UGenesisi 38

1 Kwasekusithi ngalesosikhathi uJuda wehla esuka kubafowabo, waphambukela endodeni yeAdulamu, obizo layo linguHira.

2 UJuda wasebona lapho indodakazi yendoda umKhanani, obizo lakhe linguShuwa; wayithatha wangena kuyo.

3 Yasithatha isisu, yazala indodana; waseyitha ibizo layo uEri.

4 Yasiphinda ithatha isisu, yazala indodana; yayitha ibizo layo uOnani.

5 Yasisengezelela futhi yazala indodana, yayitha ibizo layo uShela; kodwa wayeseKezibi ekuyizaleni kwayo.

6 UJuda wasemthathela uEri izibulo lakhe umfazi, njalo ibizo lakhe linguTamari.

7 Kodwa uEri, izibulo likaJuda, wayemubi emehlweni eNkosi; iNkosi yasimbulala.

8 UJuda wasesithi kuOnani: Ngena kumkamfowenu, wenze kuye imfanelo yomfowabo wendoda, umvusele umfowenu inzalo.

9 UOnani wayesazi-ke ukuthi inzalo kayiyikuba ngeyakhe. Kwasekusithi lapho engena kumkamfowabo, wayichithela emhlabathini, ukuze angamniki umfowabo inzalo.

10 Kwasekusiba kubi emehlweni eNkosi lokho akwenzayo; ngakho yambulala laye.

11 UJuda wasesithi kuTamari umalokazana wakhe: Hlala ungumfelokazi endlini kayihlo, aze akhule uShela indodana yami; ngoba wathi: Hlezi laye afe njengabafowabo. UTamari wasehamba wahlala endlini kayise.

12 Emva kwensuku ezinengi yafa indodakazi kaShuwa, umkaJuda. UJuda eseziduduzile, wenyukela kubagundi bezimvu zakhe eThiminathi, yena lomngane wakhe uHira umAdulamu.

13 Kwasekusaziswa kuTamari ukuthi: Khangela, uyihlozala wenyukela eThiminathi ukugunda izimvu zakhe.

14 Wasekhulula izembatho zobufelokazi bakhe, wazimbomboza ngesimbombozo, wazigoqela, wahlala esangweni iEnayima, elisendleleni eya eThiminathi; ngoba wabona ukuthi uShela wayesekhulile, njalo wayengamnikwanga ukuba ngumkakhe.

15 Lapho uJuda esembonile, wacabanga ukuthi uliwule, ngoba embomboze ubuso bakhe.

16 Wasephambukela kuye endleleni wathi: Woza-ke, ngingene kuwe; ngoba wayengazi ukuthi ngumalokazana wakhe. Wasesithi: Uzanginikani ukuze ungene kimi?

17 Wasesithi: Mina ngizathumela izinyane lembuzi elivela emhlanjini. Wasesithi: Uzanginika isibambiso uze ulithumele yini?

18 Wasesithi: Sibambiso bani engizakunika sona? Wasesithi: Indandatho elophawu lwakho, lentambo yakho, lodondolo lwakho olusesandleni sakho. Wasemupha, wangena kuye; wasethatha isisu sakhe.

19 Wasesukuma wahamba, wakhulula isimbombozo sakhe, wafaka izembatho zobufelokazi bakhe.

20 UJuda wasethumela izinyane lembuzi ngesandla somngane wakhe umAdulamu ukuze athathe isibambiso esandleni sowesifazana; kodwa kamtholanga.

21 Wasebuza amadoda endawo yakowesifazana esithi: Lingaphi iwule elaliseEnayima endleleni? Asesithi: Kakuzanga kube khona iwule lapha.

22 Wasebuyela kuJuda wathi: Kangilitholanga, futhi lamadoda endawo athi: Kakuzanga kube khona iwule lapha.

23 UJuda wasesithi: Kalizithathele, hlezi sideleleke; khangela, ngithumele lelizinyane, kodwa wena kawumtholanga.

24 Kwasekusithi phose emva kwenyanga ezintathu kwaziswa kuJuda ukuthi: UTamari umalokazana wakhe ufebile, futhi khangela-ke, ulesisu sokufetshwa. UJuda wasesithi: Mkhupheni atshiswe.

25 Esekhutshiwe, yena wathumela kuyisezala, esithi: Ngoniwe yindoda engumnini walezizinto. Wathi futhi: Ake uhlolisise ukuthi ngezikabani lezizinto, indandatho elophawu lezintambo lodondolo.

26 UJuda wasezivuma wathi: Ulungile kulami, ngakho njengoba ngingamnikanga uShela indodana yami. Njalo kabanga esamazi futhi.

27 Kwasekusithi esikhathini sokubeletha kwakhe, khangela-ke, amaphahla ayesesiswini sakhe.

28 Kwasekusithi ekubeletheni kwakhe, elinye lakhupha isandla; umbelethisi wasithatha, wabopha intambo ebomvu esandleni salo, esithi: Lo uzaphuma kuqala.

29 Kodwa kwathi lifinyeza isandla salo, khangela-ke umfowabo waphuma; wasesithi: Ufohle njani? Ukufohla kakube phezu kwakho. Wasemutha ibizo lakhe uPerezi.

30 Emva kwalokhu kwasekuphuma umfowabo owayelentambo ebomvu esandleni sakhe; wasemutha ibizo lakhe uZera.