1, 2. Kungani udinga imephu kumbe umuntu ongahamba lawe nxa usendaweni ongayijayelanga? Kuyini uJehova asinike khona ukuze kusiqondise?

AKE uzibone ngelihlo lengqondo udabula phakathi kwenkangala. Yonke indawo ikhanya ifanana futhi ucina ungasaboni ukuthi uvela ngaphi lokuthi uyangaphi. Kodwa kuyini okungakusiza ukuthi ungalahleki endaweni enjalo? Ungasebenzisa imephu kumbe uncedwe ngumuntu oyazi kuhle indawo leyo.  Lokhu kuqakathekile ngoba kungasindisa ukuphila kwakho.

² Sonke sihlangana lezinhlupho ekuphileni futhi kwezinye izikhathi singaswela lokuthi sibambe ngaphi. UJehova usinike umzwangedwa ukuze usiqondise ezimeni ezinjalo. (UJakhobe 1:17) Ake sihlole ukuthi uyini umzwangedwa lokuthi usebenza njani. Sizafunda ngokuqeqetsha umzwangedwa, ukuba lendaba lemizwangedwa yabanye lokuthi umzwangedwa ohlanzekileyo ungasinceda njani empilweni.

3. Uyini umzwangedwa?

³ Umzwangedwa uyisipho esihle esisinikwe nguJehova. Usinceda sazi okuqondileyo lokungaqondanga. EBhayibhilini, ibala lesiGrikhi elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “umzwangedwa” litsho “ukuzazi wena ngokwakho.” Nxa umzwangedwa wethu usebenza kuhle, uzasinceda sihlole imicabango kanye lemizwa yethu. Ungasinceda senze okuhle futhi sixwaye okubi. Ungasenza sithokoze nxa senze isinqumo esihle kumbe sizisole nxa senze esibi.​—Khangela Amabala Asekucineni 5.

4, 5. (a) Kwenzakalani ku-Adamu lo-Eva baze bakhethe ukungalaleli imizwangedwa yabo? (b) Yiziphi ezinye izibonelo eziseBhayibhilini ezitshengisa indlela umzwangedwa osebenza ngayo?

4 Sonke siyazikhethela ukuthi siyafuna yini ukulalela umzwangedwa loba hatshi. U-Adamu lo-Eva benza isono ngoba kabayilalelanga imizwangedwa  yabo. Bazisola sebonile kodwa kwakungasancedi. Basebephule umthetho kaNkulunkulu. (UGenesisi 3:7, 8) Kabazange bayilalele imizwangedwa yabo lanxa babesazi ukuthi kwakukubi ukwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu.

⁵ Kodwa abantu abanengi basendulo bayilalela imizwangedwa yabo lanxa babelesono. UJobe ngomunye wabo, wathi: “Umzwangedwa wami kawuyikungihlupha empilweni yami.” (UJobe 27:6) Kodwa uDavida kwezinye izikhathi wayengawulaleli umzwangedwa wakhe futhi lokhu kwenza wonela uJehova. Ngemva kwalokho “wakhathazeka” kakhulu. (1 USamuyeli 24:5) Umzwangedwa wakhe yiwo owawumtshela ukuthi ayekwenzile kwakungaqondanga. Nxa wayengawulalela wayengasoze enze iphutha elifananayo.

6. Kungani sisithi wonke umuntu ulomzwangedwa?

⁶ Abantu abangamaziyo uJehova bayenelisa ukwazi ukuthi kuyini okuqondileyo lokungaqondanga. IBhayibhili lithi: “Imicabango yabo iyabasola iphinde ibavikele.” (KwabaseRoma 2:14, 15) Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abanengi bayakwazi ukuthi ukubulala lokuntshontsha kubi. Bayabe belalela imizwangedwa yabo futhi belandela izimiso zikaNkulunkulu lanxa bona bayabe bengakwazi.

7. Kuyini okungenza ukuthi umzwangedwa usitshele okungayisikho kwezinye izikhathi?

⁷ Kodwa kwezinye izikhathi umzwangedwa ungasitshela okungayisikho. Ngokwesibonelo ungabe usulinyazwe yimicabango emibi futhi ungenza  senze okungaqondanga. Yikho kumele siwuqeqetshe. Umzwangedwa omuhle yiwo owanceda uJosefa ukuthi angaweli esilingweni. (UGenesisi 39:1, 2, 7-12) UJehova usinika umoya ongcwele kanye lezimiso zeBhayibhili ukuze asincede siqeqetshe imizwangedwa yethu. (KwabaseRoma 9:1) Asihloleni ukuthi singayiqeqetsha njani imizwangedwa yethu.

8. (a) Inhliziyo yethu ingasikhohlisa njani? (b) Kuyini okumele sizibuze khona singakenzi loba yini?

⁸ Abanye abantu bacabanga ukuthi ukulalela umzwangedwa kutsho ukuphongulandela imizwa yabo. Bacabanga ukuthi bangenza loba yini efunwa zinhliziyo zabo. Kodwa inhliziyo ingenza senze okungaqondanga. IBhayibhili lithi: “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa okudlula izinto zonke njalo imbi kakhulu. Ngubani ongayizwisisa na?” (UJeremiya 17:9) Yikho singaqalisa ukucabanga ukuthi into ethile iqondile yona ingaqondanga. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPhawuli engakabi ngumKhristu wayehlukuluza kakhulu abantu bakaNkulunkulu ecabanga ukuthi ayekwenza kwakuqondile. Wayezitshela ukuthi ulomzwangedwa omuhle. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wathi: “INkosi yiyo engahlulelayo.” (1 KwabaseKhorinte 4:4; ImiSebenzi 23:1; 2 KuThimothi 1:3) Yikho lapho esizwa ukuthi uJehova wayekuzonda ayekwenza wananzelela ukuthi kwakumele antshintshe. Kuyacaca ukuthi singakenzi loba yini kumele sizibuze ukuthi, ‘Kuyini uJehova afuna ngikwenze?’

9. Kutshoni ukwesaba uNkulunkulu?

 ⁹ Sonke asifuni kudanisa abantu esibathandayo. Siyamthanda uJehova yikho asifuni ukumdanisa. Kumele sibe njengoNehemiya owala ukusebenzisa isikhundla sakhe ukuze anothe ngenxa yokuthi ‘wayemesaba uNkulunkulu.’ (UNehemiya 5:15) Ukwesaba lokhu kutsho ukuthi wayengafuni ukwenza loba yini eyayizadanisa uJehova. Lathi kasifuni ukwenza okungaqondanga ngoba siyesaba ukudanisa uJehova. Nxa singabala iBhayibhili sizakwazi lokho okumthokozisayo.​—Khangela Amabala Asekucineni 6.

10, 11. Yiziphi izimiso zeBhayibhili ezingasinceda ukuthi sikhethe kuhle endabeni yotshwala?

¹⁰ Ngokwesibonelo, umKhristu angakhetha ukuthi uzanatha utshwala yini loba hatshi. Yiziphi izimiso ezingamnceda ukuthi enze isinqumo esihle? Nanzi ezinye: IBhayibhili kalibayalisi abantu ukunatha utshwala. Lisitshela lokuthi iwayini liyisipho esisinikwe nguNkulunkulu. (IHubo 104:14, 15) Kodwa uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe ukuthi ‘bangadakwa.’ (ULukha 21:34) UPhawuli watshela amaKhristu ukuthi axwaye ‘amadili okuminza lokudakwa.’ (KwabaseRoma 13:13) Wathi izidakwa ‘kaziyikudla ilifa loMbuso kaNkulunkulu.’​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:9, 10.

¹¹ UmKhristu angazibuza ukuthi: ‘Ngibuthanda kangakanani utshwala? Kumele nginathe yini ukuze ngizwe ngcono? Kumele nginathe yini ukuze ngikhiphe inhloni? Ngiyenelisa yini ukuzibamba  ukuze nginganathi utshwala obunengi? * Ngiyenelisa yini ukuzikholisela labangane bami lanxa kungelatshwala?’ Singacela uJehova ukuthi asisize sizihlole. (Bala iHubo 139:23, 24.) Nxa singenza njalo siyabe siqeqetsha umzwangedwa wethu ukuthi uhambisane lezimiso zeBhayibhili. Ake sihlole okunye.

12, 13. Kuyini okungenza imizwangedwa itshiyane? Yiphi imibuzo okumele sizibuze yona?

¹² Imizwangedwa yabantu ayifanani. Ngokwesibonelo, ungakhetha ukunatha utshwala kodwa omunye akhethe ukungabunathi. Kuyini okwenza abantu bakhethe ngendlela etshiyeneyo?

¹³ Kulezinto ezenza imizwangedwa yabantu itshiyane. Izinto lezi zigoqela lapho umuntu akhulela khona, okwake kwenzakala ekuphileni kwakhe lokunye nje okunengi. Omunye umuntu angakhetha ukungabunathi utshwala ngenxa yokuthi wake waba lohlupho lokudakwa. (1 AmaKhosi 8:38, 39) Uzakwenzani nxa unganika umuntu utshwala kodwa ale? Uzacaphuka yini? Uzambamba ngenkani yini? Uzaphikelela yini ulokhu umbuza ukuthi kungani esala? Iqiniso yikuthi ngeke wenze njalo nxa uwuhlonipha umzwangedwa wakhe.

14, 15. Yisiphi isimo esasikhona ngesikhathi sikaPhawuli? UPhawuli wasinika siphi iseluleko?

 ¹⁴ Ngesikhathi somphostoli uPhawuli kwaba lesimo esatshengisa ukuthi abantu balemizwangedwa etshiyeneyo. Abanye abantu emakethe babethengisa inyama eyayiqale yasetshenziswa ekukhonzeni kwamanga. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 10:25) UPhawuli wayebona kungakubi ukudla inyama le ngoba wayekholwa ukuthi konke ukudla kuvela kuJehova. Kodwa abanye abazalwane ababeke bakhonza izithombe babekubona kukubi ukudla inyama enjalo. UPhawuli kazange athi: ‘Phela ngilelungelo lokudla engikufunayo futhi umzwangedwa wami uyangivumela ukuthi ngidle inyama le.’

¹⁵ UPhawuli wayeyiqakathekisa imizwa yabafowabo yikho wayezimisele ukuthi adele ilungelo lakhe. Wathi akumelanga “sizithokozise.” Waphinda wathi: “Ngoba loKhristu kazithokozisanga.” (KwabaseRoma 15:1, 3) UPhawuli walingisela uJesu ngokuqakathekisa okufunwa ngabanye kulokufunwa nguye.​—Bala u-1 Khorinte 8:13; 10:23, 24, 31-33.

16. Kungani kungamelanga sahlulele omunye umuntu ngalokho umzwangedwa wakhe omvumela ukuthi akwenze?

¹⁶ Kodwa kumele senzeni nxa umzwangedwa womunye umuntu umvumela ukuthi enze into esiyibona ingaqondanga? Akumelanga simeyise kumbe simtshele ukuthi akwenzayo akuqondanga. (Bala uRoma 14:10.) UJehova wasinika umzwangedwa ukuze sizahlulele hatshi ukuthi sahlulele abanye. (UMathewu 7:1) Sifuna ukuthi izinqumo zethu zenze  kube lokumanyana ebandleni kulokuthi zidale ukwahlukana.​—KwabaseRoma 14:19.

17. Kuyini okwenzakalayo nxa umuntu angaqhubeka esenza okubi?

¹⁷ Umphostoli uPhetro wathi: “Hlalani lilomzwangedwa omuhle.” (1 UPhetro 3:16, NW) Kuyadanisa ukuthi abantu abanengi lamuhla abazilandeli izimiso zikaJehova futhi kucina kungasathi thiki nxa besenza okubi. UPhawuli wathi imizwangedwa enjalo ‘yahaqazwa ngensimbi etshisayo.’ (1 KuThimothi 4:2) Sowake wananzelela  yini ukuthi umuntu ojayele ukubamba imbiza ezitshisayo ucina engasabuzwa ubuhlungu? Kuyafanana lomuntu ojayele ukwenza izinto ezimbi, umzwangedwa wakhe ‘uyahaqazeka’ futhi ucine ungasasebenzi.

18, 19. (a) Ukuzisola kusinceda ngani? (b) Kuyini okungasisiza nxa silokhu sizisola ngesakwenza kudala?

¹⁸ Nxa uzisola, umzwangedwa wakho uyabe ukutshela ukuthi lokho okwenzileyo kubi. Ukuzisola kwenza ubone ububi obenzileyo futhi untshintshe. Sifuna ukufunda emaphutheni ethu ukuze singaphindi siwenze. Ngokwesibonelo, umzwangedwa wenza uDavida wabubona ububi ayebenzile futhi wazimisela ukuthi alalele uJehova esikhathini esilandelayo.  UDavida wazibonela ukuthi uJehova “uyathethelela njalo ulungile.”​—IHubo 51:1-19; 86:5; khangela Amabala Asekucineni 7.

¹⁹ Kwesinye isikhathi umuntu angazisola ngobubi abenza kudala lanxa waphenduka. Ukuzisola kubuhlungu njalo kungenza umuntu azeyise. Nxa kuyikuthi uyake uzwe njalo, khumbula ukuthi ngeke ukuntshintshe okwenzakala kudala. UJehova wakuthethelela futhi wasesula isono sakho kungelani lokuthi wawukwazi kumbe wawungakwazi ukuthi okwenzayo kubi. Okuqakathekileyo yikuthi khathesi wenza okuhle futhi usuhlanzekile emehlweni kaJehova. Lanxa inhliziyo yakho ingabe ilokhu ikuthonisisa khumbula ukuthi iBhayibhili  lithi: “UNkulunkulu mkhulu kakhulu kulezinhliziyo zethu.” (Bala u-1 Johane 3:19, 20.) Lokhu kutsho ukuthi uJehova ulothando njalo uyathethelela kungelani lokuthi isono osenzileyo sikhulu kangakanani. Ukwazi ukuthi uJehova usekuthethelele kwenza uhlaliseke futhi ukukholise ukumkhonza.​—1 KwabaseKhorinte 6:11; KumaHebheru 10:22.

20, 21. (a) Ibhuku leli lizakusiza njani? (b) UJehova usinike inkululeko yokwenzani? Kumele siyisebenzise njani?

²⁰ Ibhuku leli lizakusiza ukuthi uqeqetshe umzwangedwa wakho ukuze ukuxwayise ukuthi ungenzi izinto ezimbi. Lizakunceda lokuthi usebenzise izimiso zeBhayibhili ekuphileni kwakho, kodwa alisoze likunike imithetho kuzo zonke izimo ohlangana lazo ekuphileni. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi siphila ‘ngomthetho kaKhristu’ osekwelwe ezimisweni zikaNkulunkulu. (KwabaseGalathiya 6:2) IBhayibhili alisiniki imithetho yokulandela kuzo zonke izimo, kodwa lokhu akumelanga sikusebenzise njengemvumo yokwenza okubi. (2 KwabaseKhorinte 4:1, 2; KumaHebheru 4:13; 1 UPhetro 2:16) Kumele sisebenzise inkululeko yokuzikhethela ukuthi silalele uJehova.

²¹ Nxa sicabangisisa ngezimiso zeBhayibhili futhi sizisebenzisa siyabe ‘sizifundisa’ ukucabanga njengoJehova. (KumaHebheru 5:14) Nxa singenza njalo sizahlala silomzwangedwa omuhle futhi sizigcine sisethandweni lukaNkulunkulu.