Abahluleli 13

1 Abantwana bakoIsrayeli babuya-ke benza okubi emehlweni eNkosi. INkosi yasibanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamatshumi amane.

2 Kwakukhona-ke umuntu othile weZora, owosendo lwakoDani, obizo lakhe lalinguManowa; lomkakhe wayeyinyumba engazali.

3 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasibonakala kowesifazana yathi kuye: Khangela-ke, uyinyumba, kawuzali, kodwa uzathatha isisu uzale indodana.

4 Ngakho-ke ake uqaphelise, unganathi wayini lokunathwayo okulamandla, ungadli lalutho olungcolileyo,

5 ngoba khangela, uzathatha isisu uzale indodana. Impuco kayiyikudlula ekhanda layo, ngoba umfana uzakuba ngumNaziri kaNkulunkulu kusukela esizalweni; yena uzaqala ukusindisa uIsrayeli esandleni samaFilisti.

6 Owesifazana wasesiza wabikela indoda yakhe esithi: Kufikile kimi umuntu kaNkulunkulu, ukubonakala kwakhe kwakunjengokubonakala kwengilosi kaNkulunkulu, kusesabeka kakhulu; kodwa kangimbuzanga ukuthi uvela ngaphi, futhi kangitshelanga ibizo lakhe.

7 Kodwa uthe kimi: Khangela, uzathatha isisu, uzale indodana; khathesi-ke unganathi wayini lokunathwayo okulamandla, ungadli lalutho olungcolileyo, ngoba umfana uzakuba ngumNaziri kaNkulunkulu kusukela esizalweni kuze kube sosukwini lokufa kwakhe.

8 UManowa waseyincenga iNkosi wathi: Hawu Nkosi yami, umuntu kaNkulunkulu omthumileyo ake abuye futhi kithi, asifundise ukuthi sizakwenza njani emfaneni ozazalwa.

9 UNkulunkulu waselizwa ilizwi likaManowa, lengilosi kaNkulunkulu yafika futhi kowesifazana ehlezi egangeni; kodwa uManowa umkakhe wayengelaye.

10 Owesifazana wasehaluzela wagijima wabikela umkakhe wathi: Khangela, lowomuntu ubonakele kimi owafika kimi mhlalokhuyana.

11 UManowa wasesukuma walandela umkakhe, wafika kulowomuntu wathi kuye: Unguye yini lowomuntu owakhuluma kulowesifazana? Wasesithi: Nginguye.

12 UManowa wasesithi: Kaweze-ke amazwi akho; izakuba yini indlela yomfana, lomsebenzi wakhe?

13 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuManowa: Kukho konke engakutshoyo kowesifazana akuqaphelise;

14 angadli okolutho oluphuma evinini lewayini, anganathi wayini lokunathwayo okulamandla, angadli lutho olungcolileyo; konke engamlaya khona akugcine.

15 UManowa wasesithi engilosini yeNkosi: Ake sikubambelele, silungise phambi kwakho izinyane lembuzi.

16 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuManowa: Uba ungibambelela, kangiyikudla okwesinkwa sakho; njalo uba ulungisa umnikelo wokutshiswa, unikele eNkosini. Ngoba uManowa wayengazi ukuthi yayiyingilosi yeNkosi.

17 UManowa wasesithi kuyo ingilosi yeNkosi: Ungubani ibizo lakho, ukuze kuthi lapho amazwi akho esiza sikuhloniphe.

18 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasisithi kuye: Ubuzelani kanje ngebizo lami lokhu liyamangalisa?

19 UManowa wasethatha izinyane lembuzi lomnikelo wokudla, wakunikela eNkosini phezu kwedwala, yasisenza ngokumangalisayo, njalo uManowa lomkakhe bekhangele.

20 Kwasekusithi lapho ilangabi lisenyuka elathini liqonde emazulwini, ingilosi yeNkosi yenyuka ngelangabi lelathi, uManowa lomkakhe bekhangele, bathi mbo ngobuso babo emhlabathini.

21 Kodwa ingilosi yeNkosi kayiphindanga isabonakala kuManowa lomkakhe. Khona uManowa wazi ukuthi kwakuyingilosi yeNkosi.

22 UManowa wasesithi kumkakhe: Sizakufa lokufa ngoba sibone uNkulunkulu.

23 Kodwa umkakhe wathi kuye: Uba iNkosi ibithanda ukusibulala, ibingayikwemukela esandleni sethu umnikelo wokutshiswa lomnikelo wokudla, njalo ibingayikusitshengisa zonke lezizinto, njalo ibingayikusizwisa ngalesisikhathi izinto ezinjengalezi.

24 Owesifazana wasebeletha indodana, wayitha ibizo layo wathi nguSamsoni; umfana wasekhula, leNkosi yambusisa.

25 UMoya weNkosi waseqala ukumvusa enkambeni kaDani phakathi kweZora leEshitawoli.