Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-21—UmShumayeli
Umlobi: USolomoni
Yalotshelwa: EJerusalema
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Ngaphambi kuka-1000 B.C.E.
1. Incwadi yomShumayeli yabhalelwa yiphi injongo ephakeme?
INCWADI yomShumayeli yalotshelwa injongo ephakeme. USolomoni, njengomholi wabantu abazinikezele kuJehova, wayenomthwalo wemfanelo wokubagcina behlangene ngokwethembeka ekuzinikezeleni kwabo. Wafuna ukugcwalisa lomthwalo wemfanelo ngeseluleko esihlakaniphile sencwadi yomShumayeli.
2. Lenjongo ivezwa kanjani egameni lesiHeberu lencwadi yomShumayeli, okulenza libe ngelifaneleke ngokwengeziwe kunamagama esiGreki nesiNgisi?
2 KumShumayeli 1:1 uzibiza ngokuthi ‘uMshumayeli.’ Leligama ngolimi lwesiHeberu lithi Qo·heʹleth, futhi eBhayibhelini lesiHeberu, lencwadi ibizwa ngaleligama. ISeptuagint yesiGreki iyibiza ngokuthi Ek·kle·si·a·stesʹ, okusho “ilungu le-ecclesia (ibandla; umhlangano),” okususelwa kulo igama lesiNgisi elithi Ecclesiastes. Nokho, elithi Qo·heʹleth lihunyushwe ngokufanele ngokuthi “uMhlanganisi,” futhi lena incazelo efaneleke ngokwengeziwe ngoSolomoni. Iveza injongo kaSolomoni yokuloba lencwadi.
3. USolomoni wayengumhlanganisi wabantu ngamuphi umqondo?
3 INkosi uSolomoni yayingumhlanganisi ngamuphi umqondo, futhi yayihlanganisela kuphi? Yayingumhlanganisi wabantu bayo, amaIsrayeli, nabangane babo, abafokazi abagogobele. Bonke laba yabahlanganisela ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu wayo, uJehova. Ngaphambili yayakhe ithempeli likaJehova, eJerusalema, futhi ekunikezelweni kwalo yayiqoqele ndawonye, noma yahlanganisa bonke ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu. (1 AmaKh. 8:1) Manje, ngencwadi yomShumayeli, yayifuna ukuqoqela ndawonye abantu bayo emisebenzini eyinzuzo futhi badede emisebenzini yalelizwe eyize, engenanzuzo.—UmSh. 12:8-10.
4. USolomoni ufakazelwa kanjani ubufakazi njengomlobi?
4 Nakuba uSolomoni engabizwa ngegama ngokuqondile, izindinyana eziningi ziyakufakazela ukuthi wayengumlobi. Umhlanganisi uzethula ngokuthi “indodana kaDavide” ‘eyayiyinkosi phezu kukaIsrayeli eJerusalema.’ Lokhu kwakungasebenza kuphela eNkosini uSolomoni, ngenxa yokuthi abayilandela ekubuseni eJerusalema babengamakhosi phezu kukaJuda kuphela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba umhlanganisi wabantu eloba: “Ngenzile ukuhlakanipha kube-kukhulu, ngikwandisile kunabo bonke phambi kwami eJerusalema, yebo, inhliziyo yami ibonile kakhulu ukuhlakanipha nokwazi.” (1:1, 12, 16) Lokhu kufanelana noSolomoni. UmShumayeli 12:9 usitshela ukuthi “wazindla, waphenya, walungisa izaga eziningi.” INkosi uSolomoni yasho izaga ezingu-3 000. (1 AmaKh. 4:32) UmShumayeli 2:4-9 usitshela ngesimiso sokwakha somlobi; izivini, izivande namahlathi; isimiso sokunisela ngenkasa; ukuhlelwa kwezinceku nezincekukazi; ukuqongelela isiliva negolide; kanye nezinye izinto azifeza. Konke lokhu kwakunjalo ngoSolomoni. Lapho indlovukazi yaseSheba ibona ukuhlakanipha nokuchuma kukaSolomoni, yathi: “Angitshelwanga nanxenye.”—1 AmaKh. 10:7.
5. Kumelwe ukuba incwadi yomShumayeli yalotshelwa kuphi futhi nini?
5 Lencwadi ikhomba iJerusalema njengendawo okwalotshelwa kuyo lapho ithi umhlanganisi wabantu wayeyinkosi “eJerusalema.” Kumelwe ukuba isikhathi sasingaphambi konyaka ka-1000 B.C.E., nokubusa kukaSolomoni phakathi impela kweminyaka engu-40, ngemva kokuba ehileleke ekuphishekeleni izinto eziningi okubhekiselwa kuzo encwadini kodwa ngaphambi kokuba awele ekukhonzeni izithombe. Ngalesosikhathi wayeyobe esezuze ulwazi oluningi lwemisebenzi yalelizwe kanye nokuphishekela kwalo izinto ezibonakalayo. Ngalesosikhathi wayeyobe esesemseni kaNkulunkulu futhi engaphansi kokuphefumlela kwaKhe.
6. Yiziphi izimpikiswano eziye zaphakanyiswa ngokuphathelene nokuphefumlelwa kwencwadi yomShumayeli, kodwa zingaboniswa kanjani ukuthi zingamanga?
6 Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi incwadi yomShumayeli “iphefumlelwe uNkulunkulu”? Abanye bangase bakungabaze ukuphefumlelwa kwayo ngokuthi ayiliphathi nakanye igama laphezulu elithi, Jehova. Nokho, ngokuqinisekile imelela ukukhulekela kweqiniso kukaNkulunkulu, futhi ilisebenzisa ngokuphindaphindiwe igama elithi ha·ʼElo·himʹ, elisho ukuthi “uNkulunkulu weqiniso.” Kungase kuphakanyiswe okunye ukuphikisa ngenxa yokuthi azikho izingcaphuno eziqondile ezithathwe encwadini yomShumayeli kwezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli. Nokho, izimfundiso ezinikezwayo kanye nezimiso ezikulencwadi zivumelana ngokuphelele nayo yonke eminye imiBhalo. ICommentary kaClarke, uMqulu III, ikhasi 799, ithi: “Incwadi enesihloko esithi Koheleth, noma UmShumayeli, ibilokhu yamukelwa kokubili iSonto lamaJuda nelamaKristu, njengelotshwe ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa uMninimandla onke; futhi yayibhekwa ngokufanelekile njengeyingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi ezingcwele.”
7. Yini esizindeni sikaSolomoni eyamenza wafaneleka ngokuphawulekayo ukuba alobe incwadi yomShumayeli?
7 “Abacusumbuli bemibhalo” abanolwazi lwezwe baye bathi incwadi yomShumayeli ayiwona umBhalo kaSolomoni noma ingxenye eyiqiniso yayo “yonke imiBhalo,” bethi ulimi lwayo kanye nefilosofi yayo okwamuva kakhulu. Abasinaki isilinganiso sokwaziswa uSolomoni ayeyobe esekuqongelele nokuthuthukisa kwakhe okuqhubekayo ukuhwebelana kanye nezimboni zomhlaba wonke, nasezikhulwini ezihamba amazwe nangokunye ukuthintana namazwe angaphandle. (1 AmaKh. 4:30, 34; 9:26-28; 10:1, 23, 24) Njengoba uF. C. Cook kweyakhe iBible Commentary, uMqulu IV, ikhasi 622, eloba: “Imisebenzi yansuku zonke kanye nezinto eyakhetha ukuziphishekela lenkosi ephakeme engumHeberu kumelwe ukuba yayenza yaba seqophelweni eliphezulu kakhulu kunelokuphila kwamaHeberu, umqondo, nolimi lwalo.”
8. Yiliphi iphuzu elinamandla elifakazela ukuba kwencwadi yomShumayeli ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli?
8 Nokho, ingabe ngempela imithombo yangaphandle iyadingeka ukuze kusekelwe ukuba kwencwadi yomShumayeli ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli? Ukuhlolwa kwalencwadi ngokwayo ngeke nje kwembule ukuvumelana kwayo kwangaphakathi kodwa futhi nokuvumelana kwayo nayo yonke eminye imiBhalo, eyingxenye yayo ngempela.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YOMSHUMAYELI
9. Yini umhlanganisi wabantu ayitholayo ngokuphathelene nemishikashika yamadodana abantu?
9 Ukuba yize kwendlela yomuntu yokuphila (1:1–3:22). Amazwi okuvula azwakalisa isihloko salencwadi: “Ize leze, usho uMshumayeli; ize leze, konke kuyize.” Iyiphi inzuzo ekhona ekukhandlekeni nasekusebenzeni kanzima kwesintu? Izizukulwane ziyafika zidlule, imijikelezo yemvelo iyaphindaphindeka emhlabeni, futhi “akukho okusha phansi kwelanga.” (1:2, 3, 9) Umhlanganisi wabantu uye wazimisela ukufuna nokucubungula ukuhlakanipha ngokuphathelene nemisebenzi yamadodana abantu eholela enhlekeleleni, kodwa uthola ukuthi ekuhlakanipheni nasebuwuleni, ekuxhaphazeni nasekusebenzeni kanzima, ekudleni nasekuphuzeni, konke “kuyize nokufuna umoya.” ‘Uyakuzonda ukuphila,’ ukuphila kosizi nokuphishekela izinto ezibonakalayo.—1:14; 2:11, 17.
10. Siyini isipho sikaNkulunkulu, kodwa siyini isiphetho esehlela umuntu onesono?
10 Yonke into inesikhathi sayo esimisiwe—yebo, uNkulunkulu “wenzile konke kube-kuhle esikhathini sakho.” Ufuna ukuba izidalwa zakhe zijabulele ukuphila emhlabeni. “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.” Kodwa, wo! Isintu esinesono sinesiphetho esifanayo nezilwane: “Njengalokhu kufa lokho, kuyafa nalokhu; kunomphefumulo munye, umuntu akazidluli ngalutho izilwane, ngokuba konke kuyize.”—3:1, 11-13, 19.
11. Yisiphi iseluleko esihlakaniphile umhlanganisi wabantu asinikeza umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu?
11 Iseluleko esihlakaniphile ngalabo abesaba uNkulunkulu (4:1–7:29). USolomoni uhalalisela abafile, ngoba bakhululekile kukho “konke ukucindezela okwenziwa phansi kwelanga.” Khona-ke uqhubeka echaza imisebenzi eyize newusizi. Ngokuhlakanipha weluleka nangokuthi “kungcono ababili kunoyedwa” nokuthi “nentambo emicu-mithathu ayisheshi ukugqashuka.” (4:1, 2, 9, 12) Unikeza iseluleko esihle ekuhlanganiseni abantu bakaNkulunkulu: “Gcina unyawo lwakho, lapho uya endlini kaNkulunkulu, ngokuba ukusondela ukuyokuzwa kungcono.” Ungasheshi ukukhuluma phambi kukaNkulunkulu; “amazwi akho mawabe-yingcosana,” futhi ugcine lokho ofunge ngakho kuNkulunkulu. “Yesaba uNkulunkulu.” Lapho ompofu ecindezelwe, khumbula ukuthi “omkhulu uqaphela omkhulu kunaye, futhi kukhona nabakhulu kunabo.” Uphawula ukuthi, umuntukazana, uyoba nobuthongo obumnandi, kodwa umuntu ocebile ukhathazeka kakhulu aze aqwashe. Nokho, weza eze ezweni, futhi naphezu kwawo wonke umshikashika wakhe, akanakuhamba nalutho ezweni.—5:1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15.
12. Yisiphi iseluleko esinikezwayo ngokuphathelene nezindaba ezibalulekile zokuphila, kanye nenzuzo yokuba nokuhlakanipha kunemali?
12 Umuntu angase athole ingcebo nodumo, kodwa iyini inzuzo yokuphila “iminyaka eyinkulungwane ephindwa kabili” uma engakubonanga okuhle? Kungcono ukukhathalela izindaba ezibalulekile zokuphila nokufa kunokuhlanganyela nesiwula ‘endlini yentokozo’; yebo, kungcono ukusolwa umuntu ohlakaniphile, ngoba “njengokucacamba kwezintathawe eziphansi kwekhanzi, kunjalo ukuhleka kweziwula.” Ukuhlakanipha kuyinzuzo. “Ngokuba kusemthunzini wokuhlakanipha njengasemthunzini wemali, kepha inzuzo yokwazi ingeyokuba ukuhlakanipha kulondoloza ukuphila kwalowo onakho.” Ngakho-ke kungani indlela yesintu iye yaletha usizi? “UNkulunkulu wamenza umuntu waba-qotho, kepha bona bafunile amacebo amaningi.”—6:6; 7:4, 6, 12, 29.
13. Yini umhlanganisi wabantu aluleka ngayo nayitusayo, futhi yini ayishoyo ngokuphathelene nendawo umuntu aya kuyo?
13 Isiphetho esisodwa kubo bonke (8:1–9:12). “Gcina izwi lenkosi,” kweluleka umhlanganisi wabantu; kodwa uphawula ukuthi kungenxa yokuthi isijeziso semisebenzi emibi asizange sikhishwe ngokushesha ukuthi “izinhliziyo zamadodana abantu phakathi kwawo zigcwele ukwenza okubi.” (8:2, 11) Naye ngokwakhe uyakutusa ukujabula, kodwa kukhona okunye okudabukisayo! Zonke izinhlobo zabantu zihamba endleleni efanayo—ziya ekufeni! Ukuqonda kwabaphilayo kuwukuthi bazokufa, “kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho . . . Konke isandla sakho esikufumanayo ukukwenza, kwenze ngamandla akho, ngokuba akukho-msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha endaweni yabafileyo, lapho uya khona.”—9:5, 10.
14. (a) Ikuphi ukuhlakanipha okuyinzuzo umhlanganisi wabantu akugcizelelayo? (b) Siyini isiphetho sendaba?
14 Ukuhlakanipha okuyinzuzo kanye nesibopho somuntu (9:13–12:14). Umhlanganisi wabantu ukhuluma ngezinye izinhlekelele, “ubuwula . . . ezindaweni eziningi eziphakamileyo.” Usho futhi izaga eziningi zokuhlakanipha okuwusizo, futhi uthi ngisho ‘nobusha nobunsizwa buyize’—ngaphandle kokuba kulalelwa ukuhlakanipha okuyikho. Uthi: “Futhi khumbula uMdali wakho emihleni yobusha bakho.” Ngaphandle kwalokho, ukuguga kuyokuphindisela othulini lomhlaba, kufezeke amazwi omhlanganisi wabantu: “Ize leze, . . . konke kuyize.” Yena ngokwakhe uye wafundisa abantu ulwazi ngokuqhubekayo, ngoba “amazwi abahlakaniphileyo anjengezincijo,” ezishukumisela emisebenzini emihle, kodwa ngokuphathelene nokuhlakanipha kwezwe uyaxwayisa: “Ukwenza izincwadi eziningi akunakuphela, nokufunda okuningi kukhathaza umzimba.” Khona-ke umhlanganisi wabantu uletha lencwadi emvuthwandaba wayo omkhulu, efingqa konke axoxe ngakho ngezinto eziyize nokuhlakanipha: “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.”—10:6; 11:1, 10; 12:1, 8-14.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE ENENZUZO
15. USolomoni uwenza kanjani umehluko phakathi kwemishikashika eletha usizi nemisebenzi eyinzuzo?
15 Ingesiyo neze incwadi enganikezi ithemba lokuhle, incwadi yomShumayeli igcwele amagugu aqhakazile okuhlakanipha kwaphezulu. Lapho ebala imishikashika eminingi ayibiza ngokuthi iyize, uSolomoni akakuhlanganisi ukwakhiwa kwethempeli likaJehova eNtabeni iMoriya eJerusalema, kanye nokukhulekelwa okuhlanzekile kukaJehova. Akasibizi ngokuthi siyize isipho sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila, kodwa ubonisa ukuthi kwakuhloselwe ukuba umuntu ajabule futhi enze okuhle. (3:12, 13; 5:18-20; 8:15) Imisebenzi yosizi yileyo embeka eceleni uNkulunkulu. Ubaba angase aqongelelele indodana yakhe ingcebo, kodwa inhlekelele ibhubhisa konke futhi ingasalelwa yilutho. Ngakho bekungaba ngcono kakhulu ukulungiselela ifa elingapheli lengcebo engokomoya. Kuwusizi ukuba nezinto eziningi futhi ungakwazi ukuzijabulela. Usizi lufica bonke abacebile bezwe lapho ‘bemuka’ ngokufa, bengaphethe lutho ngezandla.—5:13-15; 6:1, 2.
16. IQo·heʹleth, noma incwadi yomShumayeli, ivumelana kanjani nezimfundiso zikaJesu?
16 KuMathewu 12:42, uKristu Jesu wabhekisela kuye ngokwakhe ngokuthi “okukhulu kunoSolomoni.” Njengoba uSolomoni afanekisela uJesu, ingabe amazwi kaSolomoni encwadini iQo·heʹleth siwathola evumelana nezimfundiso zikaJesu? Sithola izinto eziningi ezifanayo! Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wachaza isilinganiso esikhulu somsebenzi kaNkulunkulu lapho ethi, “UBaba usebenza kuze kube-manje, nami ngiyasebenza.” (Johane 5:17) NoSolomoni ubhekisela emisebenzini kaNkulunkulu: “Ngase ngiqonda wonke umsebenzi kaNkulunkulu ukuthi umuntu akanakuwubamba umsebenzi owenziwa phansi kwelanga, ngokuba noma umuntu eshikashikeka kangakanani ukuwuhlola, angewuthole, yebo, nakuba ohlakaniphileyo ecabanga ukuthi uyawazi, akanakuwuthola.”—UmSh. 8:17.
17. Yikuphi okunye ukufana okutholakala emazwini kaJesu nakaSolomoni?
17 Bobabili uJesu noSolomoni bakhuthaza abakhulekeli beqiniso ukuba bahlangane. (Math. 18:20; UmSh. 4:9-12; 5:1) Amazwi kaJesu ‘ngesiphelo sezwe’ kanye ‘nezikhathi zabezizwe’ avumelana nenkulumo eyashiwo uSolomoni yokuthi “konke kunesikhathi sakho, yonke indaba inomzuzu wayo phansi kwezulu.”—Math. 24:3; Luka 21:24; UmSh. 3:1.
18. UJesu nabafundi bakhe bahlanganyela noSolomoni ekunikezeni ziphi izixwayiso?
18 Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJesu nabafundi bakhe bahlanganyela noSolomoni ekuxwayiseni ngezingibe zezinto ezibonakalayo. Ukuhlakanipha kuyisivikelo sangempela, ngoba “kulondoloza ukuphila kwalowo onakho,” kusho uSolomoni. “Kodwa funani kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe, khona konke lokhu kuyakwenezelwa nina,” kusho uJesu. (UmSh. 7:12; Math. 6:33) KumShumayeli 5:10 kulotshiwe: “Othanda imali akayikusutha ngemali, nothanda okuningi akaneliswa yizithelo; nalokho kuyize.” Okufana kakhulu nalokhu iseluleko uPawulu asinikeza kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:6-19 sokuthi “ukuthanda imali kuyimpande yakho konke okubi.” Kunamanye amavesi afanayo aphathelene namanye amaphuzu eseluleko seBhayibheli.—UmSh. 3:17—IzE. 17:31; UmSh. 4:1—Jak. 5:4; UmSh. 5:1, 2—Jak. 1:19; UmSh. 6:12—Jak. 4:14; UmSh. 7:20—Roma 3:23; UmSh. 8:17—Roma 11:33.
19. Singahlangana ekukhulekeleni uJehova namuhla sinaliphi ithemba elijabulisayo?
19 Ukubusa koMbuso weNdodana kaNkulunkulu ethandekayo, uJesu Kristu, lowo ngesikhathi esenyameni owayeyinzalo yeNkosi uSolomoni ohlakaniphile, kuyomisa umphakathi omusha wasemhlabeni. (IsAm. 21:1-5) Lokho uSolomoni akulobela ukuqondisa izikhonzi zakhe embusweni wakhe ofanekiselayo kubaluleke kakhulu kubo bonke manje ababeka ithemba labo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kukaKristu Jesu. Ngaphansi kokubusa kwawo isintu siyophila ngezimiso ezifanayo ezihlakaniphile lezo umhlanganisi wabantu azisho futhi siyojabula phakade esiphweni sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okujabulisayo. Manje isikhathi sokuba sihlangane ekukhulekeleni uJehova, ukuze sizibone ngokugcwele izinjabulo zokuphila ngaphansi koMbuso wakhe.—UmSh. 3:12, 13; 12:13, 14.