1-3. (a) USolomoni wayitshengisa njani inhlakanipho enkulu endleleni alungisa ngayo udaba olwaluphathelane lokuthi ngubani awayengunina womntwana? (b) UJehova uthembisa ukusinikani, futhi yiphi imibuzo ebakhona?

KWAKUYINDABA enzima, abesifazana ababili babephikisana ngomntwana. Abesifazana laba babehlala bonke futhi bonke babebelethe abantwana abangabafana ababetshiyene ngamalanga nje. Omunye wabantwana labo wasesifa, ngakho abesifazana laba baqalisa ukubangisana ophilayo. * Kwakungela omunye umuntu owayebonile okwakwenzakele. Kungenzakala ukuthi indaba le yayike yahanjiswa emthethwandaba kodwa yehlula. Ekucineni, indaba le yahanjiswa kuSolomoni, inkosi yako-Israyeli. Wayezenelisa yini ukuvumbulula iqiniso ngendaba leyo?

² Ngemva kokulalela abesifazana laba bephikisana, uSolomoni wathi kakulethwe inkemba. Ngemva kwalokho, wathi umntwana lo ophilayo kaqunywe phakathi ukuze owesifazana ngamunye athole ingxenye. Ngenxa yokuthi umntwana lo wayeligugu kuye, unina womntwana ophilayo wacela enkosini ukuthi umntwana aphiwe unina womntwana ofileyo. Kodwa unina womntwana ofileyo wayelokhu esithi umntwana ophilayo kaqunywe phakathi. Khathesi uSolomoni wayeselazi iqiniso. Wayekwazi ukuthi umama ulozwelo ngomntanakhe amzalayo, futhi wasebenzisa ulwazi lolo ukuthi alungise udaba lolo.  Cabanga ukuthi unina womntwana wathaba njani lapho uSolomoni emupha umntwana futhi esithi: “Nguye unina uqobo.”​—1 AmaKhosi 3:16-27.

³ Lokho kwakuyinhlakanipho enkulu kakhulu! Lapho abantu besizwa ukuthi uSolomoni wayeyilungise njani indaba leyo, bamangala kakhulu, ‘ngoba babona ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kwakhe kwakuvela kuNkulunkulu.’ Inhlakanipho kaSolomoni yayiyisipho esasivela kuNkulunkulu. UJehova wayemnike “inhliziyo yenhlakanipho kanye lobubelo.” (1 AmaKhosi 3:12, 28) Kodwa thina-ke? Singayithola yini inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu? Singayithola ngoba uSolomoni waphefumulelwa ukuthi abhale athi: “UJehova uyapha ukuhlakanipha.” (IZaga 2:6) UJehova uthembisa ukupha inhlakanipho kulabo abamdinga ngobuqotho, okutsho ukuthi ubanika ikhono lokusebenzisa kuhle ulwazi, ukuzwisisa, kanye lokuqedisisa. Singakuthola njani ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu? Singakusebenzisa njani ekuphileni kwethu?

4-7. Yiziphi izinto ezine okumele sizenze ukuze sizuze inhlakanipho?

⁴ Kumele sibe ngabakhaliphe kakhulu kumbe abafunde kakhulu yini ukuze sithole ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu? Hatshi. UJehova uzimisele ukusipha inhlakanipho yakhe kungelani lokuthi sakhula njani lokuthi sifundile yini. (1 KwabaseKhorinte 1:26-29) Kodwa kumele senze okuthile, ngoba iBhayibhili lisikhuthaza ukuthi ‘sizuze ukuhlakanipha.’ (IZaga 4:7) Singakwenza njani lokho?

⁵ Okokuqala yikuthi kumele sesabe uNkulunkulu. IZaga 9:10, zithi: “Ukumesaba uJehova kuyikuqala kwenhlakanipho [“inyathelo lokuqala lokuba lenhlakanipho,” The New English Bible]. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kuyisisekelo sokuhlakanipha kweqiniso. Ngenxa yani? Khumbula ukuthi ukuhlakanipha kugoqela ukwenelisa ukusebenzisa kuhle ulwazi. Ukwesaba uNkulunkulu kutsho ukumhlonipha lokumethemba hatshi ukutshaywa luvalo phambi kwakhe. Ukwesaba okunjalo kuyakha futhi kuyakhuthaza kakhulu. Kusenza siphile ngokuvumelana lolwazi esilalo mayelana lentando yakhe langezindlela zakhe. Ayikho enye  indlela esingayilandela etshengisa inhlakanipho ngoba ngazo zonke izikhathi izimiso zikaJehova zibanceda kakhulu labo abazilandelayo.

⁶ Okwesibili yikuthi kumele sithobeke. Inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kayingeke ibe khona kungelakuthobeka. (IZaga 11:2) Kungani kunjalo? Nxa sithobekile siyabe sizimisele ukuvuma ukuthi kasazi konke, ukuthi imibono yethu kayihlali iqondile lokuthi sidinga ukwazi indlela uJehova acabanga ngayo. UJehova “umelana labazigqajayo,” kodwa uyathokoza ukubanika inhlakanipho labo abathobekileyo enhliziyweni.​—UJakhobe 4:6.

⁷ Okwesithathu okuqakathekileyo yikufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu elibhaliweyo. Inhlakanipho kaJehova ivezwe eLizwini lakhe. Kumele sizame ukujula kulo nxa sifuna ukuthola inhlakanipho. (IZaga 2:1-5) Okwesine okumele sikwenze yikuthandaza. Nxa singacela inhlakanipho kaNkulunkulu ngobuqotho, uzasinika ngesihle. (UJakhobe 1:5) Kasoze ayekele ukuphendula imithandazo yethu yokucela ukuncedwa ngumoya wakhe. Umoya wakhe uzasenza senelise ukuthola amagugu aseLizwini lakhe angasinceda ukuthi silwisane lezinhlupho, sibalekele izingozi, futhi senze izinqumo ezitshengisa inhlakanipho.​—ULukha 11:13.

8. Nxa siyizuze ngeqiniso inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu, kuzakhanya njani?

⁸ Inhlakanipho kaJehova iyakhanya ezenzweni njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 17. Ngakho nxa singazuza ngeqiniso inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu, kuzakhanya endleleni esiziphatha ngayo. Umfundi uJakhobe wachaza izithelo zenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu lapho ebhala ukuthi: “Ukuhlakanipha okuvela ezulwini okokuqala kuhlambulukile; besekuthanda ukuthula, kulozwelo [kuyazwisisa, NW ], kuyazehlisa [kuzimisele ukulalela, NW ], kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle, kakukhethi njalo kuqotho [kakuzenzisi, NW ].” (UJakhobe 3:17) Njengoba siqhubeka sifunda ngezimpawu lezi zenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu, singazibuza ukuthi, ‘Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu kuyasebenza yini empilweni yami?’

9. Kutshoni ukuba ngohlambulukileyo, futhi kungani kufanele ukuthi ukuhlambuluka kube yilo uphawu lwenhlakanipho oluqanjwa kuqala?

⁹ “Okokuqala kuhlambulukile.” Ukuhlambuluka kutsho ukuba msulwa lokungangcoli phandle laphakathi. IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi inhlakanipho lenhliziyo kusebenza konke, kodwa inhlakanipho yasezulwini kayingeke ingene enhliziyweni engcoliswe yimicabango emibi, izifiso ezimbi kanye lezinjongo ezimbi. (IZaga 2:10; UMathewu 15:19, 20) Kodwa nxa izinhliziyo zethu zihlambulukile ngezinga eleneliswa ngabantu abalesono, ‘sizaphenduka ebubini senze ukulunga.’ (IHubo 37:27; IZaga 3:7) Kakufanelanga yini ukuthi ukuhlambuluka kube yilo uphawu lwenhlakanipho oluqanjwa kuqala? Phela nxa singahlanzekanga ekuziphatheni lasezindabeni zokukhonza, singazitshengisa njani ezinye izimpawu zenhlakanipho evela phezulu?

10, 11. (a) Kungani kuqakathekile ukwenza ukuthula? (b) Ungatshengisa njani ukuthi uyakuthanda ukuthula nxa ubona angani ucaphule okhonza laye? (Khangela amabala angaphansi.)

¹⁰ “Besekuthanda ukuthula.” Inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu isenza sidinge ukuthula, futhi ukuthula yisithelo somoya kaNkulunkulu. (KwabaseGalathiya 5:22) Siyazama ukungaphambanisi ‘isibopho sokuthula’ esimanyanisa abantu bakaJehova. (Kwabase-Efesu 4:3) Siyazama lokuthi kube lokuthula nxa ukuthula kuphambanisekile. Kungani lokhu kuqakathekile? IBhayibhili lithi: ‘Hlalani ngokuthula, uNkulunkulu wothando lokuthula uzakuba lani.’ (2 KwabaseKhorinte 13:11) Ngakho uma nje siqhubeka siphila ngokuthula, uNkulunkulu wokuthula uzakuba lathi. Indlela esiphatha ngayo esikhonza labo ithinta bona kanye ubuhlobo bethu loJehova. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi singabantu abathanda ukuthula? Cabanga ngesibonelo esilandelayo.

¹¹ Kumele wenzeni ungabona angani ucaphule okhonza laye? UJesu wathi: “Ngakho-ke uma uletha umnikelo wakho e-alithareni ubusukhumbula ukuthi umfowenu ulesikhwili lawe, tshiya khonapho isipho sakho phambi kwe-alithare. Qala uyexolisana laye umfowenu anduba ubuye uzokupha umnikelo wakho.” (UMathewu 5:23, 24) Ungasebenzisa iseluleko leso ngokuthatha  inyathelo kuqala lokuya kumfowenu. Ulayiphi inhloso? Ukuze “uyexolisana” laye. * Ngenxa yalokho kungadingakala ukuthi uvume ukuthi wamzwisa ubuhlungu. Nxa ungaya kuye ulenhloso yokuyakwenza ukuthula futhi uhlale ulombono onjalo, kakuthandabuzwa ukuthi loba yikuphi ukungezwani okukhona kungaphela, kuxoliswane kuhle futhi kuthethelelwane. Nxa ungaqalisa wena ukwenza ukuthula, uyabe utshengisa ukuthi uqondiswa yinhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu.

12, 13. (a) Litshoni ibala elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuzwisisa” elikuJakhobe 3:17? (b) Singatshengisa njani ukuthi siyazwisisa?

¹² “Kuyazwisisa.” Kutshoni ukuzwisisa? Ngokwalokho okutshiwo  ngabahlola iBhayibhili, ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukuzwisisa” kuJakhobe 3:17 linzima ukulihumutsha. Abahumutshi basebenzisa amabala anjengokuthi “uzwelo,” “ukubekezela,” ‘lokukhathalela.’ Umutsho oyiwo webala leli lesiGiriki ngothi “ukuvuma ukuntshintsha.” Singatshengisa njani ukuthi ingxenye le yenhlakanipho evela phezulu iyasebenza kithi?

¹³ UFiliphi 4:5 uthi: ‘Akuthi ukubekezela kumbe ukuzwisisa kwenu kubonakale kubo bonke.’ Enye inguqulo yeBhayibhili ithi: “Yaziwa njengomuntu ozwisisayo.” (The New Testament in Modern English, eyabhalwa nguJ. B. Phillips) Nanzelela ukuthi kakusiyo ndaba yokuthi sizibona njani; kodwa yindaba yokuthi abanye basibona njani, kumbe ukuthi saziwa ngani. Umuntu ozwisisayo kawomeleli entweni ethize ebhalwe phansi kumbe embonweni wakhe. Kulokuthi enze njalo, uzimisele ukulalela abanye lokuntshintsha ahambelane lezifiso zabo nxa kufanele. Kaphathi abanye ngendlela elolunya kodwa ubaphatha ngozwelo. Lanxa kuqakathekile ukuthi wonke amaKhristu abe njalo, kuqakatheke ikakhulu kulabo abangabadala ebandleni. Uzwelo luyakhanga, lwenza abadala bangeneke. (1 KwabaseThesalonika 2:7, 8) Senza kuhle nxa sonke sizibuza ukuthi, ‘Ngaziwa njengomuntu ozwisisayo, olozwelo njalo ozimisele ukuntshintsha yini?’

14. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi ‘sizimisele ukulalela’?

¹⁴ “Kuzimisele ukulalela.” Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “kuzimisele ukulalela” kalitholakali eMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki. Ngokwalokho okwatshiwo ngomunye umhloli weBhayibhili, ibala leli “lijayele ukusebenza nxa kufundiswa amasotsha.” Lilomqondo “wokufundiseka lula” “lowokuzithoba.” Umuntu oqondiswa yinhlakanipho evela phezulu uyazithoba masinyane kulokho okutshiwo yiMibhalo. Kaziwa njengomuntu ophangisa ukwenza isinqumo abesesala ukuhambelana laloba yiphi imibono engahambelani laye. Kodwa uyaphangisa ukuntshintsha nxa etshengiswe iMibhalo ecacileyo emtshengisa ukuthi uthethe inyathelo elingayisilo kumbe ukuthi wenze izinqumo ezingaqondanga. Waziwa njalo yini ngabanye abantu?

15. Siyini isihawu, njalo kungani kuqondile ukuthi “isihawu” kanye “lezithelo ezinhle” kuqanjwe ndawonye kuJakhobe 3:17?

¹⁵ “Kugcwele isihawu lezithelo ezinhle.” * Isihawu siyingxenye eqakathekileyo yenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu, ngenxa yokuthi inhlakanipho enjalo ‘igcwele isihawu.’ Nanzelela ukuthi “isihawu” kanye “lezithelo ezinhle” kuqanjwe ndawonye. Lokhu kuqondile ngoba eBhayibhilini, isihawu sandise ukutsho ukuba lendaba labanye, uzwelo olwenza izenzo ezinengi zomusa. Elinye ibhuku lichasisa isihawu ngokuthi “umuzwa wokudana ngenxa yesimo esibi omunye umuntu akuso lokuzama ukwenza okuthile ngaso.” Ngakho inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kayilasihluku. Kulokuthi ibe njalo, ilomusa, lozwelo njalo ilendaba lemizwa yabanye. Singatshengisa njani ukuthi sigcwele isihawu?

16, 17. (a) Ngaphandle kokuthanda uNkulunkulu, kuyini okunye okusenza senze umsebenzi wokutshumayela, njalo kungani? (b) Yiziphi izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi sigcwele isihawu?

¹⁶ Kuliqiniso ukuthi indlela eqakathekileyo yokwenza njalo yikutshela abanye izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Kuyini okusenza senze umsebenzi lo? Isizathu esikhulu yikuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu. Esinye isizathu yikuthi siyabazwela futhi silesihawu ngabo. (UMathewu 22:37-39) Abanengi lamuhla ‘bahlukuluzekile baphelelwe, banjengezimvu ezingelamelusi.’ (UMathewu 9:36) Ezindabeni zokukhonza, balahliwe njalo bavalwe amehlo ngabakhokheli benkolo yamanga. Ngenxa yalokho kabakwazi ukuthi kulesiqondiso esilenhlakanipho esitholakala eLizwini likaNkulunkulu kumbe izibusiso ezizalethwa nguMbuso masinyane. Ngakho nxa sicabangisisa ngezidingo zabo zokukhonza, uzwelo lusenza sizame ngamandla wonke ukubatshela ngenjongo kaJehova etshengisa uthando.

¹⁷ Yiziphi ezinye izindlela esingatshengisa ngazo ukuthi  sigcwele isihawu? Khumbula umzekeliso kaJesu womSamariya owathola isihambi sithe daca eceleni komgwaqo, sintshontshelwe njalo sitshayiwe. Ngenxa yokuthi wayelozwelo, umSamariya lo ‘waba lesihawu,’ ngokubopha izilonda zesihambi lesi langokusinakekela. (ULukha 10:29-37) Lokhu kakutshengisi yini ukuthi isihawu sigoqela ukunceda abanye? IBhayibhili lisitshela ukuthi ‘senze okulungileyo ebantwini bonke, ikakhulu kulabo abangabemuli yabakholwayo.’ (KwabaseGalathiya 6:10) Cabanga ngokunye esingakwenza. Kungabe kulothile esikhonza laye odinga ukuhanjiswa emihlanganweni yamaKhristu lokubuyiselwa emzini wakhe. Umfelokazi osebandleni angadinga uncedo lokulungiselwa izinto ezithile emzini wakhe. (UJakhobe 1:27) Umuntu odanileyo angadinga “ilizwi elilomusa” ukuze limkhuthaze. (IZaga 12:25) Nxa sitshengisa isihawu ngezindlela ezinjalo, sinika ubufakazi bokuthi inhlakanipho evela phezulu iyasebenza kithi.

18. Nxa siqondiswa yikuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu, kumele sizimisele ukukhiphani ezinhliziyweni zethu, njalo kungani?

¹⁸ “Kakukhethi.” Ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu kakubandlululi ngemihlobo futhi kakuzigqaji ngobuzwe. Nxa siqondiswa yikuhlakanipha okunjalo, sizazama ukukhipha loba yikuphi ukubandlulula okungaba khona ezinhliziyweni zethu. (UJakhobe 2:9) Imfundo lemali umuntu alakho, kanye lomsebenzi awenzayo kakusenzi simphathe ngendlela etshiyene leyabanye; kasikhangeleli phansi esikhonza labo, kungelandaba ukuthi bangabayanga loba hatshi. Nxa uJehova ebone kufanele ukuthi abathande abantu abanjalo, kumele lathi sibabone njengabantu okumele sibathande.

19, 20. (a) Lavela ngaphi ibala lesiGiriki elahunyutshwa ngokuthi “kakuzenzisi”? (b) Sitshengisa njani ‘uthando oluqotho kumbe olungazenzisiyo kubazalwane bethu,’ njalo kungani lokhu kuqakathekile?

¹⁹ “Kakuzenzisi.” Ibala lesiGiriki elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “kakuzenzisi” lingatsho “umlingiswa owadlala indima ethile.” Ngezikhathi zakudala, abalingiswa besiGiriki labeRoma  babegqoka okokuzivala ubuso nxa bedlala izindima zabo. Ngakho ibala lesiGiriki elahunyutshwa ngokuthi “kakuzenzisi” lacina selisitsho umuntu ontshintsha lokho ayikho. Ingxenye le yenhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu kumele isenze sibathande abanye hatshi ukubaphatha kuhle kuphela.

²⁰ Umphostoli uPhetro wananzelela ukuthi nxa ‘silalela iqiniso’ kuba lempumela ‘yothando oluqotho kumbe olungazenzisiyo kubazalwane bethu.’ (1 UPhetro 1:22) Ukuthanda kwethu abafowethu kakumelanga kube ngokokubukisa. Kasikhohlisi abanye ngokufihla lokho esiyikho. Ukubathanda kwethu kumele kube qotho, kuvele enhliziyweni. Nxa singenza njalo sizakwenza ukuthi esikholwa labo basethembe ngoba bazakwazi ukuthi siyilokho ababona siyikho. Ubuqotho obunjalo benza kube lobudlelwano obuhle phakathi kwamaKhristu njalo bunceda lokuthi kube lokuthembana ebandleni.

21, 22. (a) USolomoni wehluleka njani ukugcina inhlakanipho? (b) Singayigcina njani inhlakanipho, njalo singancedakala njani ngokwenza njalo?

²¹ Inhlakanipho evela phezulu iyisipho esivela kuJehova okumele sisigcine kuhle. USolomoni wathi: “Ndodana yami, . . . gcina inhlakanipho esebenzayo kanye lekhono lokucabanga.” (IZaga 3:21, NW) Kuyadanisa ukuthi uSolomoni ngokwakhe wehluleka ukukwenza lokho. Ngesikhathi eseselenhliziyo elalelayo wayelenhlakanipho. Kodwa ekucineni, abafazi bakhe abanengi ababengabezinye izizwe baphendula inhliziyo yakhe ukuthi ingasakhonzi uJehova. (1 AmaKhosi 11:1-8) Impumela eyabakhona kuSolomoni itshengisa ukuthi ulwazi kalusincedi ngalutho nxa singalusebenzisi kuhle.

²² Singayigcina njani inhlakanipho esebenzayo? Kumele sibale iBhayibhili ngazo zonke izikhathi kanye lamabhuku aphathelane leBhayibhili esiwanikwa ‘yinceku ethembekileyo lehlakaniphileyo’ besesizimisela lokusebenzisa lokho esikufundayo. (UMathewu 24:45) Silezizathu ezinhle ezenza siyisebenzise inhlakanipho evela kuNkulunkulu. Singenza njalo sizakuba lempilo engcono kakhulu khathesi. Sizenelisa ‘lokubamba ukuphila okuqotho,’ okutsho ukuphila emhlabeni kaNkulunkulu omutsha. (1 KuThimothi 6:19) Okuqakatheke kakhulu, yikuthi ukuzama ukuba lenhlakanipho evela phezulu kwenza sisondele eduze lomthombo wenhlakanipho yonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu.