1, 2. (a) Kuyini okwenzakala empilweni kaJosefa okwatshengisa ukwahlulela okubi? (b) UJehova wakulungisa njani lokho kwahlulela okubi?

KWAKUYIKWAHLULELA okubi kakhulu. Ijaha leli elihle lalingonanga lutho, kodwa lazithola selivalelwe entolongweni liqanjelwe amanga kwathiwa belifuna ukubamba iganyavu. Kodwa lokhu kwakungayisikho kokuqala ukuthi ijaha leli libone ukwahlulelwa okubi. Ngesikhathi eleminyaka engu-17, uJosefa waphosa wabulawa ngabanewabo abacina bemthengisile ukuthi ayekuba yisigqili elizweni elikhatshana. Esekhonale, wala ukuya emacansini lenkosikazi yenkosi yakhe. Lokho kwenza owesifazana lowo wamangalela uJosefa ngecala lamanga, uJosefa wasefakwa entolongweni. Okudanisayo yikuthi kwakukhanya angani akulamuntu owayengalamulela uJosefa.

² Loba kunjalo, uNkulunkulu ‘othanda ukulunga lokwahlulela okuqondileyo’ wayekhangele. (IHubo 33:5) UJehova wakulungisisa ukwahlulela lokho okubi, wenza lokuthi uJosefa acine ekhululwa. Okwedlula lokho yikuthi uJosefa owayeke wafakwa “entolongweni” wabekwa esikhundleni esiphezulu waphiwa lodumo olukhulu. (UGenesisi 40:15; 41:41-43; IHubo 105:17, 18) Ekucineni, kwaba mgceke ukuthi uJosefa wayengelacala futhi wasebenzisa isikhundla leso esiphezulu ukuthi afeze injongo kaNkulunkulu.​—UGenesisi 45:5-8.

3. Kungani kungamangalisi ukuthi sonke sifuna ukuphathwa kuhle?

³ Indaba le ithinta izinhliziyo zethu! Ngubani phakathi kwethu ongakaze abone ukwahlulela okubi loba ongakaze ahlulelwe kubi yena ngokwakhe? Kuliqiniso ukuthi sonke sifisa ukuphathwa kuhle futhi kasifuni kubandlululwa. Lokhu akumangalisi ngoba uJehova wasinika izimpawu zobuntu bakhe, njalo ukwahlulela okuhle kungenye yezimpawu zakhe eziqakathekileyo.  (UGenesisi 1:27) Ukuze simazi kuhle uJehova, kufanele sizwisise indlela yena akubona ngayo ukwahlulela okuhle. Lokhu kuzasinceda ukuthi siqakathekise imisebenzi yakhe emangalisayo, futhi sifune lokusondela kuye.

4. Abantu bandise ukuzwisisa njani ukwahlulela okuhle?

⁴ Abantu bandise ukuzwisisa ukwahlulela okuhle njengokusetshenziswa kwemithetho ngendlela engelabandlululo. Ibhuku elithi Right and Reason​—Ethics in Theory and Practice lithi “ukwahlulela okuhle kulokwenza lomthetho, umlandu, amalungelo, lemisebenzi futhi kwahlulela ngokulinganayo loba ngokwalokho umuntu akwenzileyo.” Ngokungafanani lalokho, ukwahlulela okuhle kukaJehova akugoqeli kuphela ukubekwa lokulandelwa kwemithetho okwenzelwa nje ukugcwalisa umlandu.

5, 6. (a) Atshoni amabala olimi lwakuqala ahunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukwahlulela okuhle”? (b) Kutshoni ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle?

⁵ Ubukhulu kanye lokujula kokwahlulela kukaJehova okuhle singakuzwisisa ngcono ngokukhangelisisa amabala olimi olwasetshenziswa ukubhala iBhayibhili. EMibhalweni yesiHebheru, kulamabala amathathu asetshenzisiweyo. Ibala elandise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukwahlulela okuhle” lingahunyutshwa langokuthi “okufaneleyo.” (UGenesisi 18:25) Amanye amabili andise ukuhunyutshwa ngokuthi “ukulunga.” EMibhalweni yamaKhristu yesiGiriki, ibala elihunyutshwe ngokuthi “ukulunga” lichazwa njengelitsho “uphawu lokuba ngolungileyo kumbe owahlulela kuhle.” Yikho-ke, akulamehluko phakathi kokulunga lokwahlulela kuhle.​—U-Amosi 5:24.

⁶ Ngakho, nxa iBhayibhili lisithi uNkulunkulu wahlulela kuhle, lisitshengisa ukuthi wenza okufaneleyo futhi uhlala ekwenza lokhu engabandlululi. (KwabaseRoma 2:11) Iqiniso yikuthi akufiki ngitsho lakancane engqondweni yakhe ukuthi ahlulele kubi. U-Elihu owayethembekile wathi: “Kakungeni  engqondweni ukuthi uNkulunkulu angenza ububi, ukuthi uSomandla angakutshila ukwahlulela kuhle.” (UJobe 34:12) Ngeke kwenzakale ukuthi uJehova ‘atshile ukwahlulela kuhle.’ Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yezizathu ezimbili eziqakathekileyo.

7, 8. (a) Kungani uJehova engeke ahlulele kubi? (b) Kuyini okwenza uJehova abe ngolungileyo, kumbe owahlulela kuhle kukho konke akwenzayo?

⁷ Okokuqala yikuthi ungcwele. Njengoba sibonile eSahlukweni 3, uJehova kalasici njalo uqotho. Ngakho, ngeke enze ukungalungi loba ahlulele kubi. Cabanga ukuthi lokhu kutshoni. Ubungcwele bukaBaba wethu osezulwini busiqinisekisa ukuthi kasoze aphathe kubi abantwana bakhe loba sekutheni. UJesu wayengakuthandabuzi lokhu. Ngelanga lakhe lokucina esemhlabeni, wakhuleka wathi: “Baba Ongcwele, bavikele [abafundi] ngamandla ebizo lakho.” (UJohane 17:11) Amazwi aseMibhalweni athi “Baba Ongcwele” asetshenziswa nxa kukhulunywa ngoJehova kuphela. Lokhu kufanele, ngenxa yokuthi akula omunye ubaba ongcwele njengoJehova. UJesu wayekholwa ngokupheleleyo ukuthi abafundi bakhe babezakuba phakathi komhlane lembeleko begcinwe nguBaba ongcwele njalo ongelasici, ongoniyo ngitsho lakancane.​—UMathewu 23:9.

⁸ Okwesibili yikuthi uthando yilo olutshengisa lokho kanye uNkulunkulu ayikho. Uthando olunjalo lumenza abe ngolungileyo endleleni aphatha ngayo abanye. Kodwa ukwahlulela kubi kwandise ukudalwa yibuhwaba, lokungabi lendaba labanye futhi lokhu akuhambisani lothando. Ukwahlulela kubi okunjalo kubonakala ngenkethabetshabe langokubandlulula. Likhuluma ngoNkulunkulu wothando, iBhayibhili lisenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi: “UJehova ulungile, uthanda ukwahlulela okuhle.” (IHubo 11:7) UJehova uthi: “Mina, uJehova,  ngithanda ukwahlulela kuhle.” (U-Isaya 61:8) Kakusithokozisi yini ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyakuthanda ukwenza okufaneleyo, kumbe ukwahlulela kuhle?​—UJeremiya 9:24.

9-11. (a) Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kanye lesihawu sakhe kuhambelana njani? (b) Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kanye lesihawu sakhe kukhanya njani kulokho akwenzela abantu abalesono?

⁹ Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kuphelele, kakusileli, njengoba nje kunjalo ngezinye izimpawu zobuntu bakhe. Edumisa uJehova, uMosi wathi: “UliDwala, imisebenzi yakhe iphelele, futhi zonke izindlela zakhe ziyikwahlulela okuhle. UNkulunkulu othembekileyo ongenzi okubi, ulungile njalo uqotho yena.” (UDutheronomi 32:3, 4, NW) UJehova utshengisa ukwahlulela kuhle ngendlela engelasici. Kayekeleli, futhi kakhahlamezi.

¹⁰ Isihawu sikaJehova kanye lokwahlulela kuhle kwakhe kuyahambelana kakhulu. IHubo 116:5 lithi: “UJehova ulomusa njalo ulungile [“wahlulela kuhle,” The New American Bible]; uNkulunkulu wethu ulesihawu.” UJehova ulungile futhi ulomusa. Izimpawu lezi ezimbili kaziphikisani. Ukutshengisa kwakhe umusa kakutsho ukuthi uyaxegisa ekwahluleleni kwakhe okuhle, njengokungathi ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle kulesihluku. Kulokuthi kube njalo, izimpawu lezi ezimbili uzitshengisa ngesikhathi esifananayo, futhi esenzweni esifananayo. Cabanga ngesibonelo esilandelayo.

¹¹ Bonke abantu bazalwa belesono futhi kufanele bathole umvuzo wesono, oyikufa. (KwabaseRoma 5:12) Kodwa uJehova kathandi ukuthi izoni zife. “UnguNkulunkulu oxolelayo, olomusa lesihawu.” (UNehemiya 9:17) Lanxa kunjalo, kangeke akuxolele ukungalungi ngenxa yokuthi ungcwele. Kodwa angabatshengisa njani isihawu abantu abazalwa belesono? Impendulo itholakala eqinisweni eliqakatheke kakhulu eliseLizwini likaNkulunkulu: Inhlawulo uJehova ayipha abantu ukuze basindiswe. ESahlukweni 14, sizafunda okunengi  ngohlelo lolu olutshengisa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyasithanda. Uhlelo lolu lutshengisa ukwahlulela okuhle okupheleleyo kanye lesihawu esikhulu. Esebenzisa inhlawulo, uJehova angatshengisa isihawu ebantwini abayizoni abaphendukayo kodwa ngesikhathi esifananayo egcina izimiso zakhe ezipheleleyo zokwahlulela okuhle.​—KwabaseRoma 3:21-26.

12, 13. (a) Kungani ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kusenza sisondele kuye? (b) UDavida waphetha ngani ngokuphathelane lokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova, futhi lokhu kungasiduduza njani?

¹² Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova, kakusilo phawu olumenza singamthandi kodwa luphawu olusenza sisondele kuye. IBhayibhili litshengisa ngokucacileyo ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova, kumbe ukulunga kwakhe kulozwelo. Kasixoxeni ngezinye izindlela eziduduzayo uJehova asebenzisa ngazo ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle.

¹³ Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kumenza ukuthi atshengise ukuthembeka kanye lobuqotho ezincekwini zakhe. Umhubi uDavida wayibona ingxenye le yokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kulokho okwenzakala ekuphileni kwakhe. UDavida waphetha ngani ngalokho okwenzakala ekuphileni kwakhe lasekufundeni kwakhe izindlela zikaNkulunkulu? Wathi: “UJehova uthanda ukwahlulela okuhle, njalo kayikubatshiya abathembekileyo bakhe. Bazavikelwa kuze kube nini lanini.” (IHubo 37:28, NW) Lokhu kuyaduduza kakhulu! UNkulunkulu wethu kasoze wabadela ngitsho lakancane labo abathembekileyo kuye. Ngakho singathembela ethandweni lwakhe olutshengisa ukuthi uyasikhathalela. Ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle yikho okwenza sibe leqiniso ngalokho!​—IZaga 2:7, 8.

14. Ukuthi uJehova uyabakhathalela labo abahluphekayo kukhanya njani eMthethweni awunika ama-Israyeli?

¹⁴ Ukwahlulela kuhle kukaNkulunkulu kumenza ananzelele izidingo zabahluphekayo. Ukukhathalela kukaJehova abahluphekayo kuyakhanya eMthethweni awunika ama-Israyeli. Ngokwesibonelo, uMthetho wawulezinhlelo  eziqakathekileyo ezazenzelwe ukubona ukuthi izintandane labafelokazi bayanakekelwa. (UDutheronomi 24:17-21) UJehova wayebona ukuthi ukuphila kwakungaba nzima ezimulini ezinjalo, yikho waba ngubaba wabo onguMahluleli futhi onguMvikeli, lowo ‘ovikela izintandane kanye labafelokazi.’ (UDutheronomi 10:18; IHubo 68:5) UJehova waxwayisa ama-Israyeli ukuthi nxa ayengahlukuluza abesifazana labantwana ababengenelisi ukuzivikela, wayezakuzwa ukukhala kwabo. Wathi: ‘Ukuzonda kwami kuzadungululwa.’ (U-Eksodusi 22:22-24) UJehova uyazonda nxa abantu besahlulela kubi ngabomo, ikakhulu nxa lokhu bekwenza ebantwini abangabayanga. Kodwa lokhu akutsho ukuthi ukuzonda luphawu lwakhe olukhulu.​—IHubo 103:6.

15, 16. Yibuphi ubufakazi obumangalisayo obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova kakhethi?

¹⁵ UJehova usenza sibe leqiniso lokuthi ‘kalabandlululo futhi kemukeli isivalamlomo.’ (UDutheronomi 10:17) UJehova kahluleli kubi njalo kafanani labantu abalezikhundla abahlulela ngokuthi umuntu ukhangeleka njani lokuthi unothile yini. Kakhethi. Cabanga ngobufakazi obutshengisa ukuthi uJehova kakhethi. Ithuba lokuba yizikhonzi zakhe zeqiniso, ezilethemba lokuphila okungapheliyo, kalinikanga ihlekana labantu abangcono kuphela. Kodwa, “wamukela abantu benhlanga zonke abamesabayo, abenza okulungileyo.” (ImiSebenzi 10:34, 35) Ithemba leli elimangalisayo ngelabantu bonke kungelani lesikhundla umuntu alaso emphakathini, umbala wesikhumba sakhe, kumbe ilizwe ahlala kulo. Lokhu kutshengisa ukwahlulela okuhle ngendlela engcono kakhulu.

¹⁶ Enye futhi ingxenye yokwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova okupheleleyo okumele sicabange ngayo futhi siyihloniphe yilokho akwenzayo kulabo abephula izimiso zakhe ezilungileyo.

17. Chasisa ukuthi kungani ukungalungi okusemhlabeni lo kungenzi ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kuthandabuzwe.

¹⁷ Abanye bangahle bazibuze: ‘Njengoba uJehova engaxoleli ukungalungi, singakuchasisa njani ukuhlupheka kanye lezenzo ezimbi okugcwele emhlabeni lamuhla?’ Ukungalungi okunjalo kakwenzi ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova kuthandabuzwe. Ukungalungi okugcwele emhlabeni lo omubi kwenziwa yisono abantu abasithola ku-Adamu. Emhlabeni lapho abantu abanengi abalesono bakhetha khona ukwenza okubi, ukungalungi lakho kuba kunengi, kodwa sekuseduze ukuthi kuphele.​—UDutheronomi 32:5.

18, 19. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi uJehova kasoze ahlale ebekezelela labo abephula ngabomo imithetho yakhe elungileyo?

¹⁸ Lanxa uJehova etshengisa isihawu esikhulu kulabo abasondela kuye ngobuqotho, kasoze wahlala ebekezelela isimo esenza ibizo lakhe lingcoliswe. (IHubo 74:10, 22, 23) UNkulunkulu wokwahlulela okuhle ngeke wahlekwa futhi ngeke ayekele ukwahlulela abantu abenza isono ngabomo ngoba vele kumele bajeziswe. UJehova ‘unguNkulunkulu olesihawu lomusa, ophuzayo ukuthukuthela, ogcwele uthando lobuqotho. Ikanti abalamacala kabayekeli bengajeziswanga.’ (U-Eksodusi 34:6, 7) Evumelana lamazwi la, ngezinye izikhathi uJehova ukubone kudingakala ukuthi ajezise labo abephula imithetho yakhe ngabomo.

¹⁹ Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho uNkulunkulu akwenza kuma-Israyeli asendulo. Langesikhathi sebehlala eLizweni leSithembiso, abako-Israyeli bahlamuka kanengi. Lanxa izenzo zabo ezimbi zenza uJehova ‘wadabuka,’ kazange aphangise ukubatshiya. (IHubo 78:38-41) Kulokuthi enze njalo, wabatshengisa isihawu ebanika kanengi amathuba okuthi bantshintshe izenzo zabo. Wabancenga esithi: “Kangithokozi ngokufa kwababi, kodwa ukuba baphenduke ezindleleni zabo baphile. Phendukani! Phendukani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi! Kungani kumele ufe, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?” (UHezekheli 33:11) Ngenxa yokuthi wayeqakathekisa ukuphila, uJehova waqhubeka ethuma abaphrofethi bakhe ukuze ama-Israyeli aphenduke ezindleleni zawo ezimbi. Kodwa, phose bonke abantu ababelezinhliziyo ezilukhuni bala ukulalela lokuphenduka.  Ekucineni uJehova wabanikela ezitheni zabo, ngenxa yokuthi wayefuna ukuvikela ibizo lakhe elingcwele kanye lalokho elikumelayo.​—UNehemiya 9:26-30.

20. (a) Lokho uJehova akwenza kwabako-Israyeli kusifundisani ngaye? (b) Kungani isilwane sikumela kuhle ukwahlulela kuhle kukaJehova?

²⁰ Lokho uJehova akwenza kwabako-Israyeli kusifundisa okunengi ngaye. Sifunda ukuthi amehlo akhe abona konke ayakunanzelela ukungalungi futhi lokho akubonayo kuyamthinta kakhulu. (IZaga 15:3) Kuyasiduduza futhi ukwazi ukuthi udinga amathuba okutshengisa isihawu nxa kulesizathu esihle sokwenza njalo. Okunye esikufundayo yikuthi kaphangisi ukwahlulela. Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova uyabekezela, abantu abanengi benza iphutha lokuphetha ngokuthi kasoze abajezise abantu ababi. Kodwa lokho kakusiqiniso, ngenxa yokuthi lokho uNkulunkulu akwenza kwabako-Israyeli kusifundisa lokuthi ukubekezela kwakhe kulalapho okucina khona. UJehova kantshintshi ekwenzeni okulungileyo. Kafanani labantu abandise ukwekela ukwahlulela, kasweli isibindi sokuthi amele okulungileyo. Ngakho kuqondile ukuthi isilwane sifananiswe lokuba khona kukaNkulunkulu kanye lesihlalo sakhe sobukhosi ngoba simela ukwahlulela okuhle okutshengisa  isibindi. * (UHezekheli 1:10; ISambulo 4:7) Ngakho singaba leqiniso lokuthi uzasigcwalisa isithembiso sokukhipha ukungalungi emhlabeni. Yikho indlela ahlulela ngayo ingafinqwa ngendlela elandelayo: uyajezisa nxa kufanele, atshengise isihawu nxa kumele enze njalo.​—2 UPhetro 3:9.

21. Nxa sicabangisisa ngendlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo, kumele simbone njani, futhi kungani kumele senze njalo?

²¹ Nxa sicabangisisa ngendlela uJehova ahlulela ngayo, kakumelanga simbone njengomahluli olenhliziyo elukhuni, futhi owesabisayo ofuna kuphela ukujezisa labo abonayo. Kodwa kumele simbone enguBaba ongayekeleliyo njalo ophatha abantwabakhe ngendlela engcono ukwedlula zonke. Njengoba enguBaba owahlulela kuhle kumbe olungileyo, uJehova kayekeleli futhi ngesikhathi esifananayo ulozwelo ebantwaneni bakhe abasemhlabeni, abadinga uncedo lwakhe kanye lokuthethelelwa.​—IHubo 103:10, 13.

22. Eqondiswa yikwahlulela kwakhe okuhle, uJehova wenze ukuthi sibe laliphi ithemba, futhi kungani esiphatha ngendlela enjalo?

²² Siyabonga kakhulu ukuthi ukwahlulela kuhle kukaNkulunkulu kakugoqeli kuphela ukujezisa abantu abangalunganga. Eqondiswa yikwahlulela kwakhe okuhle, uJehova wenze senelisa ukuba lethemba elithokozisayo lokuphila singelasono kuze kube nini lanini emhlabeni oyabe ‘ulikhaya lokulunga.’ (2 UPhetro 3:13) UNkulunkulu wethu usebenzelana lathi ngendlela enjalo ngenxa yokuthi ukwahlulela kwakhe okuhle kumenza adinge amathuba okusindisa hatshi awokubona lapho esiphambanisa khona. Iqiniso yikuthi ukuzwisisa ngcono ukwahlulela kukaJehova okuhle kusenza sisondele kuye! Ezahlukweni ezilandelayo, sizaxoxa okunengi ngezindlela uJehova asebenzisa ngazo uphawu lobuntu lolu oluhle kangaka.