Incwadi YeBhayibheli Yama-22—IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo
Umlobi: USolomoni
Yalotshelwa: EJerusalema
Ukuloba Kwaphela: Cishe ngo-1020 B.C.E.
1. Lesi “IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo” ngasiphi isici?
“IZWE lonke lalingalufanele usuku okwanikezwa ngalo lesiHlabelelo esivelele kuIsrayeli.” “Urabi” wamaJuda uAkiba, owaphila ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka leSikhathi Esivamile, wakuzwakalisa kanjalo ukwazisa kwakhe ngesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo.a Isihloko salencwadi siwukufingqwa kwamazwi okuqala, “Isihlabelelo sezihlabelelo esingesikaSolomoni.” Amazwi athi, ‘isiHlabelelo seziHlabelelo,’ abonisa ubuhle obubabazekayo, okufana namazwi athi ‘izulu lamazulu,’ abhekisele emazulwini aphakeme kakhulu. (Dut. 10:14) Akulona iqoqo lezihlabelelo kodwa isihlabelelo esisodwa, “isihlabelelo esingenasici ngendlela evelele, esingcono kakhulu kwezake zaba khona, noma kwezake zabhalwa.”b
2. (a) Ngubani owayengumlobi wencwadi yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo, yiziphi izinto ezazimenza afaneleke, futhi kungani lencwadi yayingabizwa ngokuthi incwadi yothando olwahluleka? (b) Yalotshelwaphi lencwadi, futhi nini?
2 INkosi uSolomoni yaseJerulema yayingumlobi walesihlabelelo, njengoba kuboniswa isethulo saso. Yayifaneleka kakhulu ukuba ilobe lesibonelo esihle ngokukhethekile senkondlo yesiHeberu. (1 AmaKh. 4:32) Siyinkondlo yothando egcwele incazelo kanye nobumtoti ekuchazeni kwayo ubuhle. Umfundi ongasibona ngamehlo engqondo isimo saseMpumalanga uyokuqonda nangokwengeziwe lokhu. (IsiHl. 4:11, 13; 5:11; 7:4) Isisusa sokulotshwa kwaso sasiyingqayizivele. Inkosi enkulu uSolomoni, ekhazimulayo ngokuhlakanipha, edlondlobele ngamandla, nekhazimulayo ngobuhle bengcebo yayo yezinto ezibonakalayo, eyaheha ngisho nendlovukazi yaseSheba, yahluleka ukukhanga intombazane yasemaphandleni eyayiyithanda. Ngenxa yokungaguquki kothando lwayo ngomfana ongumalusi, inkosi yahluleka. Ngakho-ke, lencwadi yayingabizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi IsiHlabelelo Sothando LukaSolomoni Olwahluleka. UJehova uNkulunkulu wamphefumulela ukuba aqambe lesihlabelelo ukuze kuzuze abafundi beBhayibheli beminyaka eyayizolandela. Wasibhalela eJerusalema. Mhlawumbe kwakucishe kube u-1020 B.C.E., eminyakeni ethile ngemva kokuba ithempeli liqediwe. Ngesikhathi eloba lesihlabelelo, uSolomoni ‘wayenamakhosikhazi angamashumi ayisithupha, nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili,’ uma kuqhathaniswa ‘nabafazi abangamakhulu ayisikhombisa abangamadodakazi amakhosi, nezancinza ezingamakhulu amathathu’ ekupheleni kokubusa kwakhe.—IsiHl. 6:8; 1 AmaKh. 11:3.
3. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuba kwencwadi yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli?
3 Ukuba kwencwadi yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli kwakungangatshazwa nakancane ezikhathini zakuqala. Ngaphambili kakhulu kweSikhathi Esivamile yayibhekwa njengengxenye ephelele nephefumlelwe yohlu lwezincwadi zesiHeberu. Yayihlanganisiwe kuyiSeptuagint yesiGreki. UJosephus wayifaka ohlwini lwakhe lwezincwadi ezingcwele. Ngakho-ke, ubufakazi bokuba kwayo ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli buyafana nalobo obunikezwayo ngokuvamile nganoma iyiphi enye incwadi yemiBhalo YesiHeberu.
4. (a) Ingabe ukungabikho kwegama elithi “Nkulunkulu” kuphikisa ukuba kwencwadi yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli? (b) Yini eyiveza njengeyifanelekele indawo eyingqayizivele ekuyo ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli?
4 Nokho, abanye baye bakungabaza ukuba kwalencwadi ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli ngesisekelo sokuthi akubhekiselwa kuNkulunkulu kuyo. Ukungaphathwa nhlobo kukaNkulunkulu akunakuyenza incwadi ingafaneleki njengoba nje ukuba khona kwegama elithi “Nkulunkulu” kungenakuyenza ukuba ibe ingxenye yohlu lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli. Igama laphezulu liyavela ngendlela yalo efingqiwe esahlukweni 8, ivesi 6 (NW), lapho kuthiwa khona uthando “ilangabi likaJah.”c Ngokungangabazeki lencwadi yakha ingxenye yaleyomibhalo uJesu Kristu abhekisela kuyo ngokuyivumela lapho ethi: “Nihlola imibhalo, ngokuba nithi ninokuphila okuphakade kuyo.” (Johane 5:39) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuveza kwayo okunamandla imfanelo yohlobo olujulile lokuthandana, njengalolo olukhona, ngomqondo ongokomoya, phakathi kukaKristu ‘nomlobokazi’ wakhe, kuveza incwadi yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo njengeyifanelekele indawo eyingqayizivele ekuyo ohlwini lwezincwadi zeBhayibheli.—IsAm. 19:7, 8; 21:9.
OKUQUKETHWE INCWADI YESIHLABELELO SEZIHLABELELO
5. (a) Abalingiswa kuledrama bahlukaniseka kanjani? (b) Yisiphi isihloko esishukumisayo okukhulunywa ngaso?
5 Ukwaziswa okukulencwadi kunikezwa ngochungechunge lwezingxoxo. Kukhona ukushintshana okuqhubekayo kwezikhulumi. Abantu abanezingxenye zokukhuluma uSolomoni inkosi yaseJerusalema, umalusi, isithandwa sakhe uMshulamiti, abafowabo, amantombazane asesigodlweni (‘amadodakazi aseJerusalema’), kanye nabesifazane baseJerusalema (“amadodakazi aseSiyoni,” NW). (IsiHl. 1:5-7; 3:5, 11) Bahlukaniseka ngalokho abakushoyo ngabo ngokwabo noma ngalokho okushiwo kubo. Ledrama yenzeka eduze kwaseShunemi, noma eShulemi, lapho uSolomoni ezungezwe khona abalindi besigodlo sakhe. Iveza isihloko esishukumisayo—uthando lwentombazane yasemaphandleni esigodi saseShunemi ngesoka layo elingumalusi.
6. Iyiphi ingxoxo eqhubeka phakathi kwentombi kanye namantombazane asesigodlweni ekamu likaSolomoni?
6 Intombi YomShulamiti ekamu likaSolomoni (1:1-14). Intombi ibonakala ematendeni asebukhosini lapho inkosi iyilethe khona, kodwa ilangazelela ukubona nje kuphela isithandwa sayo esingumalusi. Ngenxa yokulangazelela ukubona isithandwa sayo, ikhuluma ngokuphumisela njengokungathi sikhona. Amantombazane asesigodlweni akhonza inkosi, ‘amadodakazi aseJerusalema,’ abheka uMshulamiti ngeso lokufuna ukwazi ngenxa yebala lakhe eligqunqile. Uyachaza ukuthi ushiswe yilanga enakekela izivini zabafowabo. Ube esekhuluma nesithandwa sakhe njengokungathi ukhululekile abese ebuza ukuthi angasithola kuphi. Amantombazane asesigodlweni amyalela ukuba aphume ayokwalusela umhlambi wakhe ngasematendeni abalusi.
7. Ikuphi ukweshela uSolomoni akwenzayo, kodwa kuba namuphi umphumela?
7 USolomoni uyeza. Uyamnqabela ukuba ahambe. Ubabaza ubuhle bakhe futhi uthembisa ukumvunulisa ‘ngezintambo zobuhlalu begolide’ “namaqhosha esiliva.” UMshulamiti akakuvumi ukweshela kwakhe futhi umenza azi ukuthi uthando analo olwesithandwa sakhe kuphela.—1:11.
8. Isithandwa sentombi siyimisa kanjani isibindi? Yini eyilangazelelayo?
8 Isithandwa esingumalusi siyavela (1:15–2:2). Isithandwa soMshulamiti siya ekamu likaSolomoni futhi simmisa isibindi. Simqinisekisa ngothando lwaso. UMshulamiti ulangazelela ukusondela kothandekayo wakhe kanye nenjabulo yokuhlala nje naye emasimini nasezingodweni.
9. Intombazane nesithandwa sayo babutusa kanjani ubuhle bayo?
9 UMshulamiti uyintombazane enesizotha. Uthi: “Ngiyintebe yaseSharoni.” Isithandwa sakhe esingumalusi sicabanga ukuthi akanakuqhathaniswa, sithi: “Njengomnduze phakathi kwameva, sinjalo isithandwa sami phakathi kwezintombi.”—2:1, 2.
10. Intombi ikhumbulani ngokuphathelene nothando lwayo?
10 Intombi ilangazelela umalusi wayo (2:3–3:5). Ehlukene futhi nesithandwa sakhe, uMshulamiti ubonisa indlela amazisa ngayo ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye, futhi utshela amadodakazi aseJerusalema ukuthi angaphansi kwesifungo sokungazami ukuvusa uthando olungafuneki ngomunye umuntu. UMshulamiti ukhumbula isikhathi lapho umalusi wakhe aphendula khona ukumemeza kwakhe futhi wambiza ukuba eze emagqumeni ngesikhathi sasentwasahlobo. Umbona ekhwela izintaba, engqabitha ngenjabulo. Uyamuzwa emmemeza: “Vuka, sithandwa sami, muhlekazi wami; woza sihambe.” Nokho, abafowabo, ababengaqiniseki ngokungathatheki kwakhe, bayathukuthela futhi bamsebenzisa ekulindeni izivini. Uthi, “Othandiweyo wami ungowami, mina ngingowakhe,” futhi uyamncenga ukuba aphuthume eze eduze kwakhe.—2:13, 16.
11. UMshulamiti uphinda akhumbuze amadodakazi aseJerusalema ngasiphi isifungo?
11 UMshulamiti uchaza ukuvaleleka kwakhe ekamu likaSolomoni. Ebusuku esembhedeni, ulangazelela umalusi wakhe. Uyaphinda ukhumbuza amadodakazi aseJerusalema ukuthi angaphansi kwesifungo sokuba angavusi kuye uthando angalufuni.
12. Isithandwa sayo siyimisa kanjani futhi isibindi lapho intombi ithathwe uSolomoni wayiyisa eJerusalema?
12 UMshulamiti eJerusalema (3:6–5:1). USolomoni uphindela eJerusalema enobukhazikhazi bobukhosi, futhi abantu bahlabeka umxhwele ngodwendwe lwabalindi bakhe. Kulelihora elibucayi, isithandwa esingumalusi asimdumazi uMshulamiti. Silandela intombi yaso, ezimboze ngemvakazi, futhi sihlangana nayo. Siqinisekisa isithandwa saso ngamazwi afudumele othando. Sisitshela ukuthi sifuna ukukhululeka futhi siphume kulomuzi, sibe sesiphubuka ngenxa yokuqhuma kothando: “Umuhle wonke, sithandwa sami.” (4:7) Ukumuthi nje nhlá kwenza inhliziyo yomalusi igxumagxume. Amazwi akhe othando angcono kunewayini, amakha akhe anjengaweLebanoni, futhi isikhumba sakhe sinjengehlathi lamapomegranati. Intombi imema isithandwa sayo ukuba size ‘ensimini yaso,’ futhi siyavuma. Abesifazane abanobungane baseJerusalema bayabakhuthaza: “Yidlani, bangane, niphuze, nisuthe ngothando.”—4:16; 5:1.
13. Yiliphi iphupho intombi eba nalo, futhi isichaza kanjani isithandwa sayo emantombazaneni asesigodlweni?
13 Iphupho lentombi (5:2–6:3). UMshulamiti utshela amantombazane asesigodlweni ngephupho, ezwa kulo ukungqongqotha. Isithandwa sakhe singaphandle, simncenga ukuba asivulele singene. Kodwa ulele. Lapho ekugcineni evuka ukuba avule umnyango, sinyamalele ebumnyameni. Uyasilandela, kodwa akasitholi. Abalindi bamphatha kabi. Utshela amantombazane asesigodlweni ukuthi uma kwenzeka ebona isithandwa sakhe, uwafungisa ukuba asitshele ukuthi uguliswa uthando. Ayambuza ukuthi yini esenza sibe ngesivelele kangaka. Usichaza ngendlela enhle ngokungenakuqhathaniswa, ethi “uyakhazimula ngobumhlophe, ubomvu, uyabonakala phakathi kwezigidi.” (5:10) Amakhosikazi asesigodlweni ayambuza ukuthi sikuphi. Uthi sihambile siyokwelusa emasimini.
14. Naphezu kwawo wonke amaqhinga akhe, uSolomoni uhluleka kanjani ekufuneni kwakhe?
14 Ukweshela kokugcina kukaSolomoni (6:4–8:4). INkosi uSolomoni ixoxa noMshulamiti. Iyaphinda imtshela indlela amuhle ngayo, muhle ngaphezu ‘kwamakhosikazi angamashumi ayisithupha nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili,’ kodwa uyayala. (6:8) Ulapha nje ngenxa yokuthi umsebenzi athunywe ukuba awenze umlethe eduze kwekamu lakhe. ‘Nibonani kimi?’ uyabuza. USolomoni usebenzisa ngokunenzuzo lombuzo wakhe ongahlose lutho ukuba amtshele ngobuhle bakhe, kusukela ematheni onyawo lwakhe kuye okhakhayini, kodwa lentombi iyawehlula wonke amaqhinga akhe. Ngesibindi ikhuluma ngokuzinikela kwayo kumalusi wayo, imkhalela. Ngokwesithathu, ukhumbuza amadodakazi aseJerusalema ukuthi angaphansi kwesifungo sokungaluvusi uthando kuye olungavumelani nentando yakhe. USolomoni uyamvumela ukuba aye ekhaya. Uhlulekile ekufuneni kwakhe ukuzuza uthando loMshulamiti.
15. (a) Lentombi iphindela nasiphi isicelo kubafowabo? (b) Ukuzinikela ngokuphelele kunqobe kanjani?
15 UMshulamiti uyabuya (8:5-14). Abafowabo bayambona eza, kodwa akahambi yedwa. ‘Unciké kothandiweyo wakhe.’ Ukhumbula ehlangana nesithandwa sakhe ngaphansi koma-pula futhi uzwakalisa ukuqina kothando lwakhe ngaye. Kukhulunywa ngamanye amazwi ashiwo abafowabo ngaphambili okukhathazeka kwabo ngaye lapho ‘engudadewabo omncane,’ kodwa uthi uye wazibonakalisa engowesifazane ovuthiwe nongathatheki. (8:8) Abafowabo mabavume manje ukuba ashade. INkosi uSolomoni ingahlala nengcebo yayo! Wanelisekile ngesivini sakhe esisodwa, ngoba uthanda lowo othandeka ngokukhethekile kuye. Kuye loluthando luqine njengokufa futhi ukuvutha kwalo ‘kunjengelangabi likaJah.’ Ukungaguquguquki ekuzinikeleni ngokuphelele ‘okuqine njengeSheol’ (NW) kuye kwanqoba futhi kuholelé ekuhlanganeni okuhle ngokungenakuqhathaniswa nesithandwa sakhe esingumalusi.—8:5, 6.
ISIZATHU SOKUBA IBE NENZUZO
16. Yiziphi izifundo ezibalulekile ezifundiswa kulesihlabelelo?
16 Yiziphi izifundo ezifundiswayo kulesihlabelelo sothando umuntu kaNkulunkulu angazithola zinenzuzo namuhla? Ukwethembeka nobuqotho ezimisweni zokwesaba uNkulunkulu kuboniswe ngokucacile. Lesihlabelelo sifundisa ngobuhle bobumsulwa nokungabi nasici kumuntu onothando lweqiniso. Sifundisa ukuthi uthando lweqiniso alunakunqotshwa, alupheli, aluthengwa. Izinsizwa nezintombi kanye namadoda nabesifazane abangamaKristu bangazuza kulesibonelo esifanelekayo sobuqotho lapho kuphakama izilingo nezinto eziyengayo.
17. (a) UPawulu ubonisa kanjani ukuthi lesihlabelelo salotshelwa ukufundiswa kwebandla lamaKristu? (b) Kungani kungenzeka ukuthi ngokufanelekile uPawulu wayecabanga ngaso lapho ebhalela abaseKorinte nabase-Efesu? (c) Ikuphi ukuqhathanisa okuthakazelisayo okungenziwa ngemibhalo ephefumlelwe kaJohane?
17 Kodwa lesihlabelelo esiphefumlelwe sinenzuzo kakhulu futhi ebandleni lobuKristu lilonke. AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ayesibheka njengesiyingxenye yemiBhalo ephefumlelwe, njengoba omunye wawo abhala: “Konke okwalotshwa ngaphambili kwalotshelwa ukufundiswa kwethu, ukuze ngokubekezela nangenduduzo yemibhalo sibe-nethemba.” (Roma 15:4) Yena lomlobi ofanayo ophefumlelwe, uPawulu, kungenzeka ngokufanelekile wayecabanga ngothando olukhethekile intombazane yoMshulamiti eyayinalo ngomalusi wayo lapho ebhalela ibandla lamaKristu: “Ngokuba ngiyanishisekela ngokushisekela kukaNkulunkulu, ngokuba nganendisela endodeni eyodwa ukuba nginiyise kuKristu niyintombi emhlophe.” UPawulu futhi wabhala ngothando uKristu analo ngebandla njengalolo lwendoda kumkayo. (2 Kor. 11:2; Efe. 5:23-27) Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi uJesu Kristu unguMalusi Omuhle kubo kodwa futhi uyiNkosi yabo enikeza abalandeli bayo abagcotshiwe injabulo engachazeki ‘emshadweni’ wabo nayo emazulwini.—IsAm. 19:9; Joh. 10:11.
18. Abalandeli abagcotshiwe bakaKristu Jesu bangazuza kanjani esibonelweni sentombazane yoMshulamiti?
18 Ngokuqinisekile labalandeli abagcotshiwe bakaKristu Jesu bangazuza kakhulu esibonelweni sentombazane yoMshulamiti. Nabo kufanele bathembeke othandweni lwabo, bangayengwa ubukhazikhazi bezinto ezibonakalayo zalelizwe, bagcine ubuqotho babo buqinile kuze kube yilapho befinyelela umvuzo. Izingqondo zabo zigxile ezintweni zaphezulu futhi ‘bafuna umbuso kuqala.’ Bayawamukela amazwi okuthopha othando kaMalusi wabo, uJesu Kristu. Bachichima injabulo ngokwazi ukuthi lona othandiweyo wabo, nakuba engabonakali, useduze kwabo, ebanxusa ukuba bame isibindi futhi balinqobe izwe. Benalolothando olungenakudanjiswa, oluqine ‘njengelangabi likaJah,’ ngeNkosi yabo enguMalusi, ngokuqinisekile bayonqoba futhi bahlanganiswe naye njengezindlalifa kanye naye eMbusweni okhazimulayo wasemazulwini. Igama likaJah liyongcweliswa ngaleyondlela!—Math. 6:33; Joh. 16:33.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
b ICommentary kaClarke, Umq. III, ikhasi 841.
c “LikaJehova,” eBhayibhelini lesiZulu.