AmaNani 23:1-30
23 Ngemva kwalokho uBhalamu wathi kuBhalakhi: “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa endaweni le+ njalo ungilungisele inkunzi eziyisikhombisa lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”
2 UBhalakhi wahle wenza khona kanye uBhalamu ayekutshilo njalo uBhalakhi loBhalamu banikela ngenkunzi lenqama e-alithareni ngalinye.+
3 UBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalakhi: “Sala lapha eduze komnikelo wakho wokutshiswa mina ngihambe, mhlawumbe uJehova uzathintana lami. Loba yini azayiveza ngizakutshela.” Ngakho wasesuka waya phezu koqaqa.
4 UNkulunkulu wasethintana laye+ njalo uBhalamu wathi kuye: “Ngifolise ama-alithare ayisikhombisa alandelana futhi nginikele inkunzi lenqama e-alithareni ngalinye.”
5 UJehova wafaka amazwi emlonyeni kaBhalamu,+ wasesithi: “Buyela kuBhalakhi uyemtshela amazwi lawo.”
6 Ngakho wabuyela, wasebona uBhalakhi leziphathamandla zakoMowabi bemi eduze komnikelo wakhe wokutshiswa.
7 Wasehaya inkondlo wathi:+
“UBhalakhi inkosi yakoMowabi ungibize ngise-Aramu,+Khonale ezintabeni zasempumalanga wathi:
‘Woza uzongiqalekisela uJakhobe.
Buya sibili uzochothoza u-Israyeli.+
8 Kambe ngingabaqalekisa njani labo uNkulunkulu angabaqalekisanga?
Ngingabachothoza njani labo uJehova angazange abachothoze?+
9 Ngibabona ngiphezu kwamadwala,Ngibabona ngiphezu kwamaqaqa.
Bayisizwe esihlezi sodwa khonale,+Bazehlukanise lezinye izizwe.+
10 Ngubani ongalubala uthuli lukaJakhobe+
Kumbe ongayibala ingxenye yesine ka-Israyeli?
Yekela ngizifele njengabantu abaqotho,Isiphetho sami sibe njengesabo.”
11 UBhalakhi wasesithi kuBhalamu: “Kanti ungenzani? Ngikulethe lapha ukuthi uzoqalekisa abantu abayizitha zami kodwa akulalutho olwenzileyo ngaphandle kokubabusisa.”+
12 Yena wamphendula wathi: “Akumelanga ngikhulume lokho uJehova akufaka emlonyeni wami yini?”+
13 UBhalakhi wasesithi kuye: “Ngicela siye kwenye indawo lapho ozababona khona. Awusoze ubabone bonke kodwa uzabona ingxenye yabo kuphela, ungiqalekisele bona usendaweni leyo.”+
14 Ngakho wahamba laye egangeni leZofimu, esiqongweni sePhisiga+ njalo wakha ama-alithare ayisikhombisa, wasenikela ngenkunzi lenqama e-alithareni ngalinye.+
15 UBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalakhi: “Sala lapha eduze komnikelo wakho wokutshiswa mina ngisaya ngale ukuze ngiyekhuluma loNkulunkulu.”
16 UJehova wasethintana loBhalamu njalo wafaka amazwi emlonyeni wakhe,+ wathi: “Buyela kuBhalakhi uyemtshela amazwi lawo.”
17 Ngakho wabuyela kuye wamthola elokhu emlindele eseduze komnikelo wakhe wokutshiswa, eleziphathamandla zakoMowabi. UBhalakhi wambuza wathi: “Utheni uJehova?”
18 UBhalamu wasehaya inkondlo wathi:+
“Bhalakhi, sukuma ulalele.
Zwana engikutshoyo wena ndodana kaZiphori.
19 UNkulunkulu kasimuntu ukuthi angaqamba amanga,+Loba indodana yomuntu etshintsha ingqondo yayo.*+
Kambe angakhuluma ulutho angalwenzi yini?
Angakhuluma abeseyekela ukwenza akukhulumileyo yini?+
20 Bengibizelwe ukuthi ngizobusisa,Khathesi uNkulunkulu usebusisile+ njalo angingeke ngikutshintshe lokho.+
21 Ngeke avume ukuthi uJakhobe athakathwe,Kasoze avume ukuthi u-Israyeli ehliselwe uhlupho.
UJehova uNkulunkulu wabo ulabo,+Kumenyezelwa ukuthi uyinkosi phakathi kwabo.
22 UNkulunkulu uyabakhipha eGibhithe.+
Unjengempondo zenkunzi yeganga kubo.+
23 Akulamaphoso angalimaza uJakhobe,+Akulakuhlahlula okungamelana lo-Israyeli.+
Khathesi kungakhulunywa ngoJakhobe lo-Israyeli kuthiwe:
‘Khangela ubone osekwenziwe nguNkulunkulu!’
24 Nansi isizwe esizavuka njengesilwane,Sizaphakama njengesilwane,+
Asisoze silale phansi size sidle esikubambileyo
Sixhaphe legazi lababuleweyo.”
25 Ngemva kwalokho uBhalakhi wathi kuBhalamu: “Nxa kusehlula ukuthi uqalekise abantu laba, kungcono ungababusisi.”
26 UBhalamu wasemphendula wathi: “Angitshongo yini ukuthi ngizakwenza konke uJehova akutshoyo?”+
27 UBhalakhi wasesithi kuBhalamu: “Ngicela siye kwenye indawo futhi. Mhlawumbe kungaba kuhle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona ukuleyondawo.”+
28 Ngakho uBhalakhi wathatha uBhalamu waya laye esiqongweni sePheyori esikhangelane leJeshimoni.*+
29 UBhalamu wasesithi kuBhalakhi: “Ngakhela ama-alithare ayisikhombisa endaweni le, ungilungisele lenkunzi eziyisikhombisa lenqama eziyisikhombisa.”+
30 Ngakho uBhalakhi wenza khona kanye uBhalamu ayekutshilo futhi wanikela ngenkunzi eyodwa lenqama eyodwa e-alithareni ngalinye.
