1-3. (a) USolomon wabubonisa njani ubulumko obugqithiseleyo kwindlela awakucombulula ngayo ukubangisana kwabafazi ngosana? (b) Yintoni uYehova athembisa ukusinika yona, yaye yiyiphi imibuzo ebuzwayo?

 YAYIYIMEKO enzima kunene—abafazi ababini bebangisana ngosana. Aba bafazi babehlala kunye, yaye ngamnye kubo wazala unyana, beshiyana nje ngeentsuku. Olunye usana lwafa, yaye ngoku ingulowo umfazi uthi ungunina wolo sana luphilayo. a Kwakungekho mntu wumbi ulingqina loko kwenzekileyo. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba eli tyala lalikhe lachotshelwa kwinkundla yamatyala eqhelekileyo kodwa ayeza nasicombululo. Ekugqibeleni, le nqontsonqa yasiwa kuSolomon, ukumkani wakwaSirayeli. Ngaba wayeza kukwazi ukuyibhenca inyaniso?

² Emva kokuphulaphula kangangethuba elithile aba bafazi bexambulisana, uSolomon wathi makuziwe nekrele. Ngoko, wayalela ukuba lo mntwana acandwe kubini, aze mfazi ngamnye anikwe icala. Ngoko nangoko, unina wambongoza ukumkani ukuba alunike omnye umfazi lowo olo sana—umntwana wakhe oxabisekileyo. Kodwa lo mfazi wesibini wema ngelithi lo mntwana makacandwe kubini. Ngoku uSolomon wayeyazi inyaniso. Wayelwazi uthando umama analo ngomntwana wesizalo sakhe, yaye walusebenzisa olo lwazi ekucombululeni le mpikiswano. Khawuyithelekelele indlela awavuya ngayo umama womntwana xa uSolomon wamnika usana lwakhe waza wathi: “Ngunina lo.”—1 Kumkani 3:16-27.

 ³ Wabonisa ubulumko obugqithiseleyo, akunjalo? Xa abantu bevayo ngendlela uSolomon awalicombulula ngayo eli tyala, boyika, “kuba babona ukuba ubulumko bukaThixo babungaphakathi kuye.” Ewe, ubulumko bukaSolomon babusisipho esivela kuThixo. UYehova wayemnike “intliziyo elumkileyo nenokuqonda.” (1 Kumkani 3:12, 28) Kodwa kuthekani ngathi? Ngaba nathi sinako ukufumana ubulumko obuvela kuThixo? Kunjalo, kuba uSolomon waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale athi: “UYehova unika ubulumko.” (IMizekeliso 2:6) UYehova uthembisa ukubanika ubulumko—ubuchule bokusebenzisa kakuhle ulwazi nokuqonda—abo babufuna ngokunyanisekileyo. Sinokubufumana njani ubulumko obuvela phezulu? Yaye sinokubusebenzisa njani ebomini bethu?

4-7. Ziziphi iindlela ezine zokuzuza ubulumko?

⁴ Ngaba simele sibe krelekrele kakhulu okanye sifunde kakhulu ukuze sifumane ubulumko obuvela kuThixo? Akunjalo. UYehova ukulungele ukwabelana nathi ngobulumko bakhe ingakhathaliseki imvelaphi nemfundo yethu. (1 Korinte 1:26-29) Kodwa simele sithabathe amanyathelo okuqala, kuba iBhayibhile isibongoza ukuba ‘sizuze ubulumko.’ (IMizekeliso 4:7) Sinokukwenza njani oko?

⁵ Okokuqala, sifanele simoyike uThixo. “Ukoyika uYehova kukuqala kobulumko [“kulinyathelo lokuqala elikhokelela kubulumko,” The New English Bible],” itsho njalo IMizekeliso 9:10. Ukoyika uThixo kusisiseko sobulumko bokwenyaniso. Ngoba? Khumbula ukuba ubulumko bubuchule bokukwazi ukusebenzisa ulwazi ngokuphumelelayo. Ukoyika uThixo, asikokunkwantya, kodwa kukuzithoba kuye ngentlonelo yaye sikholose ngaye. Uloyiko olunjalo lufanelekile yaye luyakhuthaza. Lusishukumisela ekubeni siphile ngokuvisisana nolwazi lwethu ngokuthanda kukaThixo nangeendlela zakhe. Elo lelona khondo lobulumko sinokulilandela, kuba imilinganiselo kaYehova isoloko ivelisa ezona ngenelo zinkulu kwabo baphila ngokuvisisana nayo.

 ⁶ Okwesibini, simele sithobeke yaye sithozame. Asinakuba nabo ubulumko obuvela kuThixo ukuba asithobekanga yaye asithozamanga. (IMizekeliso 11:2) Kubangelwa yintoni oko? Ukuba sithobekile yaye sithozamile, siya kukulungela ukuvuma ukuba asazi yonke into, uluvo lwethu alusoloko luchanile, yaye sifanele sazi indlela uYehova azigqala ngayo izinto. UYehova “ubachasile abanekratshi,” kodwa uyakholiswa kukubanika ubulumko abo bathobekileyo ngentliziyo.—Yakobi 4:6.

⁷ Into yesithathu ebalulekileyo kukufundisisa iLizwi likaThixo elibhaliweyo. Ubulumko bukaYehova butyhilwe eLizwini lakhe. Ukuze sibuzuze obo bulumko, simele senze umzamo wokubufuna. (IMizekeliso 2:1-5) Into yesine efunekayo kukuthandaza. Ukuba sibucela ngokunyanisekileyo ubulumko kuThixo, uya kusinika ngesisa. (Yakobi 1:5) Uya kuyiphendula imithandazo yethu yokucela uncedo lomoya wakhe. Yaye umoya wakhe uya kusinceda sifumane ubutyebi obuseLizwini lakhe obunokusinceda sicombulule iingxaki, siphephe ingozi, yaye senze izigqibo zobulumko.—Luka 11:13.

 8. Ukuba sibuzuze ngokwenene ubulumko obuvela kuThixo, buya kubonakala njani?

⁸ Njengoko siphawulile kwiSahluko 17, ubulumko bukaYehova buluncedo. Ngoko ke, ukuba sibuzuze ngokwenene ubulumko obuvela kuThixo, buya kubonakala kwindlela esiziphatha ngayo. Umfundi uYakobi wazichaza iziqhamo zobulumko obuvela kuThixo xa wabhala wathi: “Ubulumko obuvela phezulu okokuqala nje bunyulu, bandule ke bube boboxolo, bube nengqiqo, bulungele ukuthobela, buzele yinceba neziqhamo ezilungileyo, abucalucaluli ngokukhetha ubuso, abunaluhanahaniso.” (Yakobi 3:17) Njengoko siza kuxubusha nganye yezi nkalo zobulumko obuvela kuThixo, sisenokuzibuza ukuba, ‘Ngaba ubulumko obuvela phezulu buyasebenza ebomini bam?’

 9. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba nyulu, yaye kutheni kufanelekile nje ukuba ubunyulu budweliswe njengophawu lokuqala lobulumko?

⁹ “Okokuqala nje bunyulu.” Ukuba nyulu kuthetha ukusulungeka nokuhlambuluka kungekuphela nje ngaphandle kodwa  nangaphakathi. IBhayibhile inxulumanisa ubulumko kunye nentliziyo, kodwa ubulumko basezulwini abunakungena entliziyweni engcoliswe ziingcamango, iminqweno neentshukumisa ezingendawo. (IMizekeliso 2:10; Mateyu 15:19, 20) Kodwa ke, ukuba intliziyo yethu inyulu—oko kukuthi, ngokomkhamo onokufikelelwa ngabantu abangafezekanga—siya ‘kusuka kokubi size senze okulungileyo.’ (INdumiso 37:27; IMizekeliso 3:7) Ngaba akufanelekanga na ukuba ubunyulu bube luphawu lokuqala oludwelisiweyo lobulumko? Ngapha koko, ukuba asicocekanga ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya, sinokuzibonakalisa njani ngokwenene ezinye iimpawu zobulumko obuvela phezulu?

10, 11. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sibe seluxolweni? (b) Ukuba unemvo yokuba umcaphukisile ubani okholwa naye, unokuzingqina njani ungumenzi woxolo? (Bona kwanombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁰ “Bandule ke bube boboxolo.” Ubulumko basezulwini busishukumisela ukuba siphuthume uxolo, olusisiqhamo somoya kaThixo. (Galati 5:22) Sizabalazela ukukuphepha ukuphazamisa ‘umxokelelwane woxolo’ omanyanisa abantu bakaYehova. (Efese 4:3) Kwakhona senza okusemandleni ethu ukusebenzela ukuba kuphinde kubekho uxolo xa luphazamisekile. Kutheni kubalulekile nje oku? IBhayibhile ithi: “Qhubekani . . . nihlala ngoxolo; yaye uThixo wothando nowoxolo uya kuba kunye nani.” (2 Korinte 13:11) Ngoko logama nje siqhubeka sihleli ngoxolo, uThixo woxolo uya kuba nathi. Indlela esibaphatha ngayo abo sinqula nabo iluchaphazela ngokungqalileyo ulwalamano lwethu noYehova. Sinokuzingqina njani singabenzi boxolo? Khawuqwalasele lo mzekelo ulandelayo.

¹¹ Yintoni ofanele uyenze ukuba unemvo yokuba uye wacaphukisa ubani okhonza naye? UYesu wathi: “Ukuba, ngoko, uzisa isipho sakho esibingelelweni, uthi ulapho ukhumbule ukuba umzalwana wakho unento ngakuwe, sishiye isipho sakho apho phambi kwesibingelelo, uze uhambe uye kuxolelana nomzalwana wakho kuqala, wandule ke, wakubuya, unikele isipho sakho.” (Mateyu 5:23, 24) Unokulisebenzisa elo cebiso ngokuthabatha amanyathelo okuqala okuya kumzalwana  wakho. Uya ngayiphi injongo? Ukuze ‘uxolelane’ naye. b Ukuze ufeze oko, kusenokufuneka uyamkele, ungayikhanyeli, into yokuba ucaphukile. Ukuba uya kuye unosukelo lokudala nokulondoloza uxolo, ngoko nakuphi na ukungaqondani kusenokulungiswa, kucelwe noxolo ngendlela efanelekileyo. Xa uthabatha inyathelo lokuqala lokwenza uxolo, ubonisa ukuba ulawulwa bubulumko bobuthixo.

12, 13. (a) Yintoni intsingiselo yegama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingqiqo” kuYakobi 3:17? (b) Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sinengqiqo?

¹² ‘Bunengqiqo.’ Kuthetha ukuthini ukuba nengqiqo? Ngokutsho kwabaphengululi, igama lantlandlolo lesiGrike  eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “ingqiqo” kuYakobi 3:17 kunzima ukuliguqulela. Abaguquleli basebenzise amagama anjengelithi “ukuthantamisa,” “ukunyamezela,” nelithi “ulwazelelelo.” Intsingiselo yokoqobo yegama lesiGrike ithi “ukuyekelela.” Sinokubonisa njani ukuba le nkalo yobulumko obuvela phezulu iyasebenza kuthi?

¹³ “Ukuba nengqiqo kwenu makwazeke ebantwini bonke,” itsho njalo eyabaseFilipi 4:5. Enye inguqulelo ifundeka ngokuthi: “Yiba ngodume ngokuba nengqiqo.” (The New Testament in Modern English, nguJ. B. Phillips) Phawula ukuba oku akungombandela wendlela esizigqala ngayo thina; yindlela abanye abasigqala ngayo, indlela esidume ngayo. Umntu onengqiqo akasoloko egxininisa umthetho obhaliweyo okanye olwakhe uluvo. Kunoko, ukulungele ukuphulaphula abanye, aze xa kufanelekile, ayekelele kwiminqweno yabo. Kwakhona uyathantamisa, akakho ngqwabalala ekusebenzisaneni kwakhe nabanye. Ngoxa oku kubalulekile kuwo onke amaKristu, kubaluleke nangakumbi kwabo bakhonza njengabadala. Ukuthantamisa kunomtsalane, kubenza abadala bangeneke lula. (1 Tesalonika 2:7, 8) Ngoko siya kuba senza kakuhle ukuzibuza, ‘Ngaba ndidume ngokuba nolwazelelelo, ukuyekelela nokuthantamisa?’

14. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba ‘sikulungele ukuthobela’?

¹⁴ “Bulungele ukuthobela.” Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “bulungele ukuthobela” alifumaneki kwenye indawo kwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike. Ngokutsho komnye umphengululi, eli gama “lidla ngokusetyenziswa ukubhekisela kuqeqesho lwasemkhosini.” Lidlulisela ingcamango “yokweyiseka msinya” “nokuthobela.” Ubani olawulwa bubulumko obuvela phezulu usoloko ekulungele ukuthobela oko kuthethwa ziZibhalo. Akadumanga ngokunamathela ngokungqongqo kwizigqibo zakhe engamkeli nantoni na engqubanayo nazo. Kunoko, uyakhawuleza ukutshintsha xa enikwa ubungqina obucacileyo beZibhalo bokuba uthabathe ikhondo eliphosakeleyo okanye wenze izigqibo eziphosakeleyo. Ngaba yindlela leyo nawe odume ngayo kwabanye?

15. Yintoni inceba, yaye kutheni kufanelekile nje ukuba “inceba” “neziqhamo ezilungileyo” zikhankanywe kunye kuYakobi 3:17?

¹⁵ “Buzele yinceba neziqhamo ezilungileyo.” c Inceba luphawu olubalulekileyo lobulumko obuvela phezulu, kuba ubulumko obunjalo kuthiwa “buzele yinceba.” Phawula ukuba “inceba” “neziqhamo ezilungileyo” zikhankanywe kunye. Oku kufanelekile, kuba eBhayibhileni, inceba idla ngokubhekisela ekubeni nenkxalabo ngabanye, uvelwano oluvelisa isivuno esityebileyo sezenzo zobubele. Enye incwadi iyichaza inceba “njengemvakalelo yosizi ngenxa yemeko embi eyehlele othile nokuzama ukwenza okuthile ngayo.” Ngoko, ubulumko bobuthixo abububo obungenaluvelwano namfesane, okanye into nje yasengqondweni. Kunoko, bunobubele novelwano. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sizele yinceba?

16, 17. (a) Ukongezelela ekuthandeni uThixo, yintoni esishukumisela ukuba sibe nesabelo emsebenzini wokushumayela, yaye ngoba? (b) Ziziphi iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba sizele yinceba?

¹⁶ Ngokuqinisekileyo indlela ebalulekileyo kukwabelana nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo. Yintoni esishukumisela ukuba senze lo msebenzi? Ngokuyintloko, luthando ngoThixo. Kodwa sikwashukunyiswa nayinceba, okanye uvelwano ngabanye. (Mateyu 22:37-39) Abaninzi namhlanje ‘bahlinzekile, belahliwe njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.’ (Mateyu 9:36) Baye batyeshelwa baza bamfanyekiswa ngokomoya ngabalusi bonqulo lobuxoki. Ngenxa yoko, abalwazi ulwalathiso lobulumko olufumaneka eLizwini likaThixo okanye iintsikelelo eziya kuziswa kungekudala buBukumkani kulo mhlaba. Ngenxa yoko xa sicamngca ngeentswelo zokomoya zabo basingqongileyo, uvelwano lwethu olusuk’ entliziyweni lusishukumisela ukuba senze okusemandleni ethu ukubaxelela ngenjongo kaYehova yothando.

¹⁷ Ziziphi ezinye iindlela esinokubonisa ngazo ukuba sizele yinceba? Khumbula umzekeliso kaYesu womSamariya  owafumana umhambi elele ecaleni kwendlela, ephangiwe waza wabethwa. Ngokuqhutywa luvelwano, loo mSamariya ‘walenzela inceba’ elo xhoba, walibopha amanxeba waza walinyamekela. (Luka 10:29-37) Ngaba oku akubonisi ukuba inceba ibandakanya ukunceda abo basweleyo? IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba “senze okulungileyo kubo bonke, ngokukodwa kwabo bahlobene nathi elukholweni.” (Galati 6:10) Khawucinge nje ngeendlela onokukwenza ngazo oku. Ubani owalupheleyo okholwa naye usenokungabi nanto yokuhamba ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Umhlolokazi osebandleni usenokuswela ubani onokumnceda ekulungiseni ikhaya lakhe. (Yakobi 1:27) Ubani odimazekileyo usenokuswela “ilizwi elilungileyo” lokumvuselela. (IMizekeliso 12:25) Xa sibonisa inceba ngezo ndlela, sinikela ubungqina bokuba ubulumko obuvela phezulu buyasebenza kuthi.

18. Ukuba silawulwa bubulumko obuvela phezulu, yintoni esifanele sizabalazele ukuyisusa ezintliziyweni zethu, yaye ngoba?

¹⁸ “Abucaluli ngokukhetha ubuso.” Ubulumko bobuthixo buyawongamela umkhethe wobuhlanga nekratshi lobuzwe. Ukuba silawulwa bobo bulumko, sizabalazela ukususa ezintliziyweni zethu naluphi na utyekelo lokubonisa umkhethe. (Yakobi 2:9) Asibaphathi kakuhle abanye ngenxa yokuba befundile, benemali, okanye beneembopheleleko ebandleni, yaye asijongeli phantsi nabaphi na kwabo sikhonza nabo, kungakhathaliseki ukuba babonakala behleleleke kangakanani na. Ukuba uYehova uyabathanda abo banjalo, ngokuqinisekileyo nathi sifanele sibathande.

19, 20. (a) Livela phi igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi”? (b) Siwubonisa njani “umsa wobuzalwana ongenaluhanahaniso,” yaye kutheni kubalulekile nje oku?

¹⁹ “Abunaluhanahaniso.” Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi” linokubhekisela “kumdlali weqonga oye wadlala indima ethile.” Kumaxesha amandulo, abadlali beqonga bamaGrike nabamaRoma babenxiba isigqubuthelo  esikhulu sobuso ebudeni bomdlalo. Ngenxa yoko, igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umhanahanisi” lalibhekisela kubani okhohlisayo, okanye ubani ozenza umntu angenguye. Le nkalo yobulumko bobuthixo ifanele iphembelele kungekuphela nje indlela esibaphatha ngayo abo sikhonza nabo kodwa kwanendlela esivakalelwa ngayo ngabo.

²⁰ Umpostile uPetros wathi ‘ukuyithobela kwethu inyaniso’ kufanele kuphumele “kumsa wobuzalwana ongenaluhanahaniso.” (1 Petros 1:22) Ewe, umsa wethu ngabazalwana bethu awufanele ube ngowenkwalambisa. Asinxibi zigqubuthelo zobuso okanye sidlale iindima ezithile ukuze sikhohlise abanye. Umsa wethu umele ube ngowokwenene, nosuk’ entliziyweni. Oko kuya kwenza ukuba abo sikholwa nabo babe nentembelo kuthi, kuba baya kwazi ukuba sikoko sibonakala sikuko. Ukunyaniseka okunjalo kuvula indlela yolwalamano olunyanisekileyo phakathi kwamaKristu yaye kwenza ukuba amalungu ebandla abe nentembelo elinye kwelinye.

21, 22. (a) Wasilela njani uSolomon ukulondoloza ubulumko? (b) Thina sinokubulondoloza njani ubulumko, yaye siya kungenelwa njani ngokwenjenjalo?

²¹ Ubulumko bobuthixo busisipho esivela kuYehova, esifanele sisilondoloze. USolomon wathi: “Nyana wam, . . . londoloza ubulumko bobuqili namandla okucinga.” (IMizekeliso 3:21) Ngelishwa, yena uSolomon wasilela ukwenjenjalo. Wahlala esisilumko logama wayenentliziyo ethobekileyo. Kodwa ekugqibeleni, abafazi bakhe abaninzi basemzini bayityekisa intliziyo yakhe kunqulo olunyulu lukaYehova. (1 Kumkani 11:1-8) Oko kwamehlelayo uSolomon kubonisa ukuba ulwazi aluncedi kangako ukuba asilusebenzisi kakuhle.

²² Sinokubulondoloza njani ubulumko bobuqili? Asimele siphelele nje ngokufunda rhoqo iBhayibhile neempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni ezilungiselelwa “likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi” kodwa sikwamele sizabalazele ukusebenzisa oko sikufundayo. (Mateyu 24:45) Sinesizathu esinamandla sokubonisa ubulumko bobuthixo. Buya kusinceda siphile ubomi obubhetele ngoku. Buya kusinceda sifumane “ubomi benene”—ubomi kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (1 Timoti 6:19) Yaye okona kubalulekileyo kukuba, ukuhlakulela ubulumko obuvela phezulu kusisondeza ngakumbi kumthombo wabo bonke ubulumko, uYehova uThixo.