1 AMakhosi 8:22-53

USolomoni wema phambi kwe-althare likaSimakade, phambi kwalo lonke ibandla lakwa-Israyeli, welulela izandla zakhe ngasezulwini, wathi: “Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akekho unkulunkulu onjengawe phezulu ezulwini nasemhlabeni phansi, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa nezinceku zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo, okufezile encekwini yakho uDavide, ubaba, lokho owakusho kuyo; yebo, lokho owakukhuluma ngomlomo wakho ukufezile ngesandla sakho njengokuba kunjalo namuhla. “Ngakho-ke Simakade Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, kufeze encekwini yakho uDavide, ubaba, lokho owakusho kuyo wathi: ‘Akunakwenzeka ukuba kungabi bikho muntu phambi kwami ovela kuwe oyakuhlala esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli, kuphela nje uma abozalo lwakho beyoqaphela indlela yabo ukuba bahambe phambi kwami, njengalokhu wena wenzile phambi kwami.’ Ngakho-ke Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, maliqiniswe izwi lakho owalisho encekwini yakho uDavide, ubaba. “Kepha uNkulunkulu uyakuhlala ngempela yini emhlabeni na? Ngisho izulu nezulu lamazulu alinakukumumatha; pho ibiyini-ke le ndlu encane engiyakhileyo na? Mawulalele umkhuleko wenceku yakho nokunxusa kwayo, Simakade Nkulunkulu wami, kuzwe ukukhala nokukhuleka inceku yakho ekukhuleka phambi kwakho namuhla, ukuba amehlo akho ayibheke le ndlu ubusuku nemini, indawo owathi ngayo: ‘Igama lami liyakuba khona lapho,’ ukuze ulalele umkhuleko inceku yakho eyakuwukhuleka ibhekene nale ndawo. Ukulalele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho u-Israyeli abayakukukhuleka bekule ndawo, kuzwe usendaweni yakho ohlala kuyo ezulwini, nalapho usuzwile, uthethelele. “Uma umuntu ona umakhelwane wakhe, athweswe isifungo, bese efunga phambi kwe-althare lakho kule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, wenze, wehlulele izinceku zakho, kulahlwe ngecala omubi, ubeke indlela yakhe phezu kwekhanda lakhe, ukhulule olungileyo, umnike njengokulunga kwakhe. “Lapho abantu bakho u-Israyeli benqotshwa yisitha, ngenxa yokuba bonile kuwe, kepha bese bebuya bephindela kuwe, balivume igama lakho, bakhuleke, becela umusa kuwe bekule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho u-Israyeli, ubabuyisele ezweni owalinika okhokho babo. “Lapho izulu livaliwe, kungekho mvula, ngokuba bonile kuwe, kepha bese bekhuleka bekule ndawo, badumise iGama lakho, baphenduke esonweni sabo, abashaywe ngenxa yaso, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, uthethelele isono sezinceku zakho nesabantu bakho u-Israyeli, lapho ubafundisa indlela enhle abayakuhamba ngayo, uthumele imvula ezweni lakho obanike lona abantu bakho ukuba libe yifa labo. “Uma kukhona indlala ezweni, ubhubhane, ukuhwamuka, isikhutha, isikhonyane, umswenya, noma isitha sabo sibavimbezela ezweni emasangweni abo, noma ngabe iyiphi inhlupheko nobhubhane, bese kuzwakala nanoma yimuphi umkhuleko, nanoma yikuphi ukunxusa, okuvela kunoma yimuphi umuntu, nakubo bonke abantu bakho, u-Israyeli, ngamunye azi inhlupheko yenhliziyo yakhe, elulele izandla zakhe kule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, indawo yakho ohlala kuyo, uyakuthethelela, wenze, unike yilowo nalowo njengezindlela zakhe, ngokuba nguwe wedwa owazi okusenhliziyweni yalowo nalowo muntu, ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwabo ezweni owalinika okhokho babo. “Futhi owezizwe ongesiye owabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, lapho evela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho, ngokuba bayakuzwa ngegama lakho elikhulu, nangesandla sakho esinamandla, nangengalo yakho eyeluliweyo, bese eza akhuleke kule ndlu, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, indawo yakho ohlala kuyo, wenze njengakho konke owezizwe akucelile kuwe, ukuze bonke abantu bomhlaba balazi igama lakho, bakwesabe Wena njengabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, baze bazi ukuthi igama lakho libiziwe phezu kwale ndlu engiyakhileyo. “Uma abantu bakho bephuma impi, beyolwa nesitha sabo ngendlela obathuma ngayo, bese bekhuleka kuSimakade, bebheke kulo muzi owukhethileyo nakule ndlu engiyakhele igama lakho, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubenzele ubulungiswa. “Uma bona kuwe ngokuba akukho muntu ongoniyo, bese ubathukuthelela, ubanikele esitheni, bathunjwe, bayiswe ezweni lesitha esibathumbileyo, elikude noma eliseduze, kepha bese ubuya umqondo wabo besezweni abathunjelwe kulo, baphenduke, bakunxuse besezweni lababathumbileyo bathi: ‘Sonile, senze okungalungile, senze okubi;’ uma bephendukela kuwe ngenhliziyo yabo yonke nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo besezweni lezitha zabo ezibathumbileyo, bakhuleke kuwe bebheke ezweni lakubo owalinika okhokho babo, umuzi owukhethileyo, nendlu engiyakhele igama lakho, mawuzwe Wena usezulwini, indawo yakho yokuhlala, umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubenzele ubulungiswa, uthethelele abantu bakho abonile kuwe, nazo zonke iziphambeko zabo abaphambuke kuwe ngazo, ubenzele ukuba bathole isihe phambi kwababathumbileyo, babaphathe ngesihe, ngokuba bangabantu bakho nefa lakho owalikhipha eGibhithe nasesithandweni somlilo wensimbi. Amehlo akho mawavulekele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokunxusa kwabantu bakho, u-Israyeli, ubezwe kukho konke abakhala ngakho kuwe. Ngokuba Wena wazehlukanisela bona phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba, ukuba babe yifa lakho, njengalokho wawukhulumile ngesandla sikaMose, inceku yakho, ngesikhathi ukhipha okhokho bethu eGibhithe, Nkosi Simakade.”