1 Kumkani
8 Ngelo xesha uSolomon+ wahlanganisela+ amadoda amakhulu+ akwaSirayeli, zonke iintloko zezizwe,+ izikhulu zooyise,+ boonyana bakaSirayeli, kuKumkani uSolomon eYerusalem, ukuze anyuse ityeya yomnqophiso+ kaYehova iphume kwisiXeko sikaDavide,+ oko kukuthi, eZiyon.+ 2 Ngoko onke amadoda akwaSirayeli ahlanganisana kuKumkani uSolomon ngenyanga enguEtanim emthendelekweni,+ oko kukuthi, inyanga yesixhenxe.+ 3 Ngoko onke amadoda amakhulu akwaSirayeli eza, nababingeleli bathwala+ iTyeya.+ 4 Yaye bayinyusa ityeya kaYehova nentente+ yokuhlangana+ nazo zonke iimpahla ezingcwele ezazisententeni; kwaye ababingeleli nabaLevi+ bazinyusa.+ 5 Yaye uKumkani uSolomon kunye nendibano yonke kaSirayeli, abo babegcina idinga labo lokuhlanganisana kunye naye, babephambi kweTyeya, bebingelela+ ngezimvu neenkomo ezazingenakulinganiswa okanye zibalwe ngenxa yobuninzi.+
6 Bandula ke ababingeleli bezisa ityeya+ yomnqophiso kaYehova endaweni yayo,+ kwelona gumbi lingaphakathi endlwini, eYona Ngcwele, phantsi kwamaphiko eekherubhi.+
7 Kuba iikherubhi zazolule amaphiko azo phezu kwendawo yeTyeya, kangangokuba iikherubhi zazigcina iTyeya nezibonda zayo zikhuselekile ngaphezulu.+ 8 Kodwa izibonda+ zazizide, kangangokuba iincam zezibonda zazibonakala kwiNgcwele ngaphambi kwelona gumbi lingaphakathi, kodwa zazingabonakali ngaphandle. Yaye zisaqhubeka zilapho de kube namhla.+ 9 Kwakungekho nto kwiTyeya ngaphandle kwamacwecwe amabini+ amatye awayebekwe nguMoses+ apho eHorebhe, xa uYehova wenza umnqophiso+ noonyana bakaSirayeli ngoxa babephuma kwilizwe laseYiputa.+
10 Kwathi xa ababingeleli bephuma kwindawo engcwele, ilifu+ lazalisa indlu kaYehova. 11 Kwaye ababingeleli+ abazange bakwazi ukuma ukuze balungiselele+ ngenxa yelifu, kuba ubuqaqawuli+ bukaYehova bazalisa indlu kaYehova.+ 12 Ngelo xesha uSolomon wathi: “UYehova ngokwakhe wathi uya kuhlala kwintsunguzi yesithokothoko.+ 13 Ndikwakhele indlu yokuhlala ephakamileyo ngokuphumelelayo,+ indawo yakho emisiweyo+ yokuba uhlale kuyo ukusa kwixesha elingenammiselo.”+
14 Wandula ukumkani wabuphethula ubuso bakhe, walisikelela+ lonke ibandla likaSirayeli, ngoxa lonke ibandla likaSirayeli lalimile. 15 Yaye wahlabela mgama wathi: “Makabongwe uYehova+ uTHIXO kaSirayeli, owathetha ngomlomo wakhe noDavide+ ubawo kwaye ngesandla sakhe uye wazalisekisa,+ esithi, 16 ‘Kususela ngemini endabakhupha ngayo abantu bam amaSirayeli eYiputa andinyulanga+ sixeko kuzo zonke izizwe zakwaSirayeli ukuba sakhe indlu+ yegama lam+ ukuba liqhubeke lilapho; kodwa ndiya kunyula uDavide ukuba aphathe abantu bam amaSirayeli.’+ 17 Yaye kwakusentliziyweni kaDavide ubawo ukuba alakhele indlu igama likaYehova uTHIXO kaSirayeli.+ 18 Kodwa uYehova wathi kuDavide ubawo, ‘Ngenxa yokuba bekusentliziyweni yakho ukwakhela igama lam indlu, wenze kakuhle, ngenxa yokuba kuye kwasentliziyweni yakho oko.+ 19 Kuphela wena akuyi kuyakha ngokwakho indlu, kodwa unyana wakho ophuma esinqeni sakho nguye oya kulakhela indlu igama lam.’+ 20 UYehova waliphumeza ilizwi lakhe+ awayelithethile, ukuze ndivele esikhundleni sikaDavide ubawo ndize ndihlale etroneni yakwaSirayeli,+ kanye njengoko uYehova wayethethile, nokuze ndilakhele indlu igama likaYehova uTHIXO kaSirayeli,+ 21 nokuze ndiyimisele indawo iTyeya apho ukhoyo umnqophiso+ kaYehova awawenza nookhokho bethu ekubakhupheni kwakhe kwilizwe laseYiputa.”
22 USolomon wema phambi kwesibingelelo+ sikaYehova phambi kwalo lonke ibandla likaSirayeli, wazolulela emazulwini izandla zakhe;+ 23 waza wahlabela mgama wathi: “Owu Yehova THIXO kaSirayeli,+ akukho Thixo unjengawe+ emazulwini phezulu okanye emhlabeni phantsi, ugcina umnqophiso nobubele bothando+ kubakhonzi bakho+ abahamba phambi kwakho ngentliziyo yabo yonke,+ 24 wena oye wakugcina oko wakuthembisa umkhonzi wakho uDavide ubawo, kangangokuba wenza isithembiso ngomlomo wakho, kwaye ngesandla sakho uye wasenza sazaliseka, njenganamhla.+ 25 Ke kaloku, Yehova THIXO kaSirayeli, kugcine kumkhonzi wakho uDavide ubawo oko wamthembisa kona, usithi, ‘Akuyi kubakho mntu wakho uya kunqunyulwa phambi kwam ukuba ahlale etroneni kaSirayeli,+ ukuba kuphela oonyana bakho baya kunyamekela indlela yabo ngokuhamba phambi kwam kanye njengoko wahambayo phambi kwam.’ 26 Ke kaloku, Thixo kaSirayeli, khawenze isithembiso+ owamthembisa ngaso umkhonzi wakho uDavide ubawo singqineke kunokukholoswa ngaso.
27 “Kodwa ngaba ngokwenene uThixo uya kuhlala emhlabeni?+ Khangela! Amazulu,+ ewe, izulu lawo amazulu,+ alikulingene;+ kobeka phi, ke, kule ndlu+ ndiyakhileyo! 28 Kwaye umele uwuphulaphule umthandazo+ womkhonzi wakho nesicelo sakhe sobabalo,+ Yehova Thixo wam, ukuze uphulaphule isikhalo sokubongoza nomthandazo awuthandazayo umkhonzi wakho phambi kwakho namhlanje;+ 29 ukuze amehlo akho abe nokuvulekela+ kule ndlu ubusuku nemini, kule ndawo wathi ngayo, ‘Igama lam liya kuba lapho,’+ ukuze uphulaphule umthandazo athandaza ngawo umkhonzi wakho ngale ndawo.+ 30 Kwaye umele uphulaphule isicelo sobabalo+ somkhonzi wakho nesabantu bakho amaSirayeli abathandazela ngaso le ndawo; yaye kwanga ungeva ukwindawo ohlala kuyo, emazulwini,+ kwaye umele uve uze uxolele.+
31 “Xa umntu esona idlelane lakhe,+ lize libeke isiqalekiso kuye limenze afanelwe sisiqalekiso,+ yaye eze phambi kwesibingelelo sakho kule ndlu ekwisiqalekiso, 32 kwanga ungeva nawe usemazulwini, uze ubagwebe abakhonzi bakho ngokuvakalisa lowo ungendawo engongendawo ngokubeka indlela yakhe phezu kwentloko yakhe,+ nangokuvakalisa lowo ulilungisa elilungisa+ ngokumnika ngokuvisisana nobulungisa bakhe.+
33 “Xa abantu bakho amaSirayeli besoyiswa phambi kotshaba,+ ngenxa yokuba baqhubeka bekona,+ baze babuyele kuwe+ balibonge igama lakho+ bathandaze+ yaye bacele ubabalo kuwe kule ndlu,+ 34 kwanga ungeva usemazulwini, uze usixolele isono sabantu bakho amaSirayeli+ ubabuyisele+ kumhlaba owawunika ookhokho babo.+
35 “Xa izulu livaliwe kangangokuba kungabikho mvula,+ ngenxa yokuba baye baqhubeka bekona,+ baze bathandaze kule ndawo+ balibonge igama lakho, babuye nasesonweni sabo, ngenxa yokuba uye waqhubeka ubaxhwalekisa,+ 36 kwanga ungeva usemazulwini, uze usixolele isono sabakhonzi bakho, bona kanye abantu bakho amaSirayeli, ngenxa yokuba ubafundisa+ indlela elungileyo abafanele bahambe ngayo;+ uze uzise imvula+ kwilizwe lakho olinike abantu bakho njengelifa.
37 “Ukuba kunokwenzeka kubekho indlala+ elizweni, ukuba kunokwenzeka kubekho indyikitya yokufa,+ ukuba kunokwenzeka kubekho imbalela, isihumba,+ iinkumbi,+ amaphela;+ ukuba kunokwenzeka utshaba lwabo lubangqinge kwilizwe lamasango abo—naluphi na uhlobo lwesibetho, naluphi na uhlobo lwesifo— 38 nawuphi na umthandazo,+ nasiphi na isicelo sobabalo+ esinokubakho kuye nawuphi na umntu kubo bonke abantu bakho amaSirayeli,+ ngenxa yokuba ngamnye uyasazi isibetho sentliziyo yakhe,+ baze bazolulele kule ndlu izandla zabo,+ 39 kwanga ungeva usemazulwini,+ kwindawo ohlala kuyo emisiweyo,+ uze uxolele+ yaye wenze,+ unike ngamnye ngokweendlela zakhe zonke,+ ngenxa yokuba uyayazi intliziyo yakhe+ (kuba nguwe kuphela oyazi kakuhle intliziyo yabo bonke oonyana boluntu);+ 40 ukuze bakoyike+ yonke imihla yokuphila kwabo phezu komhlaba owawunika ookhokho bethu.+
41 “Kwanowasemzini,+ ongeyiyo inxalenye yabantu bakho amaSirayeli ovela kwilizwe elikude ngenxa yegama lakho+ 42 (kuba baya kuva ngegama lakho elikhulu+ nangesandla sakho esomeleleyo+ nangengalo yakho eyoluliweyo), aze eze kuthandaza kule ndlu,+ 43 kwanga ungeva usemazulwini, kwindawo ohlala kuyo emisiweyo,+ uze wenze ngokuvumelana nako konke oko akubizayo owasemzini;+ ukuze zonke izizwana zomhlaba zilazi igama lakho+ zize zikoyike njengabantu bakho amaSirayeli, ukuze zazi ukuba le ndlu ndiyakhileyo ibizwe ngegama lakho.+
44 “Ukuba kunokwenzeka abantu bakho baye emfazweni+ nxamnye notshaba lwabo ngendlela obathumela ngayo,+ baze eneneni bathandaze+ kuYehova bejonge kwisixeko osinyulileyo+ nendlu endiyakhele igama lakho,+ 45 umele uwuve usemazulwini umthandazo wabo nokucela kwabo ubabalo, yaye umele ubagwebele.+
46 “Ukuba kunokwenzeka bakone+ (kuba akukho mntu ungoniyo),+ yaye ube nomsindo kubo uze ubanikele elutshabeni, baze abathimbi babo babathabathe njengabathinjwa babase kwilizwe lotshaba elikufuphi okanye elikude;+ 47 baze ngokwenene babuyele ezingqondweni bekwilizwe abathatyathelwa kulo njengabathinjwa,+ babuye+ bacele+ ubabalo kuwe kwilizwe labathimbi,+ besithi, ‘Sonile+ saza senza isiphoso,+ senze ngokungendawo’;+ 48 baze ngokwenene babuyele kuwe ngentliziyo yabo+ yonke nangomphefumlo wabo wonke kwilizwe leentshaba zabo ezabathabatha njengabathinjwa, bathandaze kuwe bejonge kwilizwe labo owalinika ookhokho babo, isixeko osinyulileyo nendlu endiyakhele igama lakho;+ 49 umele uwuve usemazulwini, kwindawo ohlala kuyo emisiweyo,+ umthandazo wabo nokucela kwabo ubabalo, yaye umele ubagwebele,+ 50 uze ubaxolele+ abantu bakho abakonileyo+ nako konke ukunxaxha+ kwabo abanxaxhe ngako nxamnye nawe;+ uze ubenze basizeleke+ phambi kwabathimbi babo yaye babasizele 51 (kuba bangabantu bakho nelifa lakho,+ owabakhupha eYiputa,+ ngaphakathi kwiziko lentsimbi),+ 52 ukuze amehlo akho avuleke kwisicelo sobabalo+ somkhonzi wakho nakwisicelo sobabalo sabantu bakho amaSirayeli, ngokubaphulaphula kuko konke abakucelayo kuwe.+ 53 Kuba wena ngokwakho wabahlula njengelifa lakho kuzo zonke izizwana zomhlaba,+ kanye njengoko wathethayo ngoMoses+ umkhonzi wakho xa wawukhupha ookhokho bethu eYiputa, Owu Nkosi enguMongami Yehova.”
54 Kwathi kamsinya nje akuba uSolomon egqibile ukuthandaza kuYehova ngawo wonke lo mthandazo nesicelo sobabalo, waphakama phambi kwesibingelelo sikaYehova, ekugobeni+ phantsi ngamadolo izandla zakhe zolulelwe emazulwini;+ 55 wema+ waza walisikelela+ lonke ibandla likaSirayeli ngelizwi elikhulu, esithi: 56 “Makabongwe uYehova,+ oye wanika abantu bakhe amaSirayeli indawo yokuphumla ngokuvumelana nako konke oko wakuthembisayo.+ Akukho nalinye ilizwi+ eliye lasilela kuso sonke isithembiso sakhe esilungileyo awasithembisayo ngoMoses umkhonzi wakhe.+ 57 Wanga uYehova uThixo wethu angaba nathi+ kanye njengoko wayenookhokho bethu.+ Wanga akangesishiyi okanye asilahle,+ 58 ukuze intliziyo yethu+ ityekele kuye ukuba sihambe ezindleleni zakhe zonke+ size sigcine imiyalelo yakhe+ nemimiselo yakhe+ nezigwebo zakhe,+ awazinikela njengomyalelo kookhokho bethu. 59 Yaye kwanga la mazwi am endenze ngawo isicelo sobabalo phambi koYehova angaba kufuphi+ noYehova uThixo wethu imini nobusuku, ukuze abe nokuphumeza umgwebo kumkhonzi wakhe nomgwebo kubantu bakhe amaSirayeli njengoko kusengayimfuneko imihla+ ngemihla; 60 ukuze zonke izizwana zomhlaba zazi+ ukuba uYehova nguTHIXO oyinyaniso.+ Akakho omnye.+ 61 Yaye intliziyo yenu imele iphelele+ kuYehova uThixo wethu ngokuhamba ngemimiselo yakhe nangokugcina imiyalelo yakhe njengoko kunjalo namhlanje.”
62 Ukumkani naye wonke uSirayeli owayekunye naye babenikela umbingelelo omkhulu phambi koYehova.+ 63 USolomon wanikela umbingelelo wobudlelane+ ekwakufuneka awunikele kuYehova, amashumi amabini anesibini amawaka eenkomo nekhulu elinamashumi amabini amawaka ezimvu,+ ukuze ukumkani nabo bonke oonyana bakaSirayeli basungule+ indlu kaYehova. 64 Ngaloo mini ukumkani kwafuneka angcwalise umphakathi wentendelezo ephambi kwendlu kaYehova,+ ngenxa yokuba wayeza kuwenzela apho umbingelelo otshiswayo nomnikelo wokudla okuziinkozo namanqatha emibingelelo yobudlelane; kuba isibingelelo sobhedu+ esiphambi koYehova sasisincinane kakhulu ukuba singaqulatha umbingelelo otshiswayo nomnikelo wokudla okuziinkozo namanqatha+ ombingelelo wobudlelane. 65 Yaye uSolomon ngelo xesha waqhuba umthendeleko,+ yaye wonke uSirayeli ekunye naye, ibandla elikhulu+ ukususela ekungeneni eHamati+ kude kuse kwintlambo yaseYiputa,+ phambi koYehova uThixo wethu iintsuku ezisixhenxe nezinye iintsuku ezisixhenxe, iintsuku ezilishumi elinesine.+ 66 Ngosuku lwesibhozo wabandulula abantu;+ yaye baqalisa ukumsikelela ukumkani baza baya emakhayeni abo, benemihlali+ yaye bechwayitile entliziyweni+ ngako konke ukulunga+ uYehova awayekwenzele uDavide umkhonzi wakhe namaSirayeli abantu bakhe.