1, 2. (a) Kukuphi ukungabikho kokusesikweni okugqithiseleyo awajamelana nako uYosefu? (b) UYehova wakulungisa njani oko kungabikho kokusesikweni?

 OKU yayingekuko okusesikweni kwaphela. Ityendyana elithile lomfana lalingaphulanga mthetho, kodwa lavalelwa esiseleni ngezityholo zobuxoki zokuzama ukudlwengula. Kodwa lalingaqali ukuba lixhoba lokungekho sikweni. Kwiminyaka edluleyo, ngoxa lalineminyaka eli-17 ubudala, eli tyendyana linguYosefu, langcatshwa ngabantakwalo, abaphantse balibulala. Ngoko balithengisa ebukhobokeni kwilizwe lasemzini. Apho lawaxhathisa amalinge omfazi wenkosi yalo okulilukuhlela ekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini. Ephoxekile lo mfazi walityhola eli tyendyana ngezimangalo zobuxoki, kungako nje lavalelwayo. Ngelishwa, kwakubonakala kungekho bani 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 ngokusesikweni?

³ Le ngxelo isichukumis’ iintliziyo, akunjalo na? Ngubani kuthi ongekaze akubone ukungabikho kokusesikweni okanye waba lixhoba lako? Eneneni, sonke siyakulangazelela ukuphathwa ngokusesikweni nangokungenamkhethe. Akumangalisi oku, ekubeni uYehova esinike iimpawu ezibonakalisa ubuntu  bakhe, yaye okusesikweni kulolunye lweempawu zakhe ezibalaseleyo. (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. Ngokwembono yabantu, kudla ngokuqondwa njani okusesikweni?

⁴ Ngokwembono yabantu, okusesikweni kudla ngokuqondwa njengokusetyenziswa komthetho ngendlela efanelekileyo. Incwadi ethi Right and Reason—Ethics in Theory and Practice ithi “okusesikweni kunento yokwenza nomthetho, imbopheleleko, amalungelo nemfanelo, yaye kudlulisela izigwebo ngokungakhethi buso okanye ngokufanelekileyo.” Noko ke, okusesikweni kukaYehova kubandakanya okungakumbi kunokuphunyezwa nje kwemimiselo njengemfanelo okanye imbopheleleko.

5, 6. (a) Iyintoni intsingiselo yamagama olwimi lwantlandlolo aguqulelwe ngokuthi “okusesikweni”? (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukuthi uThixo usesikweni?

⁵ Ububanzi nobunzulu bokusesikweni kukaYehova bunokuqondwa kakuhle ngokuqwalasela amagama olwimi lwantlandlolo olwalusetyenzisiwe eBhayibhileni. KwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, kwasetyenziswa amagama amathathu ayintloko. Igama elalidla ngokusetyenziselwa ukubhekisela ‘kokusesikweni’ lalikwaguqulelwa nangokuthi “okulungileyo.” (Genesis 18:25) Amanye amagama amabini adla ngokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “ubulungisa.” KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ubulungisa” lichazwa ngokuthi “ukulunga okanye ukuba sesikweni.” Ngoko ke, lilonke akukho mahluko phakathi kobulungisa nokusesikweni.—Amosi 5:24.

⁶ Ngoko ke, xa iBhayibhile isithi uThixo usesikweni, isixelela ukuba wenza oko kulungileyo ngokungenamkhethe nangokusisigxina. (Roma 2:11) Eneneni, 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 okungekho sikweni? (b) Yintoni eshukumisela uYehova ekubeni aqhubane nabanye ngobulungisa, okanye ngokusesikweni?

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) Luluphi unxibelelwano olukhoyo phakathi kokuba sesikweni kukaYehova kunye nokuba nenceba kwakhe? (b) Ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova kunye nokuba nenceba kwakhe kubonakala njani kwindlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu abanesono?

⁹ Ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova, njengazo zonke ezinye iinkalo zobuntu bakhe obungenakulinganiswa nanto, kugqibelele, akusileli nganto. 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 Kukho unxibelelwano olusondeleyo phakathi kokuba sesikweni kukaYehova kunye 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 sesikweni kukaYehova kusisondeza kuye? (b) Sisiphi isigqibo awafikelela kuso uDavide ngokuphathelele ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova, yaye kunokusikhuthaza njani oku?

¹² Ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova, akulophawu olungqongqo olusidedisela 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 Ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova ngokugqibeleleyo kumshukumisela ukuba 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) Hayi indlela akhuthaza ngayo loo mazwi! UThixo wethu akasayi kuze nanini na abashiye abo banyanisekileyo kuye. Ngoko sinokuba nentembelo yokuba usondele kuthi yaye usinyamekela ngothando. Ukuba sesikweni kwakhe kuyakuqinisekisa oku!—IMizekeliso 2:7, 8.

14. Ukubakhathalela kukaYehova abo baxhwalekileyo kubonakala njani eMthethweni awawunika uSirayeli?

¹⁴ Ekubeni uThixo esesikweni uyaziphaphela iintswelo zabo babandezelekileyo. Ukubakhathalela kukaYehova abo batsala nzima kubonakala kuMthetho awawunika uSirayeli. Ngokomzekelo, uMthetho wenza amalungiselelo akhethekileyo okuqinisekisa ukuba iinkedama nabahlolokazi babenyanyekelwa. (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. Bubuphi ubungqina obuphawuleka ngokwenene bokungabi namkhethe kukaYehova?

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 kokusesikweni kweli hlabathi kungakusingeli phantsi nangayiphi na indlela ukuba sesikweni kukaYehova.

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 ingonyama ingumqondiso ofanelekileyo wokuba sesikweni kukaYehova?

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 sicamngca ngendlela uYehova akubonisa ngayo okusesikweni kwakhe, sifanele sicinge ngayiphi indlela ngaye, yaye 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 yokuba sesikweni kwakhe, uYehova uye wasinika liphi ithemba, yaye kutheni eqhubana nathi ngale ndlela?

²² Hayi indlela esifanele sibe nombulelo ngayo kukuba okusesikweni kobuthixo kubandakanya okungakumbi lee kunokohlwaya nje abenzi bobubi! Ngenxa yokuba sesikweni kwakhe, uYehova uye wasinika ithemba elichulumancisa ngokwenene—ubomi obufezekileyo nobungenasiphelo kwihlabathi “apho kumi 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.