1, 2. Ngumuphi umsebenti lobewentiwa nguNowa nemndeni wakhe, futsi ngubuphi bumatima labahlangabetana nabo?

NOWA watelula, futsi mbone ahleti elugodvweni atsi kuphumula kancane emsebentini wakhe njengobe abuka sakhiwo lesikhulu semkhumbi. Liphunga lelitiyela lelishisako beligcwele emoyeni; umsindvo wemathuluzi ekwakha nawo bewuvakala yonkhe indzawo. Lapho Nowa labehleti khona, abekwati kubona emadvodzana akhe asebenta kamatima etincenyeni letehlukahlukene tetigodvo talomkhumbi. Besekungemashumi eminyaka emadvodzana akhe, bafati bawo, kanye nemkakhe lotsandzekako basebenta kanye naye kulesakhiwo. Besekukunyenti labakwentile, kodvwa-ke bekusenalokunyenti lobekufanele bakwente.

² Bantfu bendzawo bebabatsatsa njengetiphukuphuku. Njengobe kwakhiwa kwalomkhumbi kuchubeka, bebabahleka kakhulu nabeva kutsi kutawufika zamcolo emhlabeni wonkhe. Lenhlekelele Nowa labesolo abecwayisa ngayo beyibonakala iyintfo lengeke seyenteke nanjengentfo lengekho. Bekumatima ngabo kukholwa kutsi umuntfu angamosha imphilo yakhe neyemndeni wakhe entfweni lebulima kangaka. Nanobe kunjalo, Nkulunkulu waNowa, longuJehova, akazange amtsatse ngaleyo ndlela.

3. Nowa wahamba naNkulunkulu ngayiphi indlela?

³ LiVi laNkulunkulu litsi: ‘Nowa wahamba naNkulunkulu weliciniso.’ (Fundza Genesisi 6:9.) Bekusho kutsini loko? Bekungasho kutsi Nkulunkulu abehamba emhlabeni, nobe kutsi Nowa waya ezulwini ngandlela tsite. Kunaloko, Nowa abemlalela Nkulunkulu wakhe futsi amtsandza kakhulu kwaba shengatsi yena naJehova bahamba ndzawonye njengebangani. Eminyakeni letinkhulungwane leyalandzela, liBhayibheli latsi ngaNowa: “Ngalokukholwa [kwakhe] walilahla live.” (Heb. 11:7) Kwenteka kanjani loko? Yini lamuhla lesingayifundza ekukholweni kwakhe?

4, 5. Emalangeni aNowa, kwenteka njani kutsi umhlaba uchubeke uba mubi kakhulu?

⁴ Nowa wakhulela eveni lebeliya liba libi kakhulu. Belilibi nasemalangeni akhokho wakhe Enoki, longulomunye umuntfu lolungile  lowahamba naNkulunkulu. Enoki wabiketela kutsi bekuta lilanga lekwehlulela lebelitawufikela bantfu labangamesabi Nkulunkulu emhlabeni. Emalangeni aNowa, bubi besebubukhulu kakhulu. Ecinisweni, ngekwembono waJehova, umhlaba besewonakele kakhulu ngobe bewugcwele budlova. (Gen. 5:22; 6:11; Juda 14, 15) Yini leyenta lesimo saba sibi kangaka?

⁵ Kwenteka intfo lembi kakhulu emadvodzaneni aNkulunkulu langumoya, lokutingilosi. Lenye yato beseyivele ihlubukile kuJehova yaba nguSathane Develi ngenca yekunyundzela Nkulunkulu nekufaka bo-Adamu na-Eva esonweni. Emalangeni aNowa, letinye tingilosi tacala kuvukela kubusa kwaJehova lokulungile. Ngesikhatsi tishiya umsebenti wato wasezulwini lebetiwunikwe nguNkulunkulu, teta emhlabeni tagucuka taba nemitimba yebantfu, tase titsatsa labasikati labahle tabenta bafati bato. Letingilosi letitigabatisako futsi letinebugovu taletsa imikhuba lemibi emkhatsini webantfu.​—Gen. 6:1, 2; Juda 6, 7.

6. EmaNefili enta simo saba njani emhlabeni, futsi yini Jehova lancuma kuyenta?

⁶ Ngetulu kwaloko, kuhlangana lokungasiko kwemvelo kwetingilosi letitente bantfu kanye nebafati lababantfu kwaveta emadvodzana labemakhulu futsi anemandla ngendlela lengakavami. LiBhayibheli liwabita ngekutsi ngemaNefili, lokusho kutsi bantfu labawisa labanye. LamaNefili abehlupha bantfu ngesibhuku, futsi andzisa budlova emhlabeni nemoya wekungalaleli Nkulunkulu. Akumangalisi kutsi emehlweni eMdali ‘kona kwemuntfu emhlabeni kwakukukhulu, futsi yonkhe imizindlo nemicabango yenhlitiyo yakhe beyimibi ngaso sonkhe sikhatsi.’ Ngako Jehova wancuma kutsi lelo live lelibi utawulibhubhisa eminyakeni lengu-120.​—Fundza Genesisi 6:3-5.

7. Ngubuphi bumatima boNowa nemfati wakhe lebebahlangabetana nabo nabetama kuvikela emadvodzana abo ebubini lobebukhona ngalawo malanga?

⁷ Asewuticabange wetama kukhulisa bantfwana eveni lelinjalo.  Nowa wakwenta loko. Watfola umfati lomuhle. Ngesikhatsi Nowa asaneminyaka lengu-500, umfati wakhe wamtalela emadvodzana lamatsatfu, boShemi, Hhamu, naJafethi. * Labatali lababili bekufanele bavikele emadvodzana abo etintfweni letimbi lebetigcwele emhlabeni ngaleso sikhatsi. Bafana labancane bavame kumangala futsi bachazeke nababona bantfu ‘labanemandla neludvumo,’ ngako kungenteka kutsi nebantfwana bangaleso sikhatsi bebawatsatsa kanjalo emaNefili. Bekumatima ngaNowa nemfati wakhe kutsi bavikele bantfwababo kuyo yonkhe imibiko lemayelana nekuhlasela kwaletidlakela, kodvwa bebangabafundzisa liciniso lelihle lelimayelana naJehova Nkulunkulu, lotondza bonkhe bubi. Bekufanele basite labafana babo babone kutsi budlova nekuhlubuka lobekukhona emhlabeni bekumvisa buhlungu Jehova.​—Gen. 6:6.

8. Lamuhla, batali labahlakaniphile bangasilingisa njani sibonelo saNowa nemfati wakhe?

⁸ Batali lamuhla bangasicondza kahle simo Nowa nemfati wakhe lebebakuso. Live lesiphila kulo ligcwele budlova nekuvukela. Ngalokuvamile, emadolobha lamakhulu agcwele emacembu lamabi alabasha. Ngisho netekutijabulisa letentelwe bantfwana labancane tingase tigcwale budlova. Batali labahlakaniphile benta konkhe lokusemandleni kute bamelane nalobubi ngekutsi bafundzise bantfwana babo ngaNkulunkulu wekuthula, Jehova, lokutakutsi ngalelinye lilanga abucedze bonkhe budlova. (Hla. 11:5; 37:10, 11) Bantfwana bangakhona kufundza kwenta lokuhle ngisho nobe baphila eveni lelibi. Nowa nemfati wakhe baphumelela. Emadvodzana abo akhula aba ngemadvodza lalungile, futsi ashada nebafati nabo lebebatimisele kubeka Nkulunkulu weliciniso, Jehova, endzaweni yekucala ekuphileni kwabo.

9, 10. (a) Ngumuphi umyalo waJehova lowashintja kuphila kwaNowa? (b) Yini Jehova layitjela Nowa mayelana nendlela umkhumbi lobekufanele ubukeke ngayo, nekutsi iyini injongo yawo?

⁹ Ngalelinye lilanga, kuphila kwaNowa kwashintja ngalokuphelele. Jehova wakhuluma nalenceku yakhe layitsandzako wayitjela ngenjongo yaKhe yekubhubhisa live langaleso sikhatsi. Nkulunkulu watsi kuNowa: “Yakha umkhumbi ngemapulangwe egofari.”​—Gen. 6:14.

¹⁰ Lomkhumbi bewungafani nemikhumbi yalamuhla. Bewute lingembili nobe lingemuva, ute sicu nobe imiphini, futsi bewungakaciji. Bewumane ulibhokisi lelikhulu. Jehova waniketa Nowa imininingwane lecondzile mayelana nekutsi ube ngakanani, ume kanjani, nendlela lobekufanele awuhuce ngayo ngelitiyela ngekhatsi nangephandle. Watjela Nowa sizatfu saloko, watsi: “Ngitawuletsa zamcolo emhlabeni . . . Konkhe lokusemhlabeni kutawubhubha.” Nanobe kunjalo, Jehova wenta lesivumelwane naNowa: “Utawungena emkhunjini wena,  nemadvodzana akho, nemkakho, nabomalukatana bakho.” Nowa bekufanele afake tilwane letitawumelela tonkhe tinhlobo. Ngulabo lebebatawube bakulomkhumbi kuphela labebangasindza kuZamcolo lobewutawufika.​—Gen. 6:17-20.

11, 12. Ngumuphi umsebenti lomkhulu lobekufanele wentiwe nguNowa, futsi wativa njani ngalomsebenti lomatima?

¹¹ Nowa abesahlalelwe ngumsebenti lomkhulu kakhulu. Lomkhumbi bekufanele ube mkhulu, budze bawo bube ngemamitha langaba ngu-133, bubanti bawo bube ngemamitha langaba ngu-22, futsi kuphakama kwawo kube ngemamitha langaba ngu-13. Bewumkhulu kakhulu kwendlula nobe ngumiphi imikhumbi leyentiwa ngetigodvo leke yakhiwa ngisho nalamuhla. Nowa wetama yini kusibalekela lesabelo, wakhonona ngekuba matima kwaso, nobe washintja loko labetjelwe kona kuze ente tintfo tibe melula? LiBhayibheli liyaphendvula: ‘Nowa wakwenta konkhe layalwa nguNkulunkulu kutsi akwente. Wenta kanjalo nje.’​—Gen. 6:22.

¹² Lomsebenti watsatsa emashumi eminyaka, mhlawumbe lengu-40 kuya kulengu-50. Bekufanele bagawule tihlahla, badvonse tigodvo, batisahe, baticondzise bese bayatihlanganisa. Lomkhumbi bekufanele ube netitezi letintsatfu, emakamelo lamanyenti, nemnyango eceleni. Bekunemafasitelo ngasetulu kanye neluphahla lobekungenteka kutsi beluphakeme emkhatsini kute emanti akwati kwehla.​—Gen. 6:14-16.

13. Nguyiphi incenye yemsebenti waNowa lokungenteka kutsi beyimatima kakhulu kwendlula kwakha umkhumbi, futsi yini bantfu labayenta?

¹³ Njengobe iminyaka ihamba nekwakhiwa kwalomkhumbi kuchubeka, kufanele kutsi Nowa abejabula ngekusekelwa ngumndeni wakhe. Bekunalenye incenye yalomsebenti lokungenteka beyimatima kakhulu kunekwakha umkhumbi. LiBhayibheli litsi Nowa ‘abengumshumayeli wekulunga.’ (Fundza 2 Phetro 2:5.) Ngako ngesibindzi, wahola emetameni yekwecwayisa labantfu lababi labangamesabi Nkulunkulu ngekutsi kunembubhiso lebeyitawufika. Yini labayenta? Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi Jesu Khristu wakhuluma ngalawo malanga, watsi bantfu “abazange banake.” Watsi bebaphishaneke ngetintfo tekuphila tamalanga onkhe, badla, banatsa, bashada, futsi abazange bamnake Nowa. (Mat. 24:37-39) Akungabateki kutsi labanyenti bamphukuta, yena nemndeni wakhe; labanye kungenteka bamsongela futsi bamphikisa ngebudlova. Kungenteka nekutsi betama nekuvimba lomsebenti wekwakha labewenta.

14. Imindeni yemaKhristu lamuhla ingafundzani kuNowa nasemndenini wakhe?

¹⁴ Nanobe kunjalo, Nowa nemndeni wakhe abazange bayekele. Ngisho nobe bebaphila eveni lebelitimisele kubenta bacabange kutsi umsebenti wabo loyinhloko lebebawenta awukabaluleki nekutsi badukisiwe nobe batiphukuphuku, bachubeka bawenta ngekwetsembeka. Imindeni yemaKhristu lamuhla ingafundza lokunyenti ekukholweni kwaNowa nekwemndeni wakhe. Ngetulu kwaloko, siphila esikhatsini liBhayibheli lelisibita ngekutsi ‘ngemalanga ekugcina’ alelive lelibi.  (2 Thim. 3:1) Jesu watsi sikhatsi lesiphila kuso sitawufana ncamashi nesikhatsi Nowa lakha ngaso umkhumbi. Nangabe bantfu bangawunaki umlayeto lomayelana neMbuso waNkulunkulu, basiphukuta, nobe basiphatsa kabi, njengemaKhristu senta kahle ngekukhumbula sibonelo saNowa. Akucali ngatsi kuhlangabetana nebumatima lobunjalo.

15. Ngukuphi kulahlekelwa Nowa lahlangabetana nako ngesikhatsi asatawuba neminyaka lengu-600 budzala?

¹⁵ Kwaphela emashumi eminyaka, futsi kancane kancane kwakhiwa kwemkhumbi besekuya ngasekupheleni. Njengobe Nowa abesatawuba neminyaka lengu-600 budzala, walahlekelwa bantfu labasondzelene naye. Lameki, uyise wakhe wafa. * Eminyakeni lesihlanu leyalandzela, Methusela, uyise waLameki labengumkhulu waNowa wafa aneminyaka lengu-969, futsi nguye kuphela umuntfu lowaphila sikhatsi lesidze lokukhulunywa ngaye eBhayibhelini. (Gen. 5:27) Bobabili, boMethusela naLameki baphila ngesikhatsi sa-Adamu, umuntfu wekucala.

16, 17. (a) Ngumuphi umlayeto lomusha Nowa lawutfola nasekaneminyaka lengu-600 budzala? (b) Chaza intfo lemangalisako leyabonwa nguNowa nemndeni wakhe.

¹⁶ Ngesikhatsi asaneminyaka lengu-600 budzala, Nowa watfola umlayeto lomusha lovela kuJehova Nkulunkulu, lotsi: “Ngena emkhunjini wena nendlu yakho.” Nkulunkulu wamtjela nekutsi afake tonkhe  tinhlobo tetilwane emkhunjini. Bekufanele atsatse letisikhombisa kuto tonkhe tinhlobo tetilwane letihlantekile lebekungentiwa ngato umhlatjelo, futsi letinye atitsatse ngatimbili.​—Gen. 7:1-3.

¹⁷ Kufanele kutsi loku kwammangalisa kakhulu. Kwachamuka tinkhulungwane tetilwane, letinye tihamba, letinye tindiza, letinye tinwabuluka, letinye tikhushutela, futsi tonkhe betingalingani ngebukhulu, ngekuma, nangesimo. Akudzingekanga kutsi Nowa etame kutifaka emkhunjini, ativimbe, nobe atichube ngekutincenga kuze tingene ngekhatsi. Kulandzisa kutsi “tangena naNowa emkhunjini.”​—Gen. 7:9.

18, 19. (a) Singayiphendvula njani imibuto lebutwa bantfu labangabatako mayelana naloko lokwenteka endzabeni yaNowa? (b) Sikubona njani kuhlakanipha kwaJehova endleleni layikhetsa yekusindzisa tilwane takhe?

¹⁸ Labanye bantfu labangabatako bangase babute nayi imibuto: ‘Intfo lenjalo beyingenteka njani? Futsi tonkhe letilwane betingahlala njani ngekuthula endzaweni yinye?’ Cabanga nganaku: UMdali wendzawo yonkhe angehluleka yini kucondzisa tilwane latidala, atilawule futsi atente tingabi yingoti nangabe kudzingeka? Khumbula kutsi Jehova unguNkulunkulu lowadala tonkhe tilwane. Ngekuhamba kwesikhatsi wehlukanisa Lwandle Lolubovu, waphindze wenta nelilanga kutsi lime. Abengahluleka yini kwenta loko lokuchazwe endzabeni yaNowa? Cha abengeke, futsi vele wakwenta.

¹⁹ Ecinisweni, Nkulunkulu abengakhetsa kusindzisa tilwane takhe ngalenye indlela. Nanobe kunjalo, ngekuhlakanipha wakhetsa indlela lesikhumbuta ngemsebenti labewunike bantfu ekucaleni wekutsi banakekele tonkhe tintfo letiphilako emhlabeni. (Gen. 1:28) Ngako batali labanyenti lamuhla basebentisa indzaba yaNowa kuze bafundzise bantfwana babo kutsi Jehova unendzaba netilwane nebantfu labadala.

20. Yini lokungenteka boNowa nemndeni wakhe bebamatasatasa ngayo ngeliviki lekugcina ngembikwekufika kwaZamcolo?

 ²⁰ Jehova watjela Nowa kutsi besekusele liviki linye kufike Zamcolo. Kufanele kutsi leso bekusikhatsi lesimatasatasa emndenini waNowa. Cabanga ngemsebenti wekungenisa tonkhe tilwane, kudla kwato nekwemndeni, nemsebenti wekukubeka kahle, kanye nemsebenti wekufaka tintfo tabo emkhunjini. Umfati waNowa, nemfati waShemi, waHhamu, newaJafethi kungenteka bebamatasatasa kakhulu balungisa tindzawo lebebatawuhlala kuto emkhunjini.

21, 22. (a) Kungani kungakafaneli kusimangalise kunganaki kwebantfu bangesikhatsi saNowa? (b) Kwaphela nini kuphukutwa boNowa nemndeni wakhe lebebakutfola kubomakhelwane babo?

²¹ Bantfu lebebaphila nabo emmangweni bebentani? Bebasolo ‘banganaki,’ ngisho nalapho babona bufakazi bekutsi Jehova abembusisa Nowa naloko labekwenta. Batibona tilwane ngesikhatsi tita futsi tingena emkhunjini. Kodvwa akusimangalisi kunganaki kwabo. Nalamuhla bantfu ababunaki bufakazi lobukhulu bekutsi siphila emalangeni ekugcina alelive lelibi. Njengobe umphostoli Phetro abiketela, kunebaphukuti labaphukuta labo labalalela secwayiso saNkulunkulu futsi babedzelele. (Fundza 2 Phetro 3:3-6.) Ngendlela lefanako, bantfu bamphukuta Nowa nemndeni wakhe.

²² Kwaphela nini lokuphukuta? Kulandzisa kusitjela kutsi ngesikhatsi Nowa asawungenisile umndeni wakhe netilwane emkhunjini, “Simakadze wavala umnyango.” Nangabe bebakhona baphukuti edvute nalapho, kufanele kutsi lesento saNkulunkulu sabavala umlomo. Nangabe kungasinjalo, yimvula leyabavala umlomo ngobe yacala kuna. Belisolo liyidliva, futsi emanti agcwala wonkhe umhlaba njengobe Jehova abeshito.​—Gen. 7:16-21.

23. (a) Sati njani kutsi Jehova akazange ajabule ngekufa kwebantfu lababi bangesikhatsi saNowa? (b) Kungani kukuhlakanipha kulingisa kukholwa kwaNowa lamuhla?

²³ Wajabula yini Jehova ngekufa kwalabo bantfu lababi? Cha! (Hez. 33:11) Kunaloko, abebanike sikhatsi sekutsi bashintje tindlela tabo bente lokuhle. Bebangakwenta yini loko? Indlela Nowa labephila ngayo iyawuphendvula lombuto. Ngekuhamba naJehova nangekumlalela kuto tonkhe tintfo, Nowa waveta kutsi bantfu bebangasindza. Ngenca yaloko, kukholwa kwakhe kwalilahla live langesikhatsi sakhe; kwabuveta ngalokucacile bubi bebantfu lebebaphila emalangeni akhe. Kukholwa kwakhe kwamvikela yena nemndeni wakhe. Nangabe ukulingisa kukholwa kwaNowa, ungatisindzisa wena nalabo lobatsandzako. NjengaNowa, ungahamba naJehova Nkulunkulu njengeMngani wakho, futsi lobungani benu bungahlala phakadze!