“Isibopho Esiphelele Somuntu”
“Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, [ngoba lokhu kuyisibopho esiphelele somuntu, NW].”—UMSHUMAYELI 12:13.
1, 2. Kungani kufanelekile ukucabangela isibopho sethu kuNkulunkulu?
“UJEHOVA ufunani kuwe?” Umprofethi wasendulo waphakamisa lowo mbuzo. Wabe esephawula lokho uJehova akufunayo—ukwenza ukulunga, ukuthanda umusa nokuhamba noNkulunkulu wakho ngokuthobeka.—Mika 6:8.
2 Kulesi sikhathi sobumina nokuzibusa, abaningi abawuthandi umqondo wokuthi uNkulunkulu ufuna okuthile kubo. Abafuni ukuba nesibopho. Kodwa kuthiwani ngesiphetho uSolomoni asifinyelela kumShumayeli? “Nakhu ukuphela kwendaba, lapho sekuzwakele konke: Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, [ngoba lokhu kuyisibopho esiphelele somuntu, NW].”—UmShumayeli 12:13.
3. Kungani kufanele siyicabangele ngobuqotho incwadi yomShumayeli?
3 Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izimo nombono wethu uyini ekuphileni, singazuza kakhulu uma sicabangela isizinda saleso siphetho. INkosi uSolomoni, umlobi walencwadi ephefumulelwe, yacabangela ezinye zezinto eziyingxenye yokuphila kwethu kwansuku zonke. Ngokuxhamazela abanye bangase baphethe ngokuthi ukuhlaziya kwakhe akukhuthazi. Kodwa kwakuphefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu futhi kungasisiza ukuba sihlaziye imisebenzi yethu nezinto eziza kuqala, okuyoletha injabulo eyengeziwe.
Ukubhekana Neminako Yokuphila Eyinhloko
4. Yini uSolomoni ayihlola futhi waxoxa ngayo kumShumayeli?
4 USolomoni wahlolisisa ‘umshikashika wamadodana abantu.’ “Nganikela inhliziyo yami ukufuna nokuvivinya ngokuhlakanipha konke okwenziwa phansi kwezulu.” Ngokuthi “umshikashika” uSolomoni wayengasho ngempela umsebenzi, noma umsebenzi wokuziphilisa, kodwa kunalokho wayesho yonke imisebenzi abesilisa nabesifazane abashikashikeka ngayo kukho konke ukuphila kwabo. (UmShumayeli 1:13) Ake sihlole iminako ethile eyinhloko, noma imishikashika, bese siqhathanisa imisebenzi yethu noma izinto eziza kuqala.
5. Yimuphi omunye wemishikashika eyinhloko yabantu?
5 Ngokuqinisekile imali iyinto eyinhloko eminakweni nasemisebenzini eminingi yomuntu. Akekho ongasho ngokufanele ukuthi uSolomoni wayengayigqizi qakala imali njengabanye abantu abacebile. Washeshe wavuma ukuthi imali idingekile; ukuba nemali eyanele kungcono kunokuphila ngokuswela noma ngobumpofu. (UmShumayeli 7:11, 12) Kodwa kumelwe ukuba ubonile ukuthi imali, kanye nezinto ezithengayo, ingaba umgomo oyinhloko ekuphileni—kwabampofu nabacebile.
6. Singafundani ngemali kweminye yemifanekiso kaJesu nakokuhlangenwe nakho kukaSolomoni?
6 Khumbula umfanekiso kaJesu wendoda ecebile eyalwela ukuthola okwengeziwe, ngenxa yokunganeliseki. UNkulunkulu wayahlulela njengengenangqondo. Ngani? Ngoba ‘ukuphila kwethu akuveli ezintweni esinazo.’ (Luka 12:15-21) Okuhlangenwe nakho kukaSolomoni—mhlawumbe okubanzi kunokwethu—kuyawaqinisekisa amazwi kaJesu. Funda incazelo kumShumayeli 2:4-9. Isikhathi esithile uSolomoni wazikhandla ukuze athole ingcebo. Wakha imizi nezivande zekhethelo. Imali yayimvumela ukuba abe nezancinza ezinhle futhi waba nazo. Ingabe ingcebo nalokho eyamenza wakwazi ukukwenza yamlethela ukwaneliseka okukhulu, umuzwa wokufeza okuthile ngempela nenjongo ekuphileni kwakhe? Waphendula ngobuqotho: “Ngase ngibhekana nemisebenzi yonke ezaziyenzile izandla zami, nomshikashika engangishikashikile ukuwenza; bheka, konke kwakuyize nokufuna umoya, akukho-nzuzo phansi kwelanga.”—UmShumayeli 2:11; 4:8.
7. (a) Okuhlangenwe nakho kubonisani ngokubaluleka kwemali? (b) Yini wena ngokwakho oyibonile efakazela isiphetho sikaSolomoni?
7 Lokho kuwukubhekana namaqiniso, iqiniso elibonakala ekuphileni kwabaningi. Kumelwe sivume ukuthi ukuba nemali eningi kumane nje akuzixazululi zonke izinkinga. Kungazixazulula ezinye, njengokwenza ukuba ukudla nezingubo kutholakale kalula. Kodwa umuntu angagqoka ingubo eyodwa ngesikhathi futhi ajabulele isilinganiso esithile nje sokudla nophuzo. Futhi uye wafunda ngabantu abacebile ukuphila kwabo okuphazanyiswa isehlukaniso, ukusetshenziswa kabi kotshwala noma izidakamizwa nokuxabana nezihlobo. Usozigidigidi uJ. P. Getty wathi: “Imali ayihlobene nakancane nenjabulo. Mhlawumbe ihlobene nokungajabuli.” Ngesizathu esihle, uSolomoni wabiza uthando lwesiliva ngeze. Qhathanisa lelo qiniso nokuphawula kukaSolomoni: “Ubuthongo besisebenzi bumnandi, noma sidla okuyingcosana noma okuningi, kepha ukusutha kocebileyo akumvumeli ukuba alale.”—UmShumayeli 5:10-12.
8. Yisiphi isizathu sokuba singabi nombono oweqisayo ngokubaluleka kwemali?
8 Futhi imali nempahla akuwulethi umuzwa wokwaneliseka ngekusasa. Ukube ubunemali nempahla eningi, cishe ubuyokhathazeka kakhulu ngokuyivikela, futhi ubusayolokhu ungazi ukuthi ikusasa likuphatheleni. Kungenzeka yini ikulahlekele yonke, kanye nokuphila kwakho? (UmShumayeli 5:13-17; 9:11, 12) Njengoba kunjalo, akufanele kube nzima ukubona ukuthi kungani ukuphila kwethu, noma umshikashika, kufanele kube nenjongo ephakeme nehlala njalo kunemali nempahla.
Umkhaya, Udumo Negunya
9. Kungani kwakufanele ukuba ukuphila komkhaya kungene ekuhloleni kukaSolomoni?
9 Ukuhlaziya kukaSolomoni ukuphila kwahlanganisa nendaba yokunaka umkhaya. IBhayibheli liqokomisa ukuphila komkhaya, kanye nenjabulo yokuba nezingane nokuzikhulisa. (Genesise 2:22-24; IHubo 127:3-5; IzAga 5:15, 18-20; 6:20; Marku 10:6-9; Efesu 5:22-33) Nokho, ingabe lokho kuyiwona mgomo wokuphila? Kubonakala sengathi abaningi bacabanga kanjalo, uma sicabangela indlela ezinye izizwe ezigcizelela ngayo umshado, ukuba nezingane, nezibopho zomkhaya. Nokho umShumayeli 6:3 ubonisa ukuthi ngisho nokuba nezingane eziyikhulu akusona isihluthulelo sokwaneliseka ekuphileni. Cabanga ukuthi bangaki abazali abaye bazidela ngenxa yezingane zabo ukuze bazinike isiqalo esihle futhi benze ukuphila kwazo kube lula. Nakuba lokho kukuhle, ngokuqinisekile uMdali wayengahlosile ukuba injongo eyinhloko yokuphila kwethu ibe nje ukudlulisela ukuphila esizukulwaneni esilandelayo, njengoba izilwane zenza kanjalo ngokomzwelo ukuze zande.
10. Kungani ukugxila ngokungafanele emkhayeni kungaba yize?
10 Ngokuqonda uSolomoni waveza amanye amaqiniso okuphila komkhaya. Ngokwesibonelo, indoda ingase igxile ekunakekeleni izingane nabazukulu bayo. Kodwa ingabe ziyobonisa ukuhlakanipha? Noma ingabe ziyokusebenzisa ngobuwula lokho azamé ukuzibekela kona? Uma zenza ngobuwula, yeka ukuthi kuyoba “yize nobubi obukhulu” kanjani!—UmShumayeli 2:18-21; 1 AmaKhosi 12:8; 2 IziKronike 12:1-4, 9.
11, 12. (a) Yimiphi imigomo ekuphileni abanye abaye bagxila kuyo? (b) Kungani kungase kuthiwe ukufuna ukuvelela ‘kuwukufuna umoya’?
11 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abaningi baye bakushaya indiva ukuphila komkhaya okuvamile ngenxa yemigomo yabo yokuthola udumo noma ukuba negunya phezu kwabanye. Leli kungase kube iphutha elivame kakhulu kwabesilisa. Ingabe uye wakubona lokhu kofunda nabo, osebenza nabo, noma komakhelwane? Abaningi bakuzabalazela ngamandla ukuqashelwa, ukuvelela, noma ukuba negunya phezu kwabanye. Kodwa ngempela kunengqondo kangakanani lokhu?
12 Cabanga ngendlela abanye abazama ngayo ukuzakhela udumo, ngezinga elincane noma elikhulu. Siyakubona esikoleni, komakhelwane, nasemaqenjini ahlukahlukene kaqed’isizungu. Kunamandla nakulabo abafuna ukwaziwa kwezobuciko, ezokuzijabulisa nezombangazwe. Nokho, ngokuyisisekelo akuwona yini umzamo oyize? USolomoni wakubiza ngokufanele ngokuthi ‘ukufuna umoya.’ (UmShumayeli 4:4) Ngisho noma osemusha evelela eqenjini elithile, eqenjini lezemidlalo, noma lomculo—noma owesilisa noma owesifazane othile ethola udumo enkampanini noma emphakathini—bangaki ngempela abaziyo ngako? Ingabe abantu abaningi kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba (noma ngisho nakulelo lizwe) bayazi ukuthi lowo muntu ukhona? Noma bamane nje baqhubeke nokuphila bengazi nhlobo ukuthi lowo muntu udume ngani? Futhi kungashiwo okufanayo nganoma yiliphi igunya umuntu alifinyelelayo emsebenzini, edolobheni, noma eqenjini.
13. (a) UmShumayeli 9:4, 5 usisiza kanjani ukuba sibe nombono ofanele ngokuzama ukuvelela noma ukuba negunya? (b) Yimaphi amaqiniso okufanele sibhekane nawo uma lokhu kuphila kuwukuphela kwakho? (Bheka umbhalo waphansi.)
13 Ukuvelela noma igunya elinjalo liphelelaphi ekugcineni? Njengoba isizukulwane sidlula futhi kungena esinye, abantu abavelele noma abanegunya bayadlula futhi balibaleke. Kunjalo ngabakhi, abaculi nezinye izingcweti, abaguquli benhlalo, nabanye, njengoba kunjalo ngabezombangazwe abaningi nabaholi bezempi. Kubantu abenza leyo misebenzi, bangaki obaziyo ababephila eminyakeni ephakathi kuka-1700 no-1800? USolomoni wazihlaziya kahle izindaba, ethi: “Inja ephilayo ingcono kunengonyama efileyo. Ngokuba abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayakufa, kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho, . . . ukukhunjulwa kwabo sekukhohlakele.” (UmShumayeli 9:4, 5) Futhi uma lokhu kuphila kuwukuphela kwakho, khona-ke ukufuna ukuvelela noma ukuba negunya kuyize ngempela.a
Esigxile Kukho Nokuyisibopho Sethu
14. Kungani incwadi yomShumayeli kufanele isisize njengabantu ngabanye?
14 USolomoni akazange akhulume ngemisebenzi eminingi, imigomo nenjabulo abantu abagxilisa kuyo ukuphila kwabo. Nokho, lokho akuloba kwanele. Ukucabangela kwethu lencwadi akudingekile ukuba kubonakale kukhwantabalisa noma kungathandeki, ngoba siye sabukeza ngobuqotho incwadi yeBhayibheli uJehova uNkulunkulu ayiphefumulela ngenhloso ukuze sizuze. Ingasiza ngamunye wethu ukuba alungise umbono wakhe ekuphileni nalokho agxile kukho. (UmShumayeli 7:2; 2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi ngenxa yeziphetho uJehova asiza uSolomoni ukuba azifinyelele.
15, 16. (a) Wawuyini umbono kaSolomoni wokujabulela ukuphila? (b) Iyiphi imfanelo efanelekile uSolomoni ayibeka ukuze sijabulele ukuphila?
15 Iphuzu elilodwa uSolomoni aliveza ngokuphindaphindiwe liwukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu weqiniso kufanele zithole injabulo emisebenzini yazo emehlweni aKhe. “Ngiyazi ukuthi akukho okuhle kubo kunokuba bathokoze, bazenzele okumnandi besekhona. Kepha futhi ukuba abantu bonke badle, baphuze, babone okuhle kuwo wonke umshikashika wabo kuyisipho sikaNkulunkulu nalokho.” (UmShumayeli 2:24; 3:12, 13; 5:18; 8:15) Phawula ukuthi uSolomoni wayengakhuthazi umbuthano oxokozelayo; futhi akazange avumele isimo sengqondo sokuthi “Masidleni siphuze, ngoba kusasa sizokufa.” (1 Korinte 15:14, 32-34) Wayesho ukuthi kufanele sizanelise ngenjabulo evamile, njengokudla nokuphuza, njengoba ‘senza okuhle ekuphileni kwethu.’ Ngokungangabazeki lokho kugxilisa ukuphila kwethu entandweni yoMdali, onqumayo ukuthi yini enhle ngempela.—IHubo 25:8; UmShumayeli 9:1; Marku 10:17, 18; Roma 12:2.
16 USolomoni wabhala: “Hamba udle isinkwa sakho ngentokozo, uphuze iwayini ngenhliziyo enhle, ngokuba uNkulunkulu usevumile imisebenzi yakho.” (UmShumayeli 9:7-9) Yebo, owesilisa noma owesifazane onokuphila okucebile nokwanelisa ngempela wenza imisebenzi uJehova ayijabulelayo. Lokho kudinga ukuba sicabange ngaye njalo. Yeka ukuthi lowo mbono uhluke kanjani koweningi labantu, eliphila ngemibono yomuntu!
17, 18. (a) Abantu abaningi basabela kanjani emaqinisweni okuphila? (b) Yimuphi umphumela okufanele siwukhumbule njalo?
17 Nakuba ezinye izinkolo zifundisa ngokuphila ngemva kokufa, abantu abaningi bakholelwa ukuthi yilokhu kuphila kuphela abangaqiniseka ngakho ngempela. Kungenzeka uye wababona benza ngendlela uSolomoni achaza ngayo: “Ngenxa yokuba ububi obenziwayo bungahlulelwa masinyane, ngalokho izinhliziyo zamadodana abantu phakathi kwawo zigcwele ukwenza okubi.” (UmShumayeli 8:11) Ngisho nalabo abangangeni shí ezenzweni ezimbi babonisa ukuthi ngokuyinhloko bakhathalela ukuphila kwamanje. Leso esinye sezizathu zokuba imali, impahla, udumo, igunya phezu kwabanye, umkhaya, noma eminye iminako enjalo ibaluleke ngokweqile kubo. Nokho, uSolomoni akazange alishiye lilenga leli phuzu. Wanezela: “Ngangokuba isoni, noma senza okubi kayikhulu, kuyandiswa nokho izinsuku zaso. Kanti nokho ngiyazi ukuthi kuzakuba-kuhle kwabamesaba uNkulunkulu, lokhu besaba phambi kobuso bakhe; kodwa akuyikuba-kuhle kwababi, nemihla yabo ayiyikwandiswa njengesithunzi, lokhu abesabi phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” (UmShumayeli 8:12, 13) Ngokusobala, uSolomoni wayeqiniseka ukuthi kuyoba kuhle kithi uma ‘sesaba uNkulunkulu weqiniso.’ Kube kuhle kanjani? Singathola impendulo ekuqhathaniseni akwenza. UJehova ‘angandisa izinsuku zethu.’
18 Labo abasebasha yibona ikakhulukazi okufanele bacabange ngeqiniso elinokwethenjelwa okukhulu lokuthi kuyoba kuhle kubo uma besaba uNkulunkulu. Njengoba kungenzeka uye wazibonela ngokwakho, umgijimi onejubane elikhulu angase akhubeke futhi angaphumeleli emncintiswaneni. Ibutho elinamandla lingase linqotshwe. Usomabhizinisi ohlakaniphile angase azithole empofu. Futhi ezinye izinto eziningi esingaqiniseki ngazo zenza ukuphila kungaqiniseki ngempela. Kodwa ungaqiniseka ngokuphelele ngalokhu: Inkambo ewukuhlakanipha neqiniseke kunazo zonke iwukujabulela ukuphila kuyilapho wenza okuhle ngokuvumelana nemithetho kaNkulunkulu yokuziphatha nangokuvumelana nentando yakhe. (UmShumayeli 9:11) Lokhu kuhlanganisa nokufunda eBhayibhelini ukuthi iyini intando kaNkulunkulu, ukunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuye, futhi ube umKristu obhapathiziwe.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.
19. Intsha ingakusebenzisa kanjani ukuphila kwayo, kodwa iyini inkambo yokuhlakanipha?
19 UMdali ngeke aphoqelele intsha noma abanye ukuba balandele isiqondiso sakhe. Ingagxila emfundweni, mhlawumbe ifunde ngisho nentilibathwa yezincwadi zemfundo yabantu kukho konke ukuphila kwayo. Ekugcineni lokho kuyowucoba umzimba. Noma ingahamba ngezindlela ezifiswa inhliziyo yayo yomuntu ongaphelele noma ilandele lokho okuyikhangayo. Ngokuqinisekile lokho kuyoletha usizi, futhi ukuphila okusetshenziswa ngaleyo ndlela ngokuhamba kwesikhathi kuyoba yize leze. (UmShumayeli 11:9–12:12; 1 Johane 2:15-17) Ngakho uSolomoni unxusa intsha—ukunxusa sonke okufanele sikucabangele ngobuqotho, kungakhathaliseki ubudala bethu: “Futhi khumbula uMdali wakho emihleni yobusha bakho, zingakafiki izinsuku ezimbi, ingakasondeli iminyaka osho ngayo ukuthi: Angithokozi ngayo.”—UmShumayeli 12:1.
20. Uyini umbono onokulinganisela ngesigijimi esikumShumayeli?
20 Khona-ke, yini okufanele siphethe ngayo? Kuthiwani ngesiphetho uSolomoni asifinyelela? Wabona, noma wahlola, “yonke imisebenzi eyenziwayo phansi kwelanga; bheka, konke kuyize nokufuna umoya.” (UmShumayeli 1:14) Encwadini yomShumayeli asitholi mazwi endoda egxekayo noma enganelisekile. Ayingxenye yeZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumulelwe futhi kufanele siwacabangele.
21, 22. (a) Yiziphi izici zokuphila uSolomoni azicabangela? (b) Yisiphi isiphetho esihlakaniphile asifinyelela? (c) Ukuhlola okuqukethwe eyomShumayeli kuye kwakuthinta kanjani?
21 USolomoni wahlola ukukhandleka komuntu, imishikashika nezifiso. Wacabanga ngendlela izinto ezenzeka ngayo endleleni yokuphila evamile, umphumela owukukhungatheka nobuze abantu abaningi kangaka ababhekana nawo. Wacabangela iqiniso lokungapheleli kwabantu kanye nokufa okuwumphumela. Futhi wahlanganisa nolwazi oluvela kuNkulunkulu ngesimo sabafileyo namathemba okuphila kwesikhathi esizayo. Konke lokhu kwahlaziywa indoda eyayinokuhlakanipha okuthuthukiswe ngokwaphezulu, yebo, omunye wabantu abahlakaniphe kunabo bonke owake waphila. Isiphetho asifinyelela sabe sesifakwa emiBhalweni Engcwele ukuze kuzuze bonke abafuna ukuphila okunenjongo ngempela. Akufanele yini sivume?
22 “Nakhu ukuphela kwendaba, lapho sekuzwakele konke: Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngokuba lokho kungokwabantu bonke. Ngokuba uNkulunkulu uyakuyisa yonke imisebenzi ekwahlulelweni kanye nakho konke okufihliweyo, noma kuhle noma kubi.”—UmShumayeli 12:13, 14.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a INqabayokulinda (yesiNgisi) yake yasho lamazwi anikeza ukuqonda: “Akufanele sisaphaze lokhu kuphila ngezinto eziyize . . . Uma lokhu kuphila kuwukuphela kwakho, ayikho into ebalulekile. Lokhu kuphila kunjengebhola eliphonswa phezulu bese liphinde liwela phansi ngokushesha. Kuyithunzi elidlulayo, imbali ebunayo, umucu wotshani onqunywayo ubune ngokushesha. . . . Esikalweni sobuphakade isikhathi sokuphila kwethu siyize leze. Siba ubala ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Ngokuqinisekile [uSolomoni] unembile lapho ebukeza iminako nemisebenzi eminingi yomuntu abese ethi iyize. Sidlula ngokushesha kangangokuthi bekuyoba ngcono ukube asizange sibe khona, oyedwa ezinkulungwaneni zezigidi ofikayo abuye adlule, bese kwazi abambalwa kakhulu ukuthi sike saba khona. Lombono akuwona owokugxeka noma ofiphele. Uyiqiniso, iqiniso okumelwe kubhekwane nalo, umbono oqondile, uma lokhu kuphila kuwukuphela kwakho.”—August 1, 1957, ikhasi 472.
Uyakhumbula?
◻ Kuyini ukuhlaziya okuhlakaniphile ngendawo yengcebo ekuphileni kwakho?
◻ Kungani kungafanele sigcizelele ngokungafanele umkhaya, udumo, noma igunya phezu kwabanye?
◻ Yisiphi isimo sengqondo saphezulu ngokujabula uSolomoni asikhuthaza?
◻ Uye wazuza kanjani ngokucabangela incwadi yomShumayeli?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Imali nempahla akuqinisekisi ukwaneliseka
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Intsha ingaqiniseka ukuthi kuyoba kuhle kuyo uma yesaba uNkulunkulu