1 Amakhosi 8:22-53

USolomoni wema phambi kwe-altare likaJehova phambi kwayo yonke inhlangano yakwa-Israyeli, welulela izandla zakhe ezulwini. Wathi: “Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, akakho uNkulunkulu onjengawe ezulwini naphansi emhlabeni, ogcina isivumelwano nomusa ezincekwini zakho ezihamba phambi kwakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yazo. Owagcina encekwini yakho, ubaba uDavide, lokho owakuthembisa kuyo; wakhuluma ngomlomo wakho, wakugcwalisa ngesandla sakho njengokuba kunjalo namuhla. Ngakho-ke, Jehova Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, gcina encekwini yakho, ubaba uDavide, lokho owakuthembisa kuye ngokuthi: ‘Akuyikuntula muntu emehlweni ami ukuba ahlale esihlalweni sobukhosi sika-Israyeli; ukuze abantwana bakho babone indlela yabo, ukuthi bahambe phambi kwami, njengoba wahamba phambi kwami. Manje, Nkulunkulu ka-Israyeli, maligcwaliseke izwi lakho owalikhuluma encekwini yakho, ubaba uDavide. Kodwa ingabe uNkulunkulu uzophila ngempela emhlabeni? bheka, izulu nezulu lamazulu alinakukwanela; kakhulu kangakanani le ndlu engiyakhileyo? Kepha lalela umkhuleko wenceku yakho nokunxusa kwayo, Jehova Nkulunkulu wami, ukuba uzwe ukukhala nomkhuleko inceku yakho ewukhulekayo phambi kwakho namuhla. Ukuze amehlo akho avuleke kule ndlu, ubusuku nemini, nendawo owasho ngayo ukuthi: ‘Igama lami liyakuba lapho, ukuze uzwe umkhuleko inceku yakho eyakuwenza kule ndawo. Kulalele ukunxusa kwenceku yakho nokwabantu bakho u-Israyeli lapho bekhuleka kule ndawo; ngikulalele usezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala; futhi lapho usuzwile, uthethelele. Uma umuntu ona kumakhelwane wakhe, athweswe isifungo sokumfungisa, bese kufika isifungo phambi kwe-altare lakho kule ndlu, Yizwa-ke usezulwini, wenze, wahlulele izinceku zakho ngokulahla omubi, ubeke indlela yakhe phezu kwekhanda lakhe; nolungileyo, amnike njengokulunga kwakhe. Lapho abantu bakho u-Israyeli behlulwa phambi kwesitha, ngokuba bonile kuwe, baphendukela kuwe, balivume igama lakho, bakhuleke, bakuncenge kule ndlu, Yizwa usezulwini, uthethelele isono sabantu bakho u-Israyeli, ubabuyisele ezweni owalinika oyise. Uma izulu livalekile, imvula ingabi khona, ngokuba bonile kuwe; uma bekhuleka kule ndawo futhi bevuma igama lakho futhi bephenduka esonweni sabo uma ubacindezela; Yizwa usezulwini, uthethelele isono sezinceku zakho nesabantu bakho u-Israyeli ukuba ubafundise indlela enhle abamelwe ukuhamba ngayo, unise imvula ezweni lakho owalinika abantu bakho njengefa. Uma kukhona indlala ezweni, uma kukhona umashayabhuqe, izikhukhula, isikhutha, izinkumbi nezinkumbi; uma izitha zabo zibavimbezela ezweni lemizi yabo; noma yisiphi isifo, noma yisiphi isifo; Noma yimuphi umthandazo nokunxusa okungase kwenziwe yinoma ubani noma yibo bonke abantu bakho u-Israyeli abayokwazi, kube yilowo nalowo inhlupho yenhliziyo yakhe futhi belulele izandla zabo kule ndlu; Yizwa-ke usezulwini, lapho uhlala khona, uthethelele, wenze, unike yilowo nalowo njengezindlela zakhe owazi inhliziyo yakhe; (ngoba nguwe wedwa owazi izinhliziyo zabantwana babantu;) ukuze bakwesabe zonke izinsuku zokuphila kwabo ezweni owalinika obaba. Kepha umfokazi ongesiye owabantu bakho u-Israyeli kepha ovela ezweni elikude ngenxa yegama lakho; (Ngokuba bayakuzwa ngegama lakho elikhulu, nangesandla sakho esinamandla, nangengalo yakho eyeluliweyo) uma eza akhuleke ebheke kule ndlu; Yizwa wena ezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, wenze njengakho konke umfokazi akubiza ngakho, ukuze zonke izizwe zomhlaba zilazi igama lakho, zikwesabe njengabantu bakho u-Israyeli; ukuze bazi ukuthi iGama lakho libiziwe phezu kwalendlu engiyakhileyo. Uma abantu bakho bephuma ukulwa nesitha sabo, nomaphi lapho ubathuma, bakhuleke kuJehova bebheke emzini owukhethileyo, nasendlini engiyakhele igama lakho; Yizwa-ke ezulwini umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo, ubamela icala labo. Uma bona kuwe (ngokuba akukho muntu ongoni) bese ubathukuthelela, ubanikele esandleni sesitha, ukuze babathumbe babayise ezweni lesitha, elikude noma eliseduze; Kepha uma becabanga ezweni abathunjelwe kulo, bephenduka, bancenge kuwe ezweni lalabo ababebathumbile, bethi: Sonile, senza okubi, senzile ububi; babuyele kuwe ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo ezweni lezitha zabo ezabathumbayo, bakhuleke kuwe ngendlela yezwe labo owalinika oyise, umuzi owawukhethayo, nendlu engiyakhele igama lakho; Yizwa umkhuleko wabo nokunxusa kwabo ezulwini, endaweni yakho yokuhlala, ubamele indaba yabo, Ubathethelele abantu bakho abonile kuwe, nazo zonke iziphambeko zabo abeqe ngazo kuwe, ubenzele umusa phambi kwalabo ababathumbile njengeziboshwa, ukuze babe nesihe kubo. Ngokuba bangabantu bakho nefa lakho owalikhipha eGibithe, esithandweni sensimbi; ukuze amehlo akho avuleke ekunxuseni kwenceku yakho nasekunxuseni kwabantu bakho u-Israyeli ukuba ubalalele kukho konke abakhala ngakho kuwe. Ngoba wena wabahlukanisa phakathi kwabantu bonke bomhlaba ukuze babe yilifa lakho, njengokukhuluma kwakho ngesandla sikaMozisi inceku yakho ekukhupheni kwakho obaba eGibhithe, Nkosi Jehova.