UNowa Ungena Emkhombeni

Ukulinda kuyaphela. Usapho lukaNowa nezilwanyana bangene, waza uBawo wethu wavala umnyango, aza amanzi eza evela ezantsi naphezulu iintsuku ezingamashumi amane. Esi sahluko sibala abafileyo ngokucacileyo—konke okwakuphefumla emhlabeni owomileyo—size sidadise umkhombe omnye.

Isahluko 7.

Waza uBawo wethu wathi kuNowa: “Ngena emkhombeni wena nendlu yakho yonke, kuba ndikubonile ulilungisa phambi kwam kwesi sizukulwana. Zithabathele izibini ezisixhenxe zazo zonke izilwanyana ezihlambulukileyo, iduna nemazi, kunye nesibini esinye sezilwanyana ezingahlambulukanga, iduna nemazi, kwakhona izibini ezisixhenxe zeentaka zasemazulwini, iduna nemazi, ukuze kulondolozwe inzala iphila kuwo wonke umhlaba. Kuba emva kweentsuku ezisixhenxe ndiya kunisa imvula emhlabeni iintsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane, nditshabalalise zonke izinto eziphilayo endazenzayo ebusweni bomhlaba.”

UNowa wakwenza konke oko uBawo wethu wayemyalele kona.

UNowa wayeneminyaka engamakhulu amathandathu ubudala xa amanzi kanogumbe afika emhlabeni. Wangena emkhombeni yena, noonyana bakhe, nomkakhe, nabafazi boonyana bakhe, ukubalekela amanzi kanogumbe. Kwizilwanyana ezihlambulukileyo nezilwanyana ezingahlambulukanga, neentaka nazo zonke izinto ezirhubuluzayo emhlabeni. Zeza ngazibini kuNowa emkhombeni, iduna nemazi, njengoko uBawo wethu wayemyalele uNowa. Emva kweentsuku ezisixhenxe, amanzi kanogumbe afika emhlabeni. Ngonyaka wamakhulu amathandathu wobudala bukaNowa, ngenyanga yesibini, ngosuku lweshumi elinesixhenxe lwaloo nyanga—ngayo kanye loo mini—yagqabhuka yonke imithombo yenzonzobila enkulu, zaza zavuleka iingcango zezulu zamanzi. Imvula yana emhlabeni iintsuku ezingamashumi amane nobusuku obungamashumi amane.

Ngaloo mini kanye uNowa wangena emkhombeni—yena, noonyana bakhe uShem, noHam, noYafete, nomkakhe, nabafazi abathathu boonyana bakhe. Bona nazo zonke izilo zasendle ngohlobo lwazo, nezilwanyana zonke zasekhaya ngohlobo lwazo, nazo zonke izinto ezirhubuluzayo emhlabeni ngohlobo lwazo, neentaka zonke ngohlobo lwazo, zonke izidalwa ezinamaphiko. Zeza kuNowa, emkhombeni, ngazibini, zonke izinto ezinenyama ezinomphefumlo wobomi. Kwangena iduna nemazi yayo yonke inyama, njengoko uBawo wethu wayemyalele; waza uBawo wethu wamvalela ngaphakathi. Unogumbe wahlala iintsuku ezingamashumi amane emhlabeni; anyuka amanzi, awuphakamisa umkhombe, waza wadada phezu komhlaba. Agubha anyuka kakhulu amanzi phezu komhlaba, waza umkhombe wadada phezu kobuso bamanzi. Anyuka esenyuka amanzi phezu komhlaba, agubungela zonke iintaba eziphakamileyo ezingaphantsi kwalo lonke izulu. Anyuka amanzi malunga neefiti ezingamashumi amabini anambini ubunzulu ngaphezu kweentaba, azigubungela. Zafa zonke izinto ezihambayo emhlabeni: iintaka, nezilwanyana zasekhaya, nezilo zasendle, nazo zonke izidalwa ezinyakazela emhlabeni, nabantu bonke. Zafa zonke izinto ezisemhlabeni owomileyo ezinomphefumlo wobomi emathatheni azo. UBawo wethu wazitshabalalisa zonke izinto eziphilayo ebusweni bomhlaba—abantu, nezilwanyana, nezinto ezirhubuluzayo, neentaka zasemazulwini—wazicima emhlabeni. Kwasala uNowa kuphela nabo babekunye naye emkhombeni. Aza amanzi aqhubeka enamandla phezu komhlaba iintsuku ezilikhulu elinamashumi amahlanu.