Ukuphila Kwakho—Iyini Injongo Yako?

“Inhliziyo ingihole nokho ngokuhlakanipha . . . ngize ngibone ukuthi kuyini okuhle kumadodana abantu . . . ezinsukwini zonke zokuphila kwawo.”—UMSHUMAYELI 2:3.

1, 2. Kungani kungelona iphutha ukuba umuntu abe nesithakazelo esilingene kuye ngokwakhe?

UNESITHAKAZELO kuwe ngokwakho, akunjalo? Lokho kuvamile. Yingakho sidla usuku ngalunye, silala lapho sikhathele futhi sikujabulela ukuba nabangane nesibathandayo. Ngezinye izikhathi siyadlala, sibhukude, noma senze ezinye izinto esizijabulelayo, okubonisa isithakazelo esilingene kithi ngokwethu.

² Isithakazelo esinjalo kithi ngokwethu sivumelana nalokho uNkulunkulu ashukumisela uSolomoni ukuba akubhale: “Akukho okuhle kumuntu kunalokhu kokuba adle, aphuze, abonise umphefumulo wakhe okuhle emshikashikeni wakhe.” Esusela kokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe, uSolomoni wanezela: “Nalokho ngakubona ukuthi kuvela esandleni sikaNkulunkulu. Ngokuba ngubani ongadla, ngubani ongajabula ngaphandle kwakhe na?”—UmShumayeli 2:24, 25.

3. Yimiphi imibuzo edidayo abaningi abayithola ingaphenduleki?

³ Nokho uyazi ukuthi ukuphila kusho okungaphezu nje kokudla, ukuphuza, ukulala nokwenza okuthile okuhle. Sizwa ubuhlungu, ukudumala nokukhathazeka. Futhi kubonakala simatasa kakhulu ukuba sicabange ngenjongo yokuphila kwethu. Akunjalo yini ngawe? Ngemva kokuphawula ngolwazi lwethu oluthuthukile namakhono, uVermont Royster, owayengumhleli we-Wall Street Journal, wabhala: “Nansi impicabadala. Lapho sicabanga ngomuntu ngokwakhe, ngezinkinga zakhe, ngendawo yakhe kulembulunga, asinalo ulwazi olungaphezu kwalolo olwalukhona ekuqaleni kokuphila. Sisenemibuzo ngokuthi singobani, kungani siphila nokuthi siyaphi.”

4. Kungani ngamunye wethu kufanele afune ukukwazi ukuphendula imibuzo esithintayo?

⁴ Ungayiphendula kanjani lemibuzo: Singobani? Kungani silapha? Siyaphi? Ngo-July odlule, uMnu. Royster washona. Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi wayesezitholile izimpendulo ezanelisayo? Okubalulekile, Ikhona yini indlela ongazithola ngayo? Futhi lokhu kungakusiza kanjani ukuba ube nokuphila okujabulisayo nokunenjongo kakhudlwana? Ake sibone.

Umthombo Oyinhloko Wokuqonda

5. Kungani kufanele sibheke kuNkulunkulu lapho sifuna ukuqonda ngemibuzo ephathelene nenjongo yokuphila?

⁵ Uma sizifunela sodwa injongo yokuphila kwethu, singase sibe nempumelelo encane noma singaphumeleli nhlobo, njengoba kuye kwaba njalo ngabesilisa nabesifazane abaningi, ngisho nalabo abanemfundo nolwazi oluphakeme. Kodwa asisodwa. UMdali wethu uye wasilungiselela usizo. Uma ucabanga ngakho, akawona yini uMthombo oyinhloko wokuqonda nokuhlakanipha, njengoba ‘esukela phakade kuze kube-phakade’ futhi enolwazi oluphelele ngalembulunga nomlando? (IHubo 90:1, 2) Wadala abantu futhi uye wakuqaphela konke umuntu aye wabhekana nakho, ngakho kufanele sibheke kuYe ukuze sithole ukuqonda, singabheki kubantu abangaphelele, abanolwazi nokuqonda okuncane.—IHubo 14:1-3; Roma 3:10-12.

6. (a) UMdali uye wakulungiselela kanjani ukuqonda okudingekayo? (b) USolomoni uhileleke kanjani?

⁶ Njengoba singenakulindela ukuba uMdali afike qathatha azosambulela injongo yokuphila, uye wasilungiselela umthombo wokuqonda—iZwi lakhe eliphefumulelwe. (IHubo 32:8; 111:10) Incwadi yomShumayeli iwusizo ngokukhethekile kulokhu. UNkulunkulu waphefumulela umlobi wayo, okwabangela ukuba ‘ukuhlakanipha kukaSolomoni kudlule ukuhlakanipha kwabantu bonke basempumalanga.’ (1 AmaKhosi 3:6-12; 4:30-34) “Ukuhlakanipha kukaSolomoni” kwayihlaba umxhwele indlovukazi eyayivakashile yaze yathi akuzange kukhulunywe nangengxenye yako futhi labo ababelalela ukuhlakanipha kwakhe babejabula ngempela.a (1 AmaKhosi 10:4-8) Nathi singathola ukuqonda nenjabulo ekuhlakanipheni kwaphezulu uMdali wethu asinika kona ngoSolomoni.

7. (a) Yini uSolomoni aphetha ngayo ngemisebenzi eminingi eyenziwa phansi kwezulu? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uSolomoni wayebhekana namaqiniso?

⁷ UmShumayeli uveza ukuhlakanipha okuvela kuNkulunkulu, okwathonya inhliziyo nengqondo kaSolomoni. Njengoba ayenesikhathi, ingcebo, nokuqonda ukuze enze kanjalo, uSolomoni wahlola “konke [okwakwenziwe] ngaphansi kwezulu.” Wabona ukuthi okuningi kwako “kuyize nokufuna umoya,” okuyisiphetho esiphefumulelwe okufanele sisikhumbule lapho sicabanga ngenjongo yethu ekuphileni. (UmShumayeli 1:13, 14, 16) USolomoni wayengafihli lutho, ebhekana namaqiniso. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngamazwi akhe atholakala kumShumayeli 1:15, 18. Uyazi ukuthi emakhulwini eminyaka abantu baye bazama izinhlobonhlobo zohulumeni, ngezinye izikhathi bezama ngobuqotho ukuxazulula izinkinga nokwenza ngcono indlela yabantu yokuphila. Nokho, bakhona yini abaye bazilungisa ngempela izinto “ezigwegwile” zalesi simiso esingaphelele? Futhi kungenzeka uye wabona ukuthi lapho umuntu eba nolwazi olwengeziwe, uqaphela ngisho nakakhulu ukuthi ngesikhathi esifushane sokuphila, akunakwenzeka ukulungisa izinto ngokuphelele. Ukukuqaphela lokho kuletha ukukhungatheka kwabaningi, kodwa hhayi kithi.

8. Yimiphi imijikelezo osekuyisikhathi eside ikhona?

⁸ Elinye iphuzu lokucatshangelwa imijikelezo ephindaphindekayo esithintayo, njengokuphuma nokushona kwelanga noma ukuhamba komoya namanzi. Lemijikelezo yayikhona esikhathini sikaMose, uSolomoni, uNapoléon nesawokhokho bethu. Futhi isaqhubeka. Ngokufanayo, “isizukulwane siyamuka, isizukulwane siyeza.” (UmShumayeli 1:4-7) Ngokombono womuntu, kuncane okuye kwashintsha. Abantu basendulo nabanamuhla baye baba nemisebenzi, amathemba, imigomo nempumelelo efanayo. Nakuba emehlweni abantu, kunothile owazenzela igama eliphawulekayo noma owayevelele ngobuhle noma ikhono, uphi lowo muntu manje? Akasekho futhi cishe uselitshelwe. Lokho akukhona ukuba nombono ofiphele. Iningi labantu aliwazi ngisho namagama okhokho balo noma alinakusho ukuthi bazalelwaphi bangcwatshwa kuphi. Ungasibona isizathu sokuba uSolomoni, lapho ebhekana namaqiniso, abone ubuze emisebenzini nasemizamweni yomuntu.—UmShumayeli 1:9-11.

9. Singasizakala kanjani ngokuthola umbono oqondile wesimo sesintu?

⁹ Kunokuba kusikhungathekise, lokhu kuqonda kwaphezulu ngesimo sesintu esiyisisekelo kungaba nomphumela omuhle, kusishukumisele ukuba sigweme ukugxilisa ukubaluleka okungadingekile emigomweni nasemisebenzini ezoshabalala ngokushesha futhi ilibaleke. Kufanele kusisize sihlaziye lokho esikutholayo ekuphileni nalokho esizama ukukufeza. Ngokwesibonelo, kunokuba sizincishe, singathola injabulo ekudleni nasekuphuzeni ngokulinganisela. (UmShumayeli 2:24) Futhi, njengoba sizobona, uSolomoni ufinyelela isiphetho esihle kakhulu nesinikeza amathemba amahle. Ngamafuphi, siwukuthi kufanele sibazise ngokujulile ubuhlobo bethu noMdali wethu, ongasisiza ukuba sibe nekusasa eliyosijabulisa phakade nelinenjongo. USolomoni wagcizelela: “Nakhu ukuphela kwendaba, lapho sekuzwakele konke: Mesabe uNkulunkulu, ugcine imiyalo yakhe, ngokuba lokho kungokwabantu bonke.”—UmShumayeli 12:13.

Injongo Uma Kucatshangelwa Imijikelezo Yokuphila

10. USolomoni waziqhathanisa ngayiphi indlela izilwane nabantu?

¹⁰ Ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu okuvezwe kumShumayeli kungasisiza ngokwengeziwe ekucabangeleni injongo yethu ekuphileni. Ngani? Ngoba uSolomoni wadalula amanye amaqiniso okungenzeka asivamile ukucabanga ngawo. Elinye lawo lihilela ukufana phakathi kwabantu nezilwane. UJesu wafanisa abalandeli bakhe nezimvu, nakuba abantu ngokuvamile bengathandi ukuqhathaniswa nezilwane. (Johane 10:11-16) Noma kunjalo uSolomoni waveza amaqiniso athile angenakuphikwa: “Kungenxa yamadodana abantu ukuze uNkulunkulu awavivinye, wona azibonele ukuthi anjengezilwane nje. Ngokuba okwehlela amadodana abantu kwehlela nezilwane, into inye ikwehlela kokubili: njengalokhu kufa lokho, kuyafa nalokhu; . . . umuntu akazidluli ngalutho izilwane, ngokuba konke kuyize. . . . Konke kuvela othulini, konke kubuyela othulini.”—UmShumayeli 3:18-20.

11. (a) Umjikelezo ovamile wokuphila kwesilwane ungachazwa kanjani? (b) Uzizwa kanjani ngokuhlaziya okunjalo?

¹¹ Cabanga ngesilwane othanda ukusibuka, mhlawumbe imbila noma unogwaja. (Duteronomi 14:7; IHubo 104:18; IzAga 30:26) Noma ungase ucabange ngengwejeje; kunezinhlobo zayo ezingaphezu kuka-300 emhlabeni wonke. Uyini umjikelezo wokuphila kwayo? Lapho isizelwe, unina uyinakekela amasonto athile. Ngokushesha iba noboya ikwazi ukuphumela ngaphandle. Ungase uyibone itshakadula ifunda ukuthola ukudla. Kodwa ngokuvamile ibonakala izidlalela nje, ijabulela isikhathi sayo sokuba izinyane. Ngemva kwesikhathi esingangonyaka, ithola umlingane. Bese kudingeka yakhe isidleke noma igubhe umgodi ukuze inakekele amazinyane ayo. Uma uthola amajikijolo, amantongomane nezinhlamvu ezanele, umkhaya wengwejeje ungase wande bese ukwazi ukukhulisa ikhaya lawo. Kodwa eminyakeni embalwa nje, lesi silwane siyaguga futhi kube lula ukuba sivelelwe izingozi futhi singenwe yizifo. Lapho sesineminyaka eyishumi siyafa. Ngaphandle komehluko omncane ezinhlotsheni ezithile zengwejeje, yilowo umjikelezo wokuphila kwayo.

12. (a) Uma sibhekana namaqiniso, kungani umjikelezo wokuphila wabantu abaningi ufana nowesilwane esivamile? (b) Yini esingase sicabange ngayo uma siphinde sibona isilwane ebesicabanga ngaso?

¹² Abantu abaningi ngeke bawuphike lowo mjikelezo esilwaneni, futhi abalindele ukuba ingwejeje ibe nenjongo ecatshangelwe kahle ekuphileni. Nokho, akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi ukuphila kwabantu abaningi akuhlukile kakhulu kulokho? Bayazalwa banakekelwe njengabantwana. Bayadla, bakhule futhi badlale njengentsha. Kungakabiphi baba abantu abadala, bathole umngane womshado futhi bafune indawo yokuhlala nendlela yokuzondla. Uma bephumelela, bangase banethezeke futhi bandise umuzi wabo (isidleke) abazokhulisela kuwo izingane. Kodwa amashumi eminyaka adlula ngokushesha, futhi bayakhula. Bangase bafe ngemva kweminyaka engu-70 noma engu-80 egcwele “ukuhlupheka neze,” uma bengafi ngaphambi kwalokho. (IHubo 90:9, 10, 12) Ungacabanga ngalamaqiniso asangulukisayo uma uphinde ubona ingwejeje (noma esinye isilwane obucabanga ngaso).

13. Yisiphi isiphetho esibonakala siyiqiniso ezilwaneni nakubantu?

¹³ Ungabona ukuthi kungani uSolomoni aqhathanisa ukuphila kwabantu nokwezilwane. Wabhala: “Konke kunesikhathi sakho. . . . Kukhona isikhathi sokuzalwa nesikhathi sokufa.” Leso siphetho, ukufa, sifikela umuntu nesilwane, “njengalokhu kufa lokho, kuyafa nalokhu.” Wanezela: “Konke kuvela othulini, konke kubuyela othulini.”—UmShumayeli 3:1, 2, 19, 20.

14. Abanye abantu bazama kanjani ukushintsha umjikelezo wokuphila ovamile, kodwa kube namuphi umphumela?

¹⁴ Akudingekile ukuba sibheke lokhu kuhlaziywa kwamaqiniso njengokuba nombono ophambene. Yiqiniso, abanye bazama ukuguqula isimo, ngezindlela ezinjengokusebenza isikhathi esengeziwe ukuze benze isimo sabo sezomnotho sibe ngcono kunesabazali babo. Bangase baphishekele iminyaka yemfundo eyengeziwe ukuze babe nokuphila okusezingeni eliphezulu, kuyilapho bezama ukwandisa ukuqonda kwabo ngokuphila. Noma bangase bagxile ekuzivivinyeni noma ekulandeleni izindlela ezithile zokudla ukuze bathole impilo engcono futhi baphile isikhathi esijana. Lemizamo ingase ilethe izinzuzo ezithile. Kodwa ubani ongaqiniseka ukuthi imizamo enjalo iyophumelela? Noma iphumelela, kuyoba isikhathi eside kangakanani?

15. Yikuphi ukuhlaziywa okuqotho kokuphila kwabantu abaningi okunengqondo?

¹⁵ USolomoni wabuza: “Lokhu kukhona amazwi amaningi akwandisa okuyize, umuntu unanzuzoni na? Ngokuba ngubani okwaziyo okuhle okuyakuba-ngokomuntu ekuhambeni kwakhe zonke izinsuku zokuhamba kwakhe okuyize aziqedayo njengesithunzi na? Ngubani ongatshela umuntu okuyakuba-semva kwakhe na?” (UmShumayeli 6:11, 12) Njengoba ukufa kuyimisa ngokushesha imizamo yomuntu, ikhona yini inzuzo engako ekuzabalazeleni ukuthola izinto ezibonakalayo ezengeziwe noma ekuphishekeleni iminyaka eminingi yemfundo ukuze ngokuyinhloko uthole ingcebo eyengeziwe? Futhi njengoba ukuphila kukufushane kangaka, kudlula njengethunzi, abaningi bathola ukuthi ababi nesikhathi sokuphishekela omunye umgomo lapho beba nomuzwa wokuthi owokuqala uzobhuntsha; futhi umuntu akanakuqiniseka ukuthi yini eyokwenzeka ezinganeni zakhe “ngemva kwakhe.”

Yisikhathi Sokwenza Igama Elihle

16. (a) Yini okufanele siyenze izilwane ezingenakuyenza? (b) Yiliphi elinye iqiniso okufanele lithonye ukucabanga kwethu?

¹⁶ Ngokungafani nezilwane, thina bantu sinekhono lokucabanga, ‘Iyini injongo yokuphila kwami? Ingabe kumane kuwumjikelezo omisiwe, onesikhathi sokuzalwa nesikhathi sokufa?’ Ngokuqondene nalokho, khumbula iqiniso elisemazwini kaSolomoni ngokuphathelene nomuntu nesilwane: “Konke kubuyela othulini.” Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi ukufa kukuqeda ngokuphelele ukuphila komuntu? IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi abantu abanawo umphefumulo ongafi oqhubeka uphila lapho eseyisidumbu. Abantu bayimiphefumulo, futhi umphefumulo owonayo uyafa. (Hezekeli 18:4, 20) USolomoni wenaba: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayakufa, kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho, futhi abasenawo umvuzo, ngokuba ukukhunjulwa kwabo sekukhohlakele. Konke isandla sakho esikufumanayo ukukwenza, kwenze ngamandla akho, ngokuba akukho-msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha endaweni yabafileyo, lapho uya khona.”—UmShumayeli 9:5, 10.

17. UmShumayeli 7:1, 2 kufanele asenze sicabangeni?

¹⁷ Ngenxa yalelo qiniso elingenakugwenywa, cabangela lamazwi: “Igama elihle lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa. Kungcono ukuya endlini yokulila kunokuya endlini yedili, ngokuba lokho kungukuphela kwabantu bonke; nophilayo makakubeke enhliziyweni yakhe.” (UmShumayeli 7:1, 2) Kumelwe sivume ukuthi ukufa kuye kwaba “ukuphela kwabantu bonke.” Akukho muntu oke waphuza umuthi owuzifo-zonke, wadla inhlanganisela yamavithamini, walandela isimiso esithile sokudla, noma wenza noma yikuphi ukuvivinya umzimba okwaphumela ekuphileni okuphakade. Futhi ngokuvamile ‘ukukhunjulwa kwabo kuyakhohlakala’ kungakabi isikhathi eside befile. Pho kungani igama “lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa”?

18. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi uSolomoni wayekholelwa ovukweni?

¹⁸ Njengoba kuphawuliwe, uSolomoni wayebhekana namaqiniso. Wayebazi okhokho bakhe o-Abrahama, u-Isaka noJakobe, ababezenzele igama elihle ngempela noMdali wethu. Njengoba ayejwayelene kakhulu no-Abrahama, uJehova uNkulunkulu wathembisa ukumbusisa kanye nenzalo yakhe. (Genesise 18:18, 19; 22:17) Yebo, u-Abrahama wayenegama elihle noNkulunkulu, engumngane wakhe. (2 IziKronike 20:7; Isaya 41:8; Jakobe 2:23) U-Abrahama wayazi ukuthi ukuphila kwakhe nokwendodana yakhe kwakungeyona nje ingxenye yomjikelezo ongapheli wokuzalwa nokufa. Ngokuqinisekile kwakunokungaphezu kwalokho. Babenethemba eliqinisekile lokuphinde baphile, hhayi ngoba benemiphefumulo engafi, kodwa ngoba babeyovuswa. U-Abrahama wayeqiniseka ukuthi “uNkulunkulu uyakwazi ukumvusa [u-Isaka] ngisho nakwabafileyo.”—Heberu 11:17-19.

19. Yikuphi ukuqonda esingakuthola kuJobe ngalokho okushiwo umShumayeli 7:1?

¹⁹ Yileso isihluthulelo sokuqonda ukuthi kungayiphi indlela “igama elihle lingcono kunamafutha amahle, nosuku lokufa lungcono kunosuku lokuzalwa.” NjengoJobe owayephila ngaphambi kwakhe, uSolomoni wayeqiniseka ukuthi Lowo owadala ukuphila komuntu angakubuyisela. Angababuyisela ekuphileni abantu abaye bafa. (Jobe 14:7-14) UJobe okholekile wathi: “Ubuyakubiza [Jehova], mina ngiphendule; ubuyakulangazelela umsebenzi wezandla zakho.” (Jobe 14:15) Cabanga ngalokho! UMdali wethu “ulangazelela” izinceku zakhe ezithembekile eziye zafa. (“Ubuyofuna ukuphinde ubone umsebenzi wezandla zakho.”—The Jerusalem Bible.) Esebenzisa umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu, uMdali angabavusa abantu. (Johane 3:16; IzEnzo 24:15) Ngokusobala, abantu bangahluka ezilwaneni nje ezifayo.

20. (a) Kunini lapho usuku lokufa lungcono khona kunosuku lokuzalwa? (b) Uvuko lukaLazaru kumelwe ukuba lwabathinta kanjani abaningi?

²⁰ Lokhu kusho ukuthi usuku lokufa lungaba ngcono kunosuku lokuzalwa komuntu, uma ngaleso sikhathi lowo muntu eyobe eselakhile igama elihle noJehova, ongabavusa abakholekileyo abafayo. USolomoni Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu, wakufakazela lokho. Ngokwesibonelo, wavusela ekuphileni indoda ekholekile uLazaru. (Luka 11:31; Johane 11:1-44) Njengoba ungacabanga, abaningi balabo ababona uLazaru ebuyela ekuphileni bathinteka kakhulu, bakholwa eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 11:45) Ingabe ucabanga ukuthi bazizwa bengenanjongo ekuphileni, bengazi ukuthi bangobani nokuthi bayaphi? Ngokuphambene, babona ukuthi akudingekile babe njengezilwane nje ezizalwayo, ziphile isikhathi esithile, bese zifa. Injongo yabo ekuphileni yayihlobene ngokuqondile nangokuseduze nokwazi uYise kaJesu nokwenza intando yaKhe. Kuthiwani ngawe? Ingabe lengxoxo ikusizile ukuba ubone, noma ukuba ubone ngokucacile, indlela ukuphila kwakho okungaba ngayo nenjongo yangempela futhi okufanele kube nayo?

21. Yisiphi isici sokuthola injongo ekuphileni kwethu esisafuna ukusihlola?

²¹ Nokho, ukuba nenjongo yangempela nenengqondo ekuphileni kusho okungaphezu kokucabanga ngokufa nokuphila futhi ngemva kwalokho. Kuhilela lokho esikwenzayo ngokuphila kwethu nsuku zonke. USolomoni wakucacisa nalokho kumShumayeli, njengoba sizobona esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Uyakhumbula?

◻ Izilwane nabantu kufana ngaziphi izindlela?

◻ Kungani ukufa kugcizelela ukuthi imizamo nemisebenzi eminingi yabantu iyize?

◻ Usuku lokufa lungaba ngcono kanjani kunosuku lokuzalwa?

◻ Ukuba kwethu nenjongo enengqondo ekuphileni kuxhomeke kubuphi ubuhlobo?

[Izithombe ekhasini 10]

Ukuphila kwakho kuhluke kanjani ngokuphawulekayo kokwezilwane?