1, 2. (a) Yeyiphi impatho engebobulungisa awayifumanayo uYosefu? (b) UYehova wakulungisa njani oko kungabikho kobulungisa?

 LE nto yayingebobulungisa tu. Ityendyana elithile lomfana lalingaphulanga mthetho, kodwa lavalelwa esiseleni ngezityholo zobuxoki zokuzama ukudlwengula. Kodwa lalingaqali ukudibana nempatho engebobulungisa. Kwiminyaka edluleyo, ngoxa lalineminyaka eyi-17 ubudala, eli tyendyana linguYosefu, langcatshwa ngabantakwalo, abaphantse balibulala. Ngoko balithengisa ebukhobokeni kwilizwe lasemzini. Apho laxhathisa xa lalilingwa ngumfazi wenkosi yalo. Ephoxekile lo mfazi walityhola eli tyendyana ngezimangalo zobuxoki, kungako nje lavalelwayo. Ngelishwa, kwakubonakala kungekho mntu wayenokumthethelela uYosefu.

² Noko ke, uThixo ‘othanda ubulungisa nokusesikweni’ wayebukele. (INdumiso 33:5) UYehova wasilungisa eso senzo singekho sikweni, wenza ukuba uYosefu akhululwe ekugqibeleni. Ngaphezu koko, uYosefu—owayevalelwe “emhadini wentolongo”—ekugqibeleni wabekwa kwisikhundla esiphakamileyo esamzisela uzuko olukhethekileyo. (Genesis 40:15; 41:41-43; INdumiso 105:17, 18) Ekugqibeleni, uYosefu wathetheleleka, yaye wasisebenzisa isigxina sakhe esiphakamileyo ukuze aphumeze injongo kaThixo.—Genesis 45:5-8.

3. Kutheni ingamangalisi into yokuba sonke sifuna ukuphathwa ngobulungisa?

³ Ngokuqinisekileyo ibali likaYosefu liyasikhuthaza ngoba sonke sikhe sabona abantu bephathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa okanye nathi saphathwa ngendlela engenabulungisa. Inyaniso kukuba, sonke siyakufuna ukuphathwa ngobulungisa nangokungenamkhethe. Ayimangalisi loo nto kuba uYehova usidale saneempawu ezifana nezakhe, futhi ubulungisa lolunye lweempawu eziphambili anazo. (Genesis 1:27) Ukuze simazi kakuhle uYehova, sifanele siyiqonde indlela akugqala ngayo okusesikweni. Ngaloo ndlela sinokuzixabisa nangakumbi iindlela zakhe ezimangalisayo size sishukunyiselwe ekubeni sisondele ngakumbi kuye.

4. Abantu badla ngokucinga ukuba buthetha ntoni ubulungisa?

⁴ Abantu badla ngokucinga ukuba ubulungisa buthetha ukusetyenziswa komthetho ngendlela efanelekileyo nje kuphela. Incwadi ethi Right and Reason—Ethics in Theory and Practice ithi “ubulungisa bunento yokwenza nomthetho, nento abantu abavumelekileyo nabanyanzelekileyo ukuyenza, kunye nokuba mntu ngamnye afumane umvuzo okanye isohlwayo esimfaneleyo.” Kodwa ke, kuYehova, ubulungisa abuthethi ukwenza okulungileyo kuba nje eziva enyanzelekile ukuba akwenze.

5, 6. (a) Athetha ukuthini amagama olwimi eyayibhalwe ngalo iBhayibhile aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubulungisa”? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthi uThixo unobulungisa?

⁵ Sinokuyiqonda bhetele nangakumbi into ethethwa bubulungisa bukaYehova xa siqwalasela amagama olwimi eyayibhalwe ngalo iBhayibhile asetyenziswe ukuchaza ubulungisa. Anokuthetha “okulungileyo” kunye “nophawu lokulunga”—Genesis 18:25; Amosi 5:24.

⁶ Ngoko ke, xa iBhayibhile isithi uThixo usesikweni, isixelela ukuba wenza oko kulungileyo ngokungenamkhethe nangokusisigxina. (Roma 2:11) Phofu, asinakuyicinga nokuyicinga into yokuba ebenokwenza ngenye indlela. UElihu othembekileyo wathi: “Makube lee kuThixo oyinyaniso ukwenza ngobungendawo, nakuSomandla ukwenza ngokungekho sikweni!”  (Yobhi 34:10) Ngokwenene, akunakwenzeka ukuba uYehova ‘enze ngokungekho sikweni.’ Ngoba? Ngenxa yezizathu ezibini ezibalulekileyo.

7, 8. (a) Kutheni uYehova engakwazi ukwenza into engebobulungisa? (b) Yintoni eyenza ukuba uYehova abaphathe ngobulungisa abanye?

⁷ Okokuqala, ungcwele. Njengoko siphawulile kwiSahluko 3, uYehova usulungekile yaye uthe tye ngokungenasiphelo. Ngoko, akakwazi ukwenza ngokungenabulungisa, okanye ngokungekho sikweni. Khawuqwalasele oko kuthethwa koko. Ubungcwele bukaBawo wethu wasemazulwini businika isizathu esinamandla sokuba nentembelo yokuba akasayi kuze abaphathe kakubi abantwana bakhe. UYesu wayenayo loo ntembelo. Ngobusuku bokugqibela bobomi bakhe basemhlabeni, wathandaza wathi: “Bawo Ongcwele, balinde [abafundi] ngenxa yegama lakho.” (Yohane 17:11) “Bawo Ongcwele”—eZibhalweni, elo binzana libhekisela kuYehova kuphela. Oku kufanelekile, kuba akakho ubawo ongumntu onokuthelekiswa Naye ngobungcwele. UYesu wayekholwa ngokupheleleyo ukuba abafundi bakhe babekhuselekile kuYise, osulungeke nohlambuluke ngokupheleleyo nowahlukaniswe ngokupheleleyo naso sonke isono.—Mateyu 23:9.

⁸ Okwesibini, uthando lokungazingci luyinxalenye yobuntu bukaThixo. Olo thando lumshukumisela ukuba abonise ubulungisa, okanye okusesikweni, ekuqhubaneni kwakhe nabanye. Kodwa iintlobo ezininzi zokungekho sikweni—kuquka ubuhlanga, ucalucalulo nomkhethe—zidla ngokubangelwa kukubawa nokuzingca, zinto ezo ezichaseneyo nothando. Ngokuphathelele uThixo wothando, iBhayibhile isiqinisekisa ngokuthi: “UYehova ulilungisa; uyazithanda izenzo zobulungisa.” (INdumiso 11:7) UYehova uthi ngaye: “Mna, Yehova, ndithanda okusesikweni.” (Isaya 61:8) Ngaba akukhuthazi na ukwazi ukuba uThixo wethu uyayoliswa kukwenza okulungileyo, okanye okusesikweni?—Yeremiya 9:24.

9-11. (a) Ubulungisa bukaYehova budibana njani nenceba yakhe? (b) Ukuba nobulungisa kukaYehova kunye nokuba nenceba kwakhe kubonakala njani kwindlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu abanesono?

⁹ Njengazo zonke ezinye iimpawu zakhe ezintle, uYehova ubonisa ubulungisa ngendlela egqibeleleyo. Edumisa uYehova, uMoses wabhala: “NguLiwa, ugqibelele umsebenzi wakhe, ngokuba zonke iindlela zakhe zisesikweni. NguThixo wentembeko, tu ubugqwetha; lilungisa yaye uthe tye yena.” (Duteronomi 32:3, 4) Konke ukubonakalisa kukaYehova okusesikweni kugqibelele—akuyekeleli ngokugqithiseleyo, okanye kube ngqwabalala ngokugqithiseleyo.

¹⁰ Ukuba nobulungisa kukaYehova kusondelelene kakhulu nokuba nenceba kwakhe. INdumiso 116:5 ithi: “UYehova unobabalo yaye ulilungisa [“usesikweni,” The New American Bible]; noThixo wethu nguLowo wenza inceba.” Ewe, uYehova usesikweni yaye unenceba. Ezi mpawu zimbini aziphikisani. Ukubonisa kwakhe inceba akuthomalalisi ukuba sesikweni kwakhe, ngokungathi okusesikweni kwakhe kungqongqo ngokugqithiseleyo. Kunoko, ezi mpawu zombini zidla ngokubonakaliswa ngaxeshanye, kwanakwisenzo esinye. Khawuqwalasele lo mzekelo.

¹¹ Bonke abantu banesono abasizuze ilifa yaye ngenxa yoko bafanelwe sisohlwayo sesono—ukufa. (Roma 5:12) Kodwa uYehova akayoliswa kukufa kwaboni. “UnguThixo oxolelayo, onobabalo nonenceba.” (Nehemiya 9:17) Sekunjalo, ngenxa yokuba engcwele, akanakuyikhuthaza intswela-bulungisa. Ngoko, unokuyibonisa njani inceba kubantu abasizuze ilifa isono? Impendulo ifumaneka kwenye yezona nyaniso zixabisekileyo eziseLizwini likaThixo: ilungiselelo likaYehova lentlawulelo yokusindiswa koluntu. KwiSahluko 14 siza kufunda ngakumbi ngeli lungiselelo lothando. Kwangaxeshanye likwalilungiselelo lokusesikweni okukhulu nelenceba egqithiseleyo. Ngalo uYehova  unokubonisa inceba yothando kuboni abaguqukayo ngoxa egcine imilinganiselo yakhe yokuba sesikweni okugqibeleleyo.—Roma 3:21-26.

12, 13. (a) Kutheni ukuba nobulungisa kukaYehova kusisondeza kuye? (b) Sisiphi isigqibo awafikelela kuso uDavide ngokuphathelele ukuba nobulungisa kukaYehova, yaye kunokusikhuthaza njani oku?

¹² Ubulungisa bukaYehova, akulophawu olungqongqo olusibhekelisela kude kuye, kodwa luphawu oluthandekayo olusisondezayo kuye.IBhayibhile ikuchaza ngokucacileyo ukukubonakalisa kukaYehova ngemfesane okusesikweni, okanye ubulungisa bakhe. Makhe sihlolisise ezinye zeendlela ezichukumisayo uYehova akubonisa ngazo ukuba sesikweni kwakhe.

¹³ Ubulungisa obugqibeleleyo bukaYehova bumenza athembeke yaye anyaniseke kubakhonzi bakhe. Umdumisi uDavide wazibonela ngokwakhe olu phawu lokuba sesikweni kukaYehova. Ngokusuka kumava akhe obuqu nangokuhlolisisa kwakhe izenzo zikaThixo, sisiphi isigqibo awafikelela kuso uDavide? Wathi: “UYehova ngumthandi wokusesikweni, yaye akayi kubashiya abanyanisekileyo bakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo baya kulindwa ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.” (INdumiso 37:28) Akhuthaza nyhani loo mazwi! UThixo wethu akasayi kuze nanini na abashiye abo banamatheleyo kuye. Ngoko sinokuqiniseka ukuba usondele kuthi futhi usikhathalela ngothando. Siqinisekiswa kukuba enobulungisa!—IMizekeliso 2:7, 8.

14. Ukubakhathalela kukaYehova abo batsala nzima kubonakala njani eMthethweni awawunika amaSirayeli?

¹⁴ Ngenxa yokuba uYehova ebuthanda ubulungisa, ubakhathalele kakhulu abantu abatsala nzima ebomini. Le nto siyibona kuMthetho awawunika amaSirayeli. Ngokomzekelo, uMthetho wenza amalungiselelo akhethekileyo okuqinisekisa ukuba iinkedama nabahlolokazi bayakhathalelwa. (Duteronomi 24:17-21) Ekuqonda ukutsala nzima kwezo ntsapho, uYehova ngokwakhe waba nguMgwebi noMkhuseli  wazo othantamisayo, lowo “ogwebela inkwenkwe engenayise nomhlolokazi.” a (Duteronomi 10:18; INdumiso 68:5) UYehova wawalumkisa amaSirayeli ngokuthi ukuba ayexhaphaza abafazi nabantwana abangenakuzinceda, ngokuqinisekileyo wayeza kusiva isikhalo sabo. Wathi: ‘Ngokwenene uya kuvutha umsindo wam.’ (Eksodus 22:22-24) Nangona umsindo ungelulo olunye lweempawu ezibalaseleyo zikaYehova, uvutha ngumsindo wobulungisa xa kutyeshelwa ngabom okusesikweni, ingakumbi xa kuxhatshazwa abo basweleyo nabangenakuzinceda.—INdumiso 103:6.

15, 16. Ngowuphi umzekelo omhle ongqina ukuba uYehova akanamkhethe?

¹⁵ Kwakhona uYehova uyasiqinisekisa ukuba ‘akakhethi buso yaye akamkeli sinyobo.’ (Duteronomi 10:17) Ngokungafaniyo nabantu abaninzi abasemagunyeni, uYehova akaphenjelelwa bubutyebi bezinto eziphathekayo okanye imbonakalo yangaphandle. Akanalo kwaphela ucalucalulo okanye umkhethe. Khawuqwalasele ubungqina obuphawuleka ngokwenene bokungabi namkhethe kukaYehova. Ithuba lokuba ngabanquli bakhe bokwenyaniso, abanethemba lobomi obungenasiphelo, alivulelwanga nje kuphela abambalwa abakhethekileyo. Kunoko, “kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.” (IZenzo 10:34, 35) Eli themba limangalisayo livulekele wonk’ ubani kungakhathaliseki isigxina akuso, ibala lolusu lwakhe, okanye ilizwe ahlala kulo. Ngaba leyo asiyondlela ebalaseleyo yokubonakaliswa kokusesikweni kokwenene?

¹⁶ Kukho enye inkalo yokuba sesikweni ngokugqibeleleyo kukaYehova esimele sinikele ingqalelo kuyo yaye siyihlonele: indlela aqhubana ngayo nabo banxaxhayo kwimilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa.

17. Cacisa isizathu sokuba ukungabikho kobulungisa kweli hlabathi kungafanele kusenze sithandabuze ukuba uYehova unobulungisa.

¹⁷ Abanye basenokuzibuza bathi: ‘Ekubeni uYehova engayikhuthazi intswela-bulungisa, kutheni evumela ukubandezeleka okungekho sikweni nobungendawo obuxhaphakileyo namhlanje?’ Konke oku kungabikho kokusesikweni akukusingeli phantsi nangayiphi na indlela ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova. Ukungabikho kokusesikweni okukhoyo kweli hlabathi lingendawo kungumphumo wesono abantu abasizuz’ ilifa kuAdam. Kweli hlabathi linabantu abangafezekanga abazikhethele iindlela zesono, ukungabikho kokusesikweni kuxhaphakile—kodwa oku akusayi kubakho ithuba elide.—Duteronomi 32:5.

18, 19. Yintoni ebonisa ukuba uYehova akayi kubanyamezela ngonaphakade abo bayaphula ngabom imithetho yakhe yobulungisa?

¹⁸ Nangona uYehova ebonisa inceba enkulu kwabo basondela kuye ngokunyanisekileyo, akayi kuyinyamezela ngonaphakade imeko ezisa ugculelo egameni lakhe elingcwele. (INdumiso 74:10, 22, 23) UThixo wokusesikweni akanakwenziwa intlekisa; akayi kubasindisa aboni bangabom ekufumaneni umgwebo oqatha obafaneleyo. UYehova “[unguThixo] onenceba nobabalo, ozeka kade umsindo, onobubele bothando obuninzi nenyaniso, . . . ongakhe amenze msulwa ofanelwe sisohlwayo.” (Eksodus 34:6, 7) Ngokuvisisana nala mazwi, maxa wambi uYehova uye wakubona kufanelekile ukubohlwaya abo bayaphula ngabom imithetho yakhe yobulungisa.

¹⁹ Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge nje ngendlela uThixo aqhubana ngayo noSirayeli wamandulo. Kwanaxa ayesele ekwiLizwe Lesithembiso, amaSirayeli abonisa ukungathembeki ngokuphindaphindiweyo. Nangona iindlela zawo ezonakeleyo zamenza “buhlungu” uYehova, akazange awashiye ngoko nangoko. (INdumiso 78:38-41) Kunoko, ngenceba wawanika amathuba okuguqula ikhondo lawo. Wawabongoza esithi: “Andiyoliswa kukufa kongendawo, kodwa kukuba ongendawo abuye endleleni yakhe aze okunene ahlale ephila. Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi, kuba kutheni na ukuba nide nife, ndlu  kaSirayeli?” (Hezekile 33:11) Njengoko ebugqala ubomi njengobuxabisekileyo, uYehova wathumela ngokuphindaphindiweyo abaprofeti bakhe ukuze amaSirayeli abuye ezindleleni zawo ezimbi. Kodwa, ubukhulu becala, abo bantu bantliziyo zilukhuni bala ukuphulaphula nokuguquka. Ekugqibeleni, ngenxa yegama lakhe elingcwele nako konke oko limele kona, uYehova wabanikela ezandleni zeentshaba zabo.—Nehemiya 9:26-30.

20. (a) Indlela uYehova awaqhubana ngayo noSirayeli isifundisa ntoni ngaye? (b) Kutheni ifanelekile into yokuba ingonyama idityaniswa nobukho bukaThixo netrone yakhe?

²⁰ Indlela uYehova aqhubana ngayo noSirayeli isifundisa lukhulu ngaye. Sifunda ukuba amehlo akhe abona kuzo zonke iindawo ayayiphawula intswela-bulungisa yaye uvakalelwa gqitha koko akubonayo. (IMizekeliso 15:3) Kwakhona kuyakhuthaza ukwazi ukuba ufuna ukubonisa inceba nanini na kunokwenzeka. Ukongezelela, sifunda ukuba akangxami ekuphumezeni okusesikweni. Ngenxa yomonde nokuzeka kade umsindo kukaYehova, abantu abaninzi ngokuphosakeleyo bagqiba ngokuthi akasayi kuze abohlwaye abangendawo. Kodwa ngokuqinisekileyo akuyonyaniso oko, kuba indlela uThixo aqhubana ngayo noSirayeli ikwasifundisa ukuba umonde wakhe wobuthixo unemida. UYehova ubumele ngokungqongqo ubulungisa. Ngokungafaniyo nabantu, abathi ngokufuthi basilele ukubonisa okusesikweni, akaze nanini na angabi nayo inkalipho  yokumela oko kulungileyo. Ngokufanelekileyo, ingonyama engumqondiso wenkalipho yokusesikweni inxulunyaniswa nobukho kunye netrone kaThixo. b (Hezekile 1:10; ISityhilelo 4:7) Ngoko sinokuqiniseka ukuba uya kusizalisekisa isithembiso sakhe sokuphelisa okungekho sikweni kulo mhlaba. Eneneni, indlela yakhe yokugweba inokushwankathelwa ngokuthi: ungqongqo xa kukho imfuneko, ubonisa inceba nanini na kunokwenzeka.—2 Petros 3:9.

21. Xa sicinga nzulu ngendlela uYehova abubonisa ngayo ubulungisa, sifanele sicinge njani ngaye, futhi ngoba?

²¹ Xa sicamngca ngendlela uYehova akubonisa ngayo okusesikweni, asifanele sicinge ngaye njengomgwebi ongenabubele nongqwabalala, ofuna nje kuphela ukohlwaya abenzi bobubi. Kunoko, sifanele sicinge ngaye njengoBawo onothando kodwa ongqongqo osoloko eqhubana nabantwana bakhe ngeyona ndlela ifanelekileyo. NjengoBawo wokusesikweni, okanye wobulungisa, uYehova usoloko ebonisa imfesane ekukumeleni kwakhe ngokungqongqo oko kulungileyo kubantwana bakhe abasemhlabeni, abafuna uncedo lwakhe nokuxolelwa nguye.—INdumiso 103:10, 13.

22. Ngenxa yobulungisa bakhe, uYehova uye wasinika liphi ithemba, yaye kutheni eqhubana nathi ngale ndlela?

²² Sinokuba nombulelo ngenxa yokuba ubulungisa bukaThixo bungaphelelanga nje ekohlwayeni abenzi bobubi! Ngenxa yobulungisa bakhe, uYehova uye wasinika ithemba elivuyisa nyhani—ubomi obufezekileyo nobungenasiphelo kwihlabathi apho “kuza kubakho ubulungisa.” (2 Petros 3:13) UThixo wethu uqhubana nathi ngale ndlela kuba ukuba sesikweni kwakhe kumshukumisela ekubeni afune ukusindisa kunokugweba. Eneneni, ukukuqonda ngakumbi ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova kuyasisondeza kuye! Kwizahluko ezilandelayo, siza kuhlolisisa indlela uYehova alubonakalisa ngayo olu phawu lubalaseleyo.