Indaba 63
IKosi Ehlakaniphileko USolomoni
USOLOMONI bekasese lisokana elitjha nakaba yikosi. Bekathanda uJehova, bekalandela nesiluleko uyise uDavidi amnikela sona. UJehova bekamthanda uSolomoni begodu langelinye uJehova wathi kuSolomoni ebhudangweni: ‘Solomoni, yini ongathanda ngikwenzele yona?’
Khonokho uSolomoni waphendula wathi: ‘Jehova Zimami, ngisesemutjha begodu akhenge khengibuse. Ngalokho ngibawa unginikele ukuhlakanipha kokubusa abantu bakho ngendlela elungileko.’
Kwamthabisa uJehova lokho uSolomoni akubawako. Ngalokho uJehova wathi: ‘Ngombana ubawe ukuhlakanipha ingasi ukuphila isikhathi eside namtjhana uburego, ngizokunikela ukuhlakanipha okunengi ukudlula nanyana ngimuphi umuntu okhe waphila. Ngizokunikela nalokho ongakhenge ukubawe, uburego nedumo.’
Ngemva kwesikhatjhana abafazi ababili beza kuSolomoni nomraro omkhulu. Kuhlathulula omunye wabafazaba wathi: ‘Umfazi lo nami sihlala ngendlini yinye. Ngabeletha umntwana womsana, begodu emalangeni amabili adlulileko naye wabeletha umntwana womsana. Ngemva kwalokho ngobunye ubusuku umntwanakhe womsana wahlongakala. Kodwana lokha ngisalele, wabeka umntwanakhe ohlongakeleko hlanu kwami, wathatha umntwanami. Kuthe lokha nengivukako ngiqala umntwana ohlongakeleko lo, ngabona bonyana akusimntwanami.’
Khonokho omunye umfazi wathi: ‘Awa! Umntwana ophilako ngewami, begodu ohlongakeleko ngewakhe!’ Umfazi wokuthoma waphendula wathi: ‘Awa! Umntwana ohlongakeleko ngewakho, ophilako ngewami!’ Ngiyo indlela le abafazaba abaphikisana ngayo. Khuyini uSolomoni azoyenza nje?
USolomoni wabawa isabula, nebayilethako, wathi kibo: ‘Hlukanisani umntwana lo phakathi, umfazi omunye nomunye afumane isiquntu.’
Umma wamambala walila wathi: ‘Awa! Ngibawa ningambulali umntwana. Mnikeleni umfazi lo!’ Kodwana omunye umfazi wathi: ‘Ungasinikeli yena; mhlukaniseni phakathi.’
Emaswapheleni uSolomoni wathi: ‘Ningambulali umntwana! Mnikeleni umfazi wokuthoma. Nguye umma wamambala.’ USolomoni uyakwazi lokhu ngombana umma womntwana wamambala, uthanda umntwanakhe khulu begodu ukulungele ukunikela ngomntwanakhe emfazini lo, kunokobana umntwanakhe abulawe. Abantu nabezwa ngendlela uSolomoni ararulule ngayo umraro lo, bathaba khulu ngokuba nekosi ehlakaniphe njengale.
Phakathi nokubusa kwakaSolomoni, uZimu watjhudubaza abantu ngokwenza bona ihlabathi iveze ikoroyi enengi, amaderibe, amafeyi begodu nokhunye ukudla. Abantu gade bambatha izembatho ezihle begodu bahlala neendlini ezihle. Gade kunazo zoke izinto ezihle zawo woke umuntu.