1, 2. Kodi Balamu anakonza zotani pofuna kukopa anthu a Yehova kuti achite zoipa?

MSODZI akafuna kuwedza nsomba, amapita kumalo kumene kumapezeka nsombazo. Iye amadziwa mtundu wa nsomba zimene akufuna kuwedza ndipo amapeza nyambo zoyenerera. Akafika kowedzako amaponya mbedza yake m’madzi. Kenako amangoona kuti chingwe cha mbedzayo chayamba kugwedera ndipo amachikokera kumtunda mwamsangamsanga. Iye amasangalala podziwa kuti anasankha nyambo yabwino.

² Zimenezi zikutikumbutsa zimene munthu wina, dzina lake Balamu, anachita m’chaka cha 1473 B.C.E. Iye ankafuna kupeza nyambo yoti akopere anthu a Mulungu amene anamanga misasa m’Zigwa za Mowabu, m’malire a Dziko Lolonjezedwa. Balamu ankadzitcha kuti ndi mneneri wa Yehova, koma kwenikweni anali munthu wadyera amene anatumidwa kuti akatemberere Aisiraeli. Komabe Yehova atalowererapo, Balamu analephera kuwatemberera, m’malomwake anawadalitsa. Koma Balamu sanafune kulephera kupeza malipiro amene analonjezedwa, choncho anaganiza kuti mwina angapangitse Mulungu kuwatemberera anthu ake omwe, ngati anthuwo atachita tchimo lalikulu. Ali ndi maganizo amenewa, iye anapeza nyambo yoyenera. Nyambo imeneyi inali akazi okopa achimowabu.—Numeri 22:1-7; 31:15, 16; Chivumbulutso 2:14.

3. Kodi cholinga cha Balamu chinakwaniritsidwa bwanji?

³ Kodi nyambo imeneyi inagwira ntchito? Inde, chifukwa amuna ambiri achiisiraeli anakopekadi ndipo “anayamba kuchita chiwerewere ndi akazi a ku Mowabu.” Anthuwa anayamba  kulambira milungu yonyansa yachimowabu monga Baala wa ku Peori, amene anali mulungu wobereketsa kapena kugonana. Chifukwa cha zimenezi, Aisiraeli okwana 24,000 anafa atangotsala pang’onong’ono kulowa m’Dziko Lolonjezedwa. Limenelitu linali tsoka lalikulu.—Numeri 25:1-9.

4. N’chifukwa chiyani Aisiraeli ambiri anachita chiwerewere?

⁴ Kodi chinabweretsa tsoka limeneli n’chiyani? Aisiraeli ambiri anali ndi mtima woipa chifukwa anamusiya Yehova, Mulungu amene anawatulutsa ku Iguputo, kuwapatsa chakudya ali m’chipululu ndiponso kuwayendetsa bwinobwino pa ulendo wawo wopita kudziko limene anawalonjeza. (Aheberi 3:12) Poganizira nkhani imeneyi, mtumwi Paulo analemba kuti: “Tisamachite dama, mmene ena mwa iwo anachitira dama, n’kufa 23,000 tsiku limodzi.” *—1 Akorinto 10:8.

5, 6. N’chifukwa chiyani nkhani yokhudza tchimo limene Aisiraeli anachita ali m’Zigwa za Mowabu ili yofunika kwambiri kwa ife?

⁵ Masiku ano, anthu a Mulungu atsala pang’ono kulowa m’dziko labwino limene Mulungu analonjeza. Choncho angaphunzire zinthu zofunika kwambiri m’nkhani ya m’buku la Numeri imeneyi. (1 Akorinto 10:11) Mwachitsanzo, anthu m’dzikoli amakonda kwambiri kugonana ngati mmene ankachitira anthu a ku Mowabu, kungoti masiku ano zafika poipa  kwambiri. Ndipo chaka chilichonse Akhristu ambiri amakodwa ndi msampha wa chiwerewere umene unakolanso Aisiraeli. (2 Akorinto 2:11) Potsanzira Zimiri, amene analimba mtima kubweretsa mkazi wachimidiyani kumisasa ya Aisiraeli, abale ndi alongo ena masiku ano, amapangitsa anthu ena mumpingo wachikhristu kuchita chiwerewere.—Numeri 25:6, 14; Yuda 4.

⁶ Masiku anonso zili ngati tili m’Zigwa za Mowabu. Kodi mukutha kuona kuti dziko lapansi latsopano limene mwakhala mukuliyembekezera kwa nthawi yaitali, tsopano lili pafupi? Ngati ndi choncho, musasiye kuchita zinthu zimene zingachititse kuti Mulungu apitirize kukondani. Mungachite zimenezi pomvera lamulo lakuti: “Thawani dama.”—1 Akorinto 6:18.

7, 8. Kodi “dama” n’chiyani, ndipo kodi anthu amene amachita dama amakolola bwanji zimene amafesa?

⁷ M’Baibulo mawu akuti dama (m’Chigiriki, por·neiʹa) amatanthauza kugonana pakati pa anthu amene si okwatirana mogwirizana ndi Malemba. Zimenezi zikuphatikizapo chigololo, uhule, kugonana pakati pa anthu osakwatirana, kugonana m’kamwa, kumatako komanso kuseweretsa maliseche a munthu yemwe si mwamuna kapena mkazi wako. Zikuphatikizaponso kuchita zinthu zimenezi ndi mkazi kapena mwamuna mnzako ndiponso kugona nyama. *

⁸ Malemba amanena mosapita m’mbali kuti: Anthu amene amachita dama sangakhale mumpingo wachikhristu ndiponso sadzalandira moyo wosatha. (1 Akorinto 6:9; Chivumbulutso 22:15) Kuwonjezera pamenepa, anthu amenewa amadzibweretsera mavuto ambiri monga kusalemekezedwa, anthu amasiya kuwakhulupirira, kusagwirizana m’banja, kuvutika ndi chikumbumtima, mimba zapathengo, matenda, ngakhalenso imfa. (Werengani Agalatiya 6:7, 8.) Ndiye n’kuyambiranji mavuto ngati amenewa? N’zomvetsa chisoni kuti anthu ambiri akamayamba makhalidwe amenewa saganizira za mavuto amene  angakumane nawo. Nthawi zambiri anthu amayamba makhalidwe amenewa chifukwa choonera zinthu zolaula.

9. Kodi zolaula zilibedi vuto monga mmene ena amanenera? Fotokozani.

⁹ M’mayiko ambiri, zolaula zimapezeka m’malo ogulitsira nyuzipepala, m’nyimbo ndi pa TV, ndiponso zimapezeka kwambiri pa Intaneti. * Anthu ena amati zolaula zilibe vuto lililonse. Koma kodi zimenezi n’zoona? Ayi, si zoona. Anthu amene amaonera zolaula angayambe chizolowezi choseweretsa maliseche pofuna kuthetsa chilakolako chogonana ndiponso amakulitsa “zilakolako zamanyazi za kugonana.” Ndipo zimenezi zingawachititse kukhala ndi vuto lokonda kwambiri zogonana, kulakalaka kugonana kwachilendo, mavuto aakulu m’mabanja ngakhalenso kusudzulana kumene. * (Aroma 1:24-27; Aefeso 4:19) Katswiri wina ananena kuti vuto lokonda zogonana lili ngati matenda a khansa. Iye anati: “Vutoli likangoyamba, limangokulirakulirabe. Ndipo nthawi zambiri silitha lokha, komanso n’lovuta kwambiri kulithetsa.”

10. Kodi mfundo yopezeka pa Yakobo 1:14, 15 tingaigwiritse ntchito bwanji? (Onaninso bokosi “ Zimene Zinandithandiza Kusiya Makhalidwe Oipa.”)

¹⁰ Taganizirani mawu amene ali pa Yakobo 1:14, 15. Mawuwa amati: “Munthu aliyense amayesedwa mwa kukopedwa ndi kukodwa m’chilakolako chake. Ndiye chilakolako chikatenga pakati, chimabala tchimo. Nalonso tchimo likakwaniritsidwa, limabweretsa imfa.” Choncho, ngati mwaona zinthu zoipa, chitanipo kanthu mwamsanga kuti muchotse zinthu zimenezo mumtima mwanu. Mwachitsanzo, ngati mosayembekezera mwaona zithunzi zomwe zingapangitse munthu kukhala ndi chilakolako chogonana, muyenera kuyang’ana kumbali mwamsanga kapena kuzimitsa kompyuta yanu, kapenanso kusintha  tchanelo cha TV. Chitani chilichonse chimene mungathe kuti mugonjetse chilakolako choipa chisanakule n’kuyamba kukulamulirani.—Werengani Mateyu 5:29, 30.

11. Kodi tingasonyeze bwanji kuti timadalira Yehova tikamalimbana ndi zilakolako zoipa?

¹¹ N’chifukwa chake Mulungu, amene amatidziwa bwino kwambiri kuposa mmene ifeyo timadzidziwira, amatilangiza kuti: “Chititsani ziwalo za thupi lanu padziko lapansi kukhala zakufa ku dama, zinthu zodetsa, chilakolako cha kugonana, chikhumbo choipa, ndi kusirira kwa nsanje, kumene ndiko kulambira mafano.” (Akolose 3:5) N’zoona kuti kutsatira malangizo amenewa n’kovuta. Koma kumbukirani kuti tili ndi Atate wathu wakumwamba yemwe ndi wachikondi komanso woleza mtima amene angatithandize. (Salimo 68:19) Choncho, maganizo oipa akangolowa mumtima mwanu, nthawi yomweyo  m’pempheni Yehova kuti akuthandizeni. Mupempheni kuti akupatseni “mphamvu yoposa yachibadwa,” ndipo yambani kuganizira zinthu zina.—2 Akorinto 4:7; 1 Akorinto 9: 27; onani bokosi lakuti, “ Kodi Ndingasiye Bwanji Khalidwe Loipa?”

12. Kodi “mtima” wathu n’chiyani, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani tiyenera kuuteteza?

¹² Munthu wanzeru Solomo analemba kuti: “Uteteze mtima wako kuposa zonse zimene ziyenera kutetezedwa, pakuti mumtimamo ndiye muli akasupe a moyo.” (Miyambo 4:23) “Mtima” umenewu ukutanthauza munthu wathu wamkati kapena mmene Mulungu amationera. Ndipotu, kuti tidzapeze moyo wosatha kapena ayi, zimadalira mmene Mulungu amaonera “mtima” wathu, osati mmene anthu amationera. Mfundo imeneyitu ndi yosavuta kumva koma ndi nkhani yaikulu. Munthu wokhulupirika Yobu anapangana ndi maso ake kuti asamayang’ane mkazi momusirira. (Yobu 31:1) Chimenechitu ndi chitsanzo chabwino kwa ife. Posonyeza maganizo omwewa, wamasalimo anapemphera kuti: “Chititsani maso anga kuti asaone zinthu zopanda pake.”—Salimo 119:37.

13. Kodi Dina anali ndani, nanga n’chifukwa chiyani tinganene kuti sanasankhe bwino anthu ocheza nawo?

¹³ Monga mmene tinaonera m’Mutu 3, n’zosavuta kutengera khalidwe labwino kapena loipa la anzathu. (Miyambo 13:20; werengani 1 Akorinto 15:33.) Taganizirani chitsanzo cha Dina, mwana wa Yakobo. Ngakhale kuti analeredwa bwino, Dina mopanda nzeru anayamba kucheza ndi atsikana a ku Kanani. Akananiwo, mofanana ndi Amowabu, ankakonda kuchita chiwerewere. (Levitiko 18:6-25) Amuna a ku Kanani, kuphatikizapo Sekemu amene anali “wolemekezedwa kwambiri” m’nyumba yonse ya bambo ake, ankaona kuti Dina anali wosavuta kumunyengerera.—Genesis 34:18, 19.

14. Kodi ndi mavuto otani amene anabwera chifukwa chakuti Dina sanasankhe bwino anthu ocheza nawo?

¹⁴ N’zotheka kuti pamene Dina anaona Sekemu sanaganize  zogonana naye. Koma Sekemu anachita zimene Akanani ambiri akanaona kuti n’zoyenera kuchita akakhala ndi chilakolako chogonana. Zilizonse zimene Dina anayesetsa kuchita pofuna kukana, zinali za m’mbuyo mwa alendo chifukwa Sekemu “anamutenga n’kumugwiririra.” Zikuoneka kuti patapita nthawi, Sekemu anayamba ‘kumukonda kwambiri’ Dina, koma zimenezi sizinasinthe zimene Sekemuyo anachita. (Werengani Genesis 34:1-4.) Ndipo sikuti amene anavutika anali Dina yekhayo. Chifukwa chosasankha bwino anthu ocheza nawo, anachititsa manyazi banja lawo lonse.—Genesis 34:7, 25-31; Agalatiya 6:7, 8.

15, 16. Kodi nzeru yeniyeni tingaipeze bwanji? (Onaninso bokosi “ Malemba Oti Muziwaganizira.”)

¹⁵ Ngati Dina anaphunzirapo chilichonse pa zochitikazi, ndiye kuti anaphunzira nkhwangwa ili m’mutu. Koma anthu amene amakonda ndi kumvera Yehova safunika kuphunzira zinthu atakumana kale ndi mavuto. Chifukwa chakuti amamvera Mulungu, iwo amasankha ‘kuyenda ndi anthu anzeru.’  (Miyambo 13:20a) Choncho, iwo amazindikira “njira yonse ya zinthu zabwino” ndipo amapewa mavuto ndi zopweteka zoziputa dala.—Miyambo 2:6-9; Salimo 1:1-3.

¹⁶ Anthu onse amene amafuna nzeru zochokera kwa Mulungu angathe kuzipeza akamalimbikira kupemphera ndi kuphunzira nthawi zonse Mawu a Mulungu ndiponso mabuku a kapolo wokhulupirika ndi wanzeru. (Mateyu 24:45; Yakobo 1:5) Chofunikanso ndi kudzichepetsa, kumene munthu amasonyeza  akamamvera uphungu wa m’Malemba popanda kunyinyirika. (2 Mafumu 22:18, 19) Mwachitsanzo, Mkhristu angavomereze kuti mtima ndi wonyenga ndipo ungathe kuchita china chilichonse choipa. (Yeremiya 17:9) Koma kodi akalakwitsa, amadzichepetsadi n’kulandira malangizo ndi thandizo limene wapatsidwa mwachikondi?

17. Fotokozani chitsanzo cha zimene zingachitike m’banja, ndipo tchulani mfundo zimene bambo angakambirane ndi mwana wakeyo.

¹⁷ Taganizirani chitsanzo ichi: Bambo sakufuna kuti mwana wawo wamkazi apite kukayenda ndi mnyamata wina wachikhristu popanda wowaperekeza. Koma mtsikanayo akuwauza bambo akewo kuti: “Bambo mumandikayikira eti? Sitingachite choipa chilichonse.” N’kutheka kuti mtsikanayu amakondadi Yehova ndipo alibe zolinga zoipa, koma kodi iye ‘akuyendadi mwanzeru’? Kodi iye ‘akuthawa dama,’ kapena mopanda nzeru ‘akudalira mtima wake’? (Miyambo 28:26) Kodi ndi mfundo zina ziti zimene mukuganiza kuti zingathandize bambo ameneyu pokambirana ndi mwana wakeyu pa nkhani imeneyi?—Onani Miyambo 22:3; Mateyu 6:13; 26:41.

18, 19. Kodi Yosefe anakumana ndi mayesero otani, ndipo anathana nawo bwanji?

¹⁸ Yosefe, mchimwene wake wa Dina, anali mnyamata wabwino ndi wokonda Mulungu ndipo anathawa dama. (Genesis 30:20-24) Yosefe ali wamng’ono anaona mavuto amene anabwera chifukwa cha kupanda nzeru kwa mlongo wake Dina. Mosakayikira, kukumbukira zimenezi komanso cholinga chake chofuna kuti apitirizebe kukondedwa ndi Mulungu, zinamuteteza nthawi imene anali ku Iguputo pamene mkazi wa mbuye wake ankamunyengerera “tsiku ndi tsiku” kuti agone naye. Zinali zovuta kuti Yosefe asiye ntchito pofuna kupewa zimenezi chifukwa iye anali kapolo. Choncho, iye anafunikira kuthana ndi vuto limeneli mwanzeru komanso molimba mtima. Izi n’zimenedi anachita pokana mobwerezabwereza kugona ndi mkazi wa Potifara ndipo pamapeto pake anathawa.—Werengani Genesis 39:7-12.

 ¹⁹ Taganizirani izi: Yosefe akanakhala kuti ankakonda kuganizira zogonana ndi mkaziyu kapena ankakonda kumangoganizira zogonana, kodi akanatha kukhalabe wokhulupirika? N’zokayikitsa. Mwachionekere, Yosefe anapewa kuganizira zinthu zoipa chifukwa ankaona kuti ubwenzi wake ndi Yehova unali wofunika kwambiri. Zimenezi zinaonekera m’mawu amene anauza mkazi wa Potifara akuti: “Mbuye wanga anaika chilichonse m’manja mwanga kupatulapo inuyo, chifukwa ndinu mkazi wake. Ndiye ndingachitirenji choipa chachikulu chonchi n’kuchimwira Mulungu?”—Genesis 39:8, 9.

20. Kodi Yehova analowererapo bwanji pa nkhani ya Yosefe?

²⁰ Tangoganizirani mmene Yehova anasangalalira poona Yosefe akukhalabe wokhulupirika tsiku ndi tsiku ngakhale kuti anali kutali ndi achibale ake. (Miyambo 27:11) Patapita nthawi, Yehova analowererapo ndipo Yosefe anamasulidwa kundende n’kupatsidwa udindo woti akhale nduna yaikulu ya dziko la Iguputo ndiponso woyang’anira chakudya m’dzikolo. (Genesis 41:39-49) Zimenezi zikusonyeza kuti mawu a pa Salimo 97:10 ndi oonadi. Mawuwa amati: “Inu okonda Yehova danani nacho choipa. Iye amateteza moyo wa anthu ake okhulupirika. Amawalanditsa m’manja mwa anthu oipa.”

21. Kodi mnyamata wina anasonyeza bwanji kulimba mtima kuti asachite zoipa?

²¹ Mofanana ndi zimenezi, masiku ano atumiki ambiri a Mulungu amasonyeza kuti ‘amadana ndi choipa, ndipo amakonda chabwino.’ (Amosi  5:15) Mwachitsanzo, mnyamata wa m’dziko lina la ku Africa ananena kuti, ali kusukulu mtsikana wina analimba mtima kum’pempha kuti amuuzire mayeso ndipo akamuuzira akhoza kugona naye. Mnyamatayu anati: “Nthawi yomweyo ndinakana kwamtuwagalu. Chifukwa chokhalabe wokhulupirika, ndadzisungira ulemu womwe ndi wamtengo wapatali kuposa golide ndi siliva.” Zoonadi, machimo ndi ‘zosangalatsa zosakhalitsa,’ koma zosangalatsa zimenezi zimabweretsa mavuto ambiri. (Aheberi 11:25) Ndipotu, sitingayerekezere chimwemwe chenicheni chimene anthu amapeza chifukwa chomvera Yehova ndi zosangalatsa zosakhalitsa zauchimo.—Miyambo 10:22.

22, 23. (a) Mkhristu akachita tchimo lalikulu, n’chifukwa chiyani sayenera kuganiza kuti sangapezenso thandizo? (b) Kodi munthu amene wachimwa angapeze kuti thandizo?

²² Chifukwa choti ndife opanda ungwiro, tonse timavutika kuti tigonjetse zilakolako zoipa komanso kuti tichite zinthu zoyenera pamaso pa Mulungu. (Aroma 7:21-25) Yehova amadziwa zimenezi, chifukwa “amakumbukira kuti ndife fumbi.” (Salimo 103:14) Komabe, nthawi zina Mkhristu angachite tchimo lalikulu. Kodi zimenezi zikachitika ndiye kuti basi sangapezenso thandizo? Ayi, si choncho. N’zoona kuti munthu amene wachita tchimo angapeze mavuto monga mmene zinachitikira ndi Mfumu Davide. Komabe, nthawi zonse Mulungu amakhala wokonzeka ‘kukhululukira’ anthu amene amazindikira kulakwa kwawo ndi ‘kuulula machimowo.’—Salimo 86:5; Yakobo 5:16; werengani Miyambo 28:13.

²³ Komanso, Mulungu wapereka mokoma mtima “mphatso za amuna” mumpingo wachikhristu. Amuna amenewa ndi abusa okhwima mwauzimu amene ndi oyenerera komanso ofunitsitsa kutithandiza. (Aefeso 4:8, 12; Yakobo 5:14, 15) Cholinga chawo ndi kuthandiza munthu amene wachimwa kuti akhalenso pa ubwenzi ndi Mulungu ndiponso kuti ‘akhale ndi mtima wanzeru’ n’cholinga choti asadzabwerezenso tchimolo.—Miyambo 15:32.

24, 25. (a) Kodi mnyamata wotchulidwa pa Miyambo 7:6-23, anasonyeza bwanji kuti anali “wopanda nzeru”? (b) Kodi tingatani kuti ‘tipeze nzeru’?

²⁴ Baibulo limatchula za anthu ‘opanda nzeru’ komanso za anthu amene ‘amapeza nzeru.’ (Miyambo 7:7) Chifukwa chosakhwima mwauzimu komanso chifukwa chakuti sanatumikire Mulungu kwa nthawi yaitali, munthu “wopanda nzeru” angathe kuchita zinthu mosaganiza. Mofanana ndi mnyamata amene amafotokozedwa pa Miyambo 7:6-23, zingakhale zosavuta kuti iye achite tchimo lalikulu. Koma munthu amene ‘amapeza nzeru’ amafufuza umunthu wake wamkati pophunzira Mawu a Mulungu ndi kupemphera nthawi zonse. Ndipo monga munthu wopanda ungwiro, iye amayesetsa kuti maganizo ake, zokhumba zake, mmene amamvera mumtima ndiponso zolinga zake zigwirizane ndi zimene Mulungu amafuna. Akamachita zimenezi, ndiye kuti ‘akukonda moyo wake’ kapena kuti akudzibweretsera madalitso, ndipo ‘adzapeza zabwino.’—Miyambo 19:8.

²⁵ Dzifunseni kuti: ‘Kodi ndimakhulupiriradi kuti malamulo a Mulungu ndi abwino ndiponso kuti kuwatsatira kumabweretsa chimwemwe chenicheni?’ (Salimo 19:7-10; Yesaya 48:17, 18) Ngati mukuona kuti mumakayikira zimenezi, ngakhale pang’ono pokha, ndi bwino kuthetsa mwamsanga vutoli. Ganizirani mavuto amene amabwera chifukwa chosamvera malamulo a Mulungu. Kuwonjezera pamenepa, “talawani, ndipo muone kuti Yehova ndi wabwino.” Mungachite zimenezi mukamachita zinthu zogwirizana ndi choonadi ndiponso mukamaganizira zinthu zoona, zolungama, zoyera, za chikondi ndi zabwino. (Salimo 34:8; Afilipi 4:8, 9) Mosakayikira, mukamayesetsa kwambiri kuchita zimenezi, mudzam’kondanso kwambiri Mulungu, mudzayamba kukonda zimene amakonda, ndipo mudzadana ndi zimene amadana nazo. Yosefe sanali munthu wangwiro. Komabe, iye anatha ‘kuthawa dama’ chifukwa analola kuti Yehova aumbe maganizo ake kwanthawi yaitali kapena kuti am’patse mtima wofuna kumukondweretsa. Inunso lolani kuti Yehova akuumbeni.—Yesaya 64:8.

26. Kodi tikambirana nkhani yofunika iti m’mitu iwiri yotsatirayi?

 ²⁶ Mlengi wathu anatilenga ndi maliseche osati ndi cholinga choti tiziseweretsa ngati zidole ayi, koma kuti tizitha kubereka ndi kugonana muukwati. (Miyambo 5:18) Mitu iwiri yotsatirayi ikufotokoza mmene Mulungu amaonera ukwati.