uBaba Uthembisa iNdodana
U-Israyeli unikelwa kumaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane. Isithunywa sikaBaba wethu sithembisa owesifazane oyinyumba indodana ehlukaniselwe kusukela esizalweni, futhi sibuya lapho uManowa ecela. Igama lesivakashi lingaphezu kokuqonda; sikhuphuka elangabini le-altare. USamsoni uyazalwa futhi ubusiswe.
13 1Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli baphinda benza okubi emehlweni kaBaba wethu, ngakho wabanikela esandleni samaFilisti iminyaka engamashumi amane.
2Kwakukhona indoda egama layo linguManowa, waseZora wosendo lwakwaDani, owayenomkakhe oyinyumba ongazali bantwana.
3Ingelosi kaBaba wethu yabonakala kowesifazane, yathi kuye: “Uyinyumba, awunabantwana, kodwa uyakukhulelwa uzale indodana. 4Manje-ke, qaphela ungaphuzi iwayini noma okudakayo, futhi ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, 5ngokuba uyakukhulelwa uzale indodana. Akukho mpuco eyakuthinta ikhanda lakhe, ngokuba lo mfana uyakuba ngumNaziri kaBaba wethu kusukela esizalweni, futhi uyakuqala ukusindisa u-Israyeli esandleni samaFilisti.”
6Owesifazane wahamba watshela umyeni wakhe, wathi: “Umuntu kaNkulunkulu uzile kimi; isimo sakhe sasinjengesimo sengelosi kaBaba wethu, sesabeka kakhulu. Angimbuzanga ukuthi uvelaphi, naye akangitshelanga igama lakhe.” 7Kodwa wathi kimi: “Uyakukhulelwa uzale indodana. Manje ungaphuzi iwayini noma okudakayo, ungadli lutho olungcolileyo, ngokuba lo mfana uyakuba ngumNaziri kaBaba wethu kusukela esizalweni kuze kube lusuku lokufa kwakhe.”
8UManowa wankuleka kuBaba wethu, wathi: “Ngiyakuncenga, Baba wami oMkhulu, umuntu kaNkulunkulu omthumileyo makabuye eze kithi asifundise ukuthi senzeni ngomfana ozalwayo.”
9UBaba wethu walizwa izwi likaManowa; ingelosi kaBaba wethu yabuya yeza kowesifazane owayehlezi endle, kodwa uManowa umyeni wakhe wayengekho naye. 10Owesifazane wagijima ngokushesha watshela umyeni wakhe, wathi: “Bheka, indoda eyeza kimi ngelinye ilanga ibonakele kimi!”
11UManowa wasukuma, walandela umkakhe, wafika endodeni. Wabuza wathi: “Nguwe yini indoda ekhulume nowesifazane?” Yathi: “Yimi.”
12UManowa wathi: “Lapho amazwi akho egcwaliseka, yini eyakubusa impilo nomsebenzi womfana?”
13Ingelosi kaBaba wethu yathi kuManowa: “Makaqaphele konke engimtshele khona. 14Makangadli lutho oluvela emvinini, angaphuzi iwayini noma okudakayo, angadli lutho olungcolileyo. Makagcine konke engimyale ngakho.”
15UManowa wathi kungelosi kaBaba wethu: “Ake sikubambe, sikulungisele izinyane lembuzi.”
16Ingelosi kaBaba wethu yathi kuManowa: “Noma ungangibamba, ngeke ngikudle ukudla kwakho; kodwa uma ulungisa umnikelo wokushiswa, wunikele kuBaba wethu.” (UManowa wayengazi ukuthi isivakashi sasiyingelosi kaBaba wethu.)
17UManowa wabuza ingelosi kaBaba wethu, wathi: “Ungubani igama lakho, ukuze sikuhloniphe lapho amazwi akho egcwaliseka?”
18Ingelosi kaBaba wethu yathi kuye: “Ubuzelani igama lami? Lingaphezu kokuqondakala.”
19Ngakho uManowa wathatha izinyane lembuzi nomnikelo wempuphu wakunikela edwaleni kuBaba wethu, owenza izimangaliso, kubukele uManowa nomkakhe. 20Kwathi ilangabi le-altare lapho likhuphukela ezulwini, ingelosi kaBaba wethu yenyuka elangabini le-altare. UManowa nomkakhe babona, bawa phansi ngobuso. 21Ingelosi kaBaba wethu ayibange isabonakala kuManowa nomkakhe. Khona-ke uManowa wazi ukuthi yayiyingelosi kaBaba wethu. 22“Nakanjani sizakufa,” kusho uManowa kumkakhe, “ngokuba simbonile uBaba wethu!”
23Umkakhe wathi kuye: “Uma uBaba wethu ubethanda ukusibulala, ubengeke awamukele umnikelo wokushiswa nomnikelo wempuphu ezandleni zethu, ubengeke asibonise konke lokhu, noma asizwise lokhu manje.” 24Owesifazane wazala indodana wayiqamba igama elithi uSamsoni. Umfana wakhula, uBaba wethu wambusisa. 25UMoya kaBaba wethu waqala ukumvusa eMahane-dani, phakathi kweZora ne-Eshtawoli.
