho, abya inianalhangire baghalha biwe ibane mukolha kutsibu omw’isambya n’eriyunga-yungania esyombahu. Habya ihamabirilhaba buthuku buuli iyo na baghalha biwe na balyana biwe, na mukali wiwe ibanemukolha omubiiri oyu. Babya ibamabiri kolha mubiiri munene, aliwe kandi babya isibali bayaberwa erighunza!

² Ababya bikere omo kitsweka ekyo mubabalhangira ng’abakiru. Ibane muhimba, abandu mubathalhuhirira eribaseka busana n’erithabugha bathi amaghetse akendi bogha omwa kihugho kyosi. Ekya Noa abya akababwira eki ibakowa nga binyambwirwa buyira! Isibali lhangira ekyangaleka omundu n’eka yiwe ibatsandya obuthuku bwabu omwa mubiiri owathawithe mughaso oyu. Aliriryo, Yehova iyo mwathamuthwalha athya.

3. Noa mwalendera athi haghuma na Nyamuhanga?

³ E Biblia yikabugha yithi: ‘Noa mwabya akalendera haghuma na Nyamuhanga.’ (Soma Enzuko 6:9.) Eki kyamanyisayaki? Si bugha indi Nyamuhanga anabya hano h’okwa kihugho. Aliriryo, Noa iniakaghondera Nyamuhanga wiwe ya ndeke kandi iniamwanzire kutsibu erihika okw’ibya iyo bana Yehova nga bakalendera haghuma ng’abanywani. Habere habirilhaba emyaka n’emyaka, e Biblia muyakania oku Noa yithi busana n’erikirirya liwe ‘mwahira olhubanza okwa kihugho.’ (Ebr. 11:7) Mwakihira kw’olhubanza athi? Munabwire ni kyahi ekya thwang’ighira okw’ikirirya liwe?

4, 5. Omwa buthuku bwa Noa, ekihugho mukyayongera eritsanda kithi?

⁴ Noa mwakulira omwa kihugho ekyabya kikayongera eritsanda kutsibu. Kyanabya kitsandire n’omwa buthuku bwa thatha-kulhu  wiwe Enoka, omulhume muthunganene oyuwabya akalendera na Yehova. Enoka abya iniabirilhaghulha athi ekiro ky’eritswera kinemwasa okwa babi. Lero omwa buthuku bwa Noa obubi bwabya ibwamabirikanyira ighuma. Oku Yehova, ekihugho kyabya ikyabiritsandibwa, kundi kyabya kyoswire mw’obwithi. (Enz. 5:22; 6:11; Yuda 14, 15) Ebindu eritsanda bithya, habya ihabereki?

⁵ Habya ihabiributhuka omwatsi mubi omwa baghalha ba Nyamuhanga, abamalaika. Omughuma wa kubo abya iniabiriyisamambulha oku Yehova, amabya Sitani Diabolo busana n’erithulha oku Nyamuhanga kw’amabehi n’erithebererya Adamu na Eva erikolha ekibi. Omwa buthuku bwa Noa, n’abandi bamalaika mubatsuka eriyisamambulha okwa buthabali bwa Yehova. Mubasa okwa kihugho, bamambalha emibiri y’abandu, neryo bamayimirya abakali babuya mwa bakali babu. Abamalaika babi aba, mubaletha emitse mibi kutsibu eyikatsandaya abandu.​—Enz. 6:1, 2; Yuda 6, 7.

6. Abanefili mubaletha omwa kihugho mwa mibereki, kandi Yehova mwathwa mwaki?

⁶ Neryo abamalaika babi aba, mubabutha okwa bakali kw’abaana ababya balhume banene-banene kutsibu, kandi ab’akaghalha. E Biblia yikabahulha mwa Abanefili, ekikamanyisaya, “abathiniri.” Kundi Abanefili abo babya babi kutsibu kandi ibakaramire, mubaleka ekihugho ikyatsanda kutsibu. Nyamuhanga kw’alhangira athya ngoku ‘obubi bw’abandu bwabiribya bungyi omwa kihugho kandi obuli bulengekania bw’erighanirya ly’omuthima wabu bwabiribya bubi busa-busa mughulhu wosi.’ Yehova mwathwamu eriherya abandu babi abosi abo habirilhaba myaka 120.​—Soma Enzuko 6:3-5.

7. Ni butsibuki obwa Noa na mukali wiwe babana bakatheya abaana babu?

 ⁷ Thalengekania nga kyabya kikalire kithi erikulirya abaana b’omwa kihugho ng’eki! Aliwe Noa iyo mwathoka. Mwabana omukali oyuwene. Noa abere athunga emyaka 500, mukali wiwe mwamubuthira abaghalha basathu​—Semu, Hamu, na Yafeti. * Noa na mukali wiwe mubatheya abaana babu okw’ithendi tsandibwa n’abandu babi ab’omwa buthuku obo. Mughulhu mungyi abaana b’obulhume bakanza n’eriyighomba abandu ‘ab’amaaka’ ‘n’abasikibwe’ kutse abasibwe​—ng’Abanefili ku babya. Noa na mukali wiwe babya isibanga thoka eritheya abaana babu okw’ihulikirira emyatsi yosi ey’ebindu bibi ebikakolhawa n’ebilhume by’amaaka ebyo. Aliriryo ibakabakangiriraya emyatsi mibuya eyihambire oku Yehova, oyukapona obubi bwosi. Mubawathikya abaana babu erilhangira ngoku obubi obwabya omwa kihugho ku buk’itha Yehova y’obulighe.​—Enz. 6:6.

8. Ababuthi munabwire banga gherererya bathi Noa na mukali wiwe?

⁸ Ababuthi munabwire bakayitheghereraya ndeke ekya Noa na mukali wiwe balhabamu. Na munabwire ekihugho kyoswire mw’obubi. Esyotawuni syuswire mw’eminyethu eyiwithe emithima eyikalire. Nibya n’eby’eriyitsemesya ebikakolerawa abalere bikanabya mw’emyatsi y’obwithi. Ababuthi b’amenge bakakolha ekyosi-kyosi eritheya abaana babu okwa mibere ng’eyi omw’ibakangirirya oku Nyamuhanga w’obuholho Yehova oyukendi syaghunza h’obubi. (Esy. 11:5; 37:10, 11) Ababuthi bangana thoka! Noa na mukali wiwe mubathoka. Abaana babu mubakulha bamabya balhume babuya, kandi mubathahya abakali, nabu ababya banzire erihira Nyamuhanga, Yehova, y’embere omwa ngebe syabu.

9, 10. (a) Noa mwabwirwaki ekya hindulha engebe yiwe? (b) Yehova mwabwira Noa athi akokothaye athi obwathu kandi busana naki?

⁹ Kiro kighuma, Noa mwabwirwa omwatsi owa hindulha engebe yiwe. Yehova mwabwira omughombe wiwe mwanze oyu y’ekighendererwa Kiwe eky’eriherya ekihugho omwa buthuku obo. Mwabwira Noa athi: ‘Wuyihimbire obwathu bw’omuthi w’egofere.’​—Enz. 6:14.

¹⁰ Obwathu obu sibwabya ng’amathu wa munabwire. Bwabya ng’esanduko nene kutsibu. Yehova mwaha Noa y’ebipimo by’obwathu, amamubwira ngoku butholere ibwasosa, kandi athi ahake omwa kathi n’eyihya y’enimba kutse ekoroto. Mwabwira Noa n’ekikaleka, athi: ‘Ngaletha erighunga ly’amaghetse okwa kihugho. Obuli kindu ekiri omwa kihugho kya syaholha.’ Aliriryo, Yehova mwakolha endaghane eno na Noa: ‘Wasyingira omo bwathu iwe na baghalha bawu,  na mukali wawu, na bakali ba baghalha bawu.’ Kandi Noa aby’atholere iningiryamu n’okwa buli muhanda w’ebisoro. Ebyangabere omo bwathu bisa bya byanga lhamire!​—Enz. 6:17-20.

11, 12. Noa aby’awithe mubiiri wahi munene w’erikolha? Mwanasaghagho?

¹¹ Noa aby’awithe mubiiri munene w’erikolha. Obwathu obu bwabya butholere ibwabya bunene kutsibu​—obuthambi, mita 133, obughali, mita 22, n’obuuli-buuli, mita 13. Bwabya bunene kutsibu kwilhaba ekisathiro ky’omupira. Mbwino Noa mwanasagha omubiiri oyu, eriyihania athi akalire, kutse erihindulha ebipimo athi ang’olhoba? E Biblia yikasubiraya yithi: ‘Noa mwakolha ngoku Nyamuhanga amuhana.’​—Enz. 6:22.

¹² Omubiiri oyu mwaghunza myaka nga 40 kutse 50. Habya emithi ey’erikonda, ebithika eby’eriheka, ebikondo eby’erisathangya, eribatsa, n’eriyunga. Obwathu bwabya butholere ibwabya bw’esyokayina isathu, imune bisenge bingyi, n’olhuyi omwa ndambi. Kilhangirikire ngoku kwabya ikune amadirisa eyighulhu n’olhuthu olhuwire okwa mbande n’okwa mbande nuku amaghetse angasendako.​—Enz. 6:14-16.

13. Ni wundi mubiiri wahi owa Noa akolha owangabya iniabya akalire kwilhaba n’ow’obwathu, kandi abandu mubanahulikirira?

¹³ Emyaka yabere yinemulhaba n’omubiiri w’erihimba obwathu iniane mulholha embere ndeke, Noa akathekawa eribya imwatsema kutsibu eka yiwe yikamuwathikya! Habya ihane n’owundi mubiiri owangabya iniabya akalire kutsibu kwilhaba n’ow’obwathu. E Biblia yikathubwira yithi Noa abya ‘muthuliri w’erithunganene.’ (Soma 2 Petero 2:5.) Obo kwesi omwa buthubaha mwalengaho erikunga abandu ababi abo, abathekenga Nyamuhanga, okw’ithoghothibwa eryabya irikayasa. Mubanahulikirira? Yesu Kristo mwakania okwa bandu abo athi ‘mubathaminya’ kutse eritsomana. Mwabugha athi mubahwerya amalengekania wabu wosi okwa myatsi ya buli kiro, ni bugha ambu, erirya, erinywa, n’eriherukania, byamaleka ibathahulikirira Noa. (Mt. 24:37-39) Abangyi bangabya imubamusekerera iyo n’eka yiwe; abandi imubamuhayira n’erimuhakanisya kutsibu n’erilengesya erimulemesya omubiiri w’erihimba obwathu.

14. Ni kyahi ekya maka w’Ekikrisitayo ang’igha oku Noa n’eka yiwe?

¹⁴ Ebi nomubyanabya, Noa n’eka yiwe mubathalhuhirira. Mubathaleghulha nomwakine indi babya omwa kihugho eky’abandu ababya bakalhangira omubiiri oyu ng’ow’athawithe mughaso kutse ng’ow’obukiru. Kwesi, munabwire amaka w’Ekikrisitayo angan’ighira bingyi okw’ikirirya lya Noa n’eka yiwe. Nethu thuli omwa buthuku obwa Biblia yikahulha mwa “ebiro by’enyuma-nyuma” eby’omughulhu mubi ono. (2 Tim. 3:1) Yesu mwabugha athi omughulhu wethu angabere ng’owa Noa. Abandu bamathendi hulikirira omwatsi w’Obwami bwa Nyamuhanga, bakathusekerera, kutse erithwendererya,  thutholere ithwibuka Noa. Sithuli b’erimbere eribana ebitsibu ng’ebi.

15. Noa abere akayahikya myaka 600 mwabana maligheki?

¹⁵ Emyaka muyalhaba, n’obwathu ibune mughenda bukahwererera. Noa abere akayahikya emyaka 600, mwabana amalighe. Thatha wiwe, ya Lameki mwaholha. * Muhabya halhaba myaka ithanu, na Sukulhu wiwe ya Metusela amaholha iniawithe emyaka 969. Omwa bandu abakakanibawako omwa Biblia, yuwaghunza myaka minene kutsibu. (Enz. 5:27) Metusela na Lameki babyaho omwa buthuku bw’omundu w’erimbere, ya Adamu.

16, 17. (a) Noa mwabwirwaki akahikya myaka 600? (b) Noa n’eka yiwe mubalhangiraki ekithe kyang’ibiriranwa?

¹⁶ Noa abere abihikya emyaka 600, Yehova mwathasyamubwira athi: ‘Ingira iwe n’ekithunga kyawu kyosi omo bwathu.’ Kandi athi ingiraye okwa buli muhanda wosi w’ebisoro omwa bwathu​—musanju-musanju okwa bihenirye ebyanga kolha ng’obuhere, na bibiri-bibiri okwa bindi byosi.​—Enz. 7:​1-3.

¹⁷ Kyangabya ikyabya kindu ekithe kyang’ibiriranwa erilhangira  ebisoro n’ebinyonyi eby’omulingo wosi, ebike-bike n’ebinene-binene kutsibu, ebyolho-byolho n’ebikaramire bikasira erya n’erya​—ebikaghulhuka omo kyanya, ebikayikura ahisi, ebikayitsyadanga, ebikatheghulha​—ebyosi bik’ingira omo bwathu. Isithwalengekanaya thuthi mbwino Noa ngʼomusyakulhu mwasulhusutha akabingya, n’erithanga-thangania ebisoro nuku bingire omo bwathu. Kundi e Biblia yikakanganaya ndeke-ndeke yithi ebisoro ebi muby’ingira omo bwathu byameyamu Noa.​—Enz. 7:9.

18, 19. (a) Thwanga subirya thuthi abanga ghana ebyabya omwa buthuku bwa Noa? (b) Enzira eya Yehova akolesaya erilhamya ebisoro biwe yikakanganaya yithi amenge wiwe?

¹⁸ Abakahakanisaya bangana bugha bathi: ‘Ekindu ng’eki ikyanabya? Ebisoro byosi ebi ibyanathoka eribya haghuma?’ Thalengekania: Kwenene ikyanalema Omuhangiki w’ebihangikwa byosi erisondolha ebisoro, bikayolhobeka kyamayithaghisibwa? Wutholere iwibuka ngoku Yehova yuwabihangika. Kandi nibya mwanaghabulha Engetse y’Engulha n’erimania eryuba. Neryo ibbwa eby’omwa buthuku bwa Noa by’ebyanga mulemire? Eyi, kandi kwenene mwabikolha!

¹⁹ Nyamuhanga angana kolesirye eyindi nzira ey’erilhamirya mw’ebisoro biwe. Aliriryo mwathwamu erikolesya enzira eyikathw’ibukaya olhukwamirwa olho Nyamuhanga abya iniabiriha abandu erimbere eritheya ebisoro ebyosi ebiri okwa kihugho. (Enz. 1:28) Busana n’ekyo, ababuthi bangyi munabwire bakakolesaya omwatsi wa Noa erikangirirya abaana babu ngoku Yehova akatsomana ebisoro n’abandu ab’abirihangika.

20. Noa n’eka yiwe bangabya imubasulhusutha bathi omwa yenga y’erighunzerera?

 ²⁰ Yehova mwabwira Noa athi yamasighalha yenga nguma Erighunga ly’Amaghetse iryatsuka. Eka ya Noa yangabya imuyasulhusutha omwa yenga eyo. Thalengekania erisorokya ebisoro ebyosi n’ebyalya byabyu n’eby’eka ya Noa n’eribithonda ndeke, n’erithuthulira ebindu by’omo bwathu. Mukali wa Noa na balyana biwe, bangabya imubatsomana kutsibu erisugha aha bakend’ikalha omo bwathu.

21, 22. (a) Habwaki isikya thuswekaya abandu erithendi hulikirira Noa? (b) Abandu erisiningulira Noa n’eka yiwe mulyahwa kiroki?

²¹ Kandi abandi bandu? Erihika n’okwa ndambi eyo isibatsomene, nomubanabya ibanemulhangira ngoku Yehova anemutsumulha ebya Noa akakolha. Mubalhangira ngoku ebisoro bikakumukalira omo bwathu. Erithendi tsomana eri isiryathuswekaya. Abandu ba munabwire nabu ku bane bathya. Sibatsomene, nibya ibane mulhangira ebindu bingyi ebikakanganaya ngoku thuli omwa biro by’erighunzerera. Kandi ngoku omukwenda Petero alhaghulha, abasininguli babiri siningulira n’erisekerera abakakenga Nyamuhanga. (Soma 2 Petero 3:3-6.) Kuthya, abandu bangabya imubasiningulira Noa n’eka yiwe.

²² Erisiningulirwa eri mulyahwa kiroki? E Biblia yithi Noa abere abiringirya eka yiwe n’ebisoro omo bwathu, Yehova “mwamukingiramo.” Ababya bakasiningulha bamabya ibabya ibane hakuhi, ekyo imukyakumba amuno wabu kutse embulha imuyabahunia, kundi kwenene muyawira ighuma! Muyawa, yamawa, kandi yamawa​—amaghetse eribogha omwa kihugho kyosi, ngoku Yehova anabugha.​—Enz. 7:16-21.

23. (a) Thukaminya thuthi ngoku mukithatsemesya Yehova ababi bakakwa? (b) Habwaki ni ky’amenge erigherererya erikirirya lya Noa?

²³ Yehova mwana tsemera erikwa ly’ababi abo? Eyihi! (Eze. 33:11) Iyo nibya abya iniabiribaha obuthuku obukaghunza erileka enzira yabu nyibi banakolha ebihikire. Banganathokire ekyo? Ebya Noa akolha bikasubiraya ekyo. Kundi iyo erilendera haghuma na Yehova, erimwowa omwa byosi, mwakangania ngoku omulhamu abya athokekene. Omwa nzira eyi, omw’ikirirya liwe mwahira olhubanza okwa kihugho ekyo, kandi mwaleka obubi obw’omwa buthuku obo ibwalhangirika ndeke. Erikirirya liwe mulyaleka iyo n’eka yiwe ibalhama. Wamagherererya erikirirya lya Noa, nawu iwangana syayilhamya n’abawanzire. Nga Noa, wangana lendera na Yehova nga munywani wawu, imwabya banywani kera na kera!