Mningi kakhulu umsebenzi engiwenze emhlabeni futhi ngihambe iminyaka eminingi phakathi kwesintu. Kodwa luncane ulwazi abantu abanalo ngokubukeka Kwami nangesimo Sami, futhi bayidlanzana abantu abangawuchaza kahle umsebenzi engiwenzayo. Kuningi abantu abakuntulayo, bahlale bentula ukuqonda ngalokhu engikwenzayo, futhi izinhliziyo zabo zihlale ziqaphile njengokungathi besaba kakhulu ukuthi ngizobafaka kwesinye isimo bese ngingabe ngisabanaka. Ngakho, umbono wabantu Ngami kuhlale kuwukungabi nandaba okuphelezelwa ukuqapha okukhulu. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi abantu bafike esimweni samanje bengawuqondi umsebenzi engiwenzayo, futhi ngokukhethekile badidwa amazwi engiwakhuluma kubo. Baphatha amazwi Ami ezandleni zabo, bengazi noma kufanele bangakuthathi kalula ukuwakholelwa noma kufanele banqikaze bawakhohlwe. Abazi noma kufanele bawenze yini, noma kufanele balinde babone, noma kufanele babeke eceleni yonke into bese bewalandela ngesibindi, noma baqhubeke nokuba nobungane nezwe njengakuqala. Amazwi abantu angaphakathi ayinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, futhi anobuqili kakhulu. Ngenxa yokuthi abantu abakwazi ukuwabona ngokucacile amazwi Ami futhi abakwazi ukuwabona ngokugcwele, abaningi babo bathwala kanzima lapho bewenza, futhi bathwala kanzima lapho bebeka izinhliziyo zabo phambi Kwami. Ngibuqonda ngokujulile ubunzima benu. Ubuthakathaka obuningi abugwemeki lapho uphila enyamenifuthi amaqiniso amaningi akulethela ubunzima. Wondla umndeni wakho, uchithe izinsuku zakho usebenza kanzima, futhi isikhathi sidlula ukhandlekile. Buningi ubunzima ekuphileni enyameni—angikuphiki lokhu, futhi ngempela izimfuno Zami kini zihambisana nobunzima benu. Zonke izimfuno emsebenzini engiwenzayo zisekelwe esiqwini senu sangempela. Mhlawumbe lapho abantu besebenza esikhathini esidlule, izimfuno zabo kini zazihlangene nezinto ezingaphezu kwamandla, kodwa kufanele nazi ukuthi angikaze ngilokothe ngifune izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla enu kulokho engikushoyo nengikwenzayo. Konke engikufunayo kusekelwe emvelweni yabantu, enyameni nakulokho abakudingayo. Kufanele nazi, futhi nginganitshela ngokucace kakhulu, ukuthi angimelani neminye imicabango enengqondo yabantu nokwakheka kwangempela. Kuphela kungenxa yokuthi abantu abaqondi ukuthi liyini izinga lezimfuno Zami kubo, futhi kuze kube manje abayiqondi incazelo yangempela yamazwi Ami, abantu basawangabaza amazwi Ami, futhi bangaphansi kwesigamu abantu abakholelwa amazwi Ami. Abasele abawona amakholwa, nangaphezu kwalokho yilabo abathanda ukungizwa “ngixoxa izindaba.” Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunabaningi abajabulela ukubukwa. Ngiyanixwayisa: Amazwi Ami amaningi asembuliwe kulabo abakholelwa Kimi, futhi labo abajabulela ukubukeka kahle kombuso kodwa abavaleleke ngaphandle kwesango, sengibaqothulile. Anilona yini ukhula engilunyanyayo nengiluchithile? Ningangivalelisa kanjani Mina bese ningamukela ngenjabulo lapho ngibuya? Ngiyanitshela, ngemva kokuba abantu baseNineve bezwe amazwi kaJehova anentukuthelo, baphenduka ngokushesha bagqoka izindwangu zamasaka bahlala emlotheni. Kwakungenxa yokuthi babewakholelwa amazwi Akhe nokuthi babegcwele ukwesaba nengebhe futhi baphenduka bembatha indwangu yesaka bahlala emlotheni. Futhi nakuba abantu banamuhla nabo bewakholwa amazwi Ami futhi okukhulu nakakhulu bekholelwa ukuthi uJehova usephinde waba phakathi kwabo namuhla, umbono wenu awunalutho, kunjengokungathi nibona uJesu owazalelwa eJudiya eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane eziningi ezedlule futhi manje owehlele phakathi kwenu. Ngiyiqonda ngokujulile inkohlakalo esezinhliziyweni zenu; abaningi kini bangilandela benelukuluku futhi bazele ukuzongifunela ize. Lapho kuqedwa ngesifiso senu sesithathu—sokuphila okunokuthula nokujabulisayo—ilukuluku lenu liphelela emoyeni. Inkohliso ekhona ngaphakathi ezinhliziyweni zenu nonke idalulwa ngamazwi nezenzo zenu. Ukukhuluma iqiniso, nimane ninelukuluku lokwazi Ngami, aningesabi; anilunaki ulimi lwenu, futhi nibonisa ukuzibamba ekuziphatheni kwenu. Ngakho, lunjani ngempela ukholo lwenu? Ingabe luqotho? Nimane nisebenzisa amazwi Ami ukuze nixoshe izinkathazo zenu futhi nichithe isizungu, ugcwalise isikhala esingenalutho empilweni yakho. Ubani phakathi kwenu oke wawenza amazwi Ami? Ubani onokholo lwangempela? Nilokhu nimemeza nithi uNkulunkulu unguNkulunkulu obona ekujuleni kwezinhliziyo zabantu, kodwa uNkulunkulu enimemeza ngaye unjani uma eqhathaniswa Nami? Njengoba nimemeza kanjena, kungani nenza ngaleyo ndlela? Kungenzeka yini ukuthi lolu uthando enifuna ukungibuyisela ngalo? Akukho ngisho nokuncane ukuzinikela ezindebeni zenu, kodwa ikuphi imihlatshelo yenu, kanye nezenzo zenu ezinhle? Ukube bekungekho ngenxa yamazwi enu afinyelela ezindlebeni Zami, benginganizonda kanjani kangaka? Uma ukholelwa ngempela Kimi, ungawela kanjani esimweni esinjalo sosizi? Nibukeka nicindezelekile ebusweni benu njengokungathi ningamaHayidesi alinde uvivinyo. Aninabo nobuncane ubungqabavu, futhi nikhuluma ngendlela engagculisi ngezwi lenu elingaphakathi; nize nigcwale izikhalo neziqalekiso. Kade naphelelwa yithemba kwengikwenzayo, futhi nokuzethemba kwenu kweqiniso sekushabalele, ngakho ningalandela kanjani kuze kube sekugcineni? Ningasindiswa kanjani ngale ndlela?

Nakuba umsebenzi Wami uwusizo kakhulu kini, kodwa amazwi Ami ahlale elahlekile kini futhi aphenduka ize kini. Kunzima ukuthola isizathu sokupheleliswa Yimi futhi namuhla ngicishe ngaphelelwa yithemba kini. Ngifune iminyaka eminingi phakathi kwenu kodwa kunzima ukuthola isethenjwa. Ngizizwa ngingenakho ukuzethemba kokuqhubeka ngisebenza nani, futhi ngingenalo uthando lokuqhubeka ngisebenza nani. Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi kade ngacasulwa yilezo zinto zenu “enizifezile” ezingathi shu; kunjengokungathi angikaze ngikhulume phakathi kwenu futhi angikaze ngisebenze phakathi kini. Izinto enizifezile zenyanyisa kakhulu. Nihlale nizilimaza futhi nizihlazisa, kanti cishe anibalulekile. Kunzima ukuthola inswebu yobuntu kini noma ukuzwa iphunga elimnandi labantu. Liphi iphunga lenu elimnandi? Liphi inani enilikhokhe yonke le minyaka eminingi, futhi iphi imiphumela? Anikaze niyithole? Umsebenzi Wami manje unesiqalo esisha. Ngizofeza amacebo amakhulu futhi ngifuna ukuqala umsebenzi omkhulu nakakhulu, kodwa nisazibhuqabhuqa odakeni njengakuqala, niphila emanzini angcolile asesikhathini esidlule, futhi anikasihlubuli ngokoqobo isimo senu esidala. Ngakho anikazuzi lutho emazwini Ami. Anikayihlubuli indawo yenu endala enodaka namanzi angcolile, futhi nazi amazwi Ami kuphela, kodwa eqinisweni anikangeni embusweni wenkululeko yamazwi Ami, ngakho amazwi Ami awakaze avuleke kini, afana nencwadi yeziprofetho ebilokhu ivaliwe izinkulungwane zeminyaka. Ngiyaninxusa ezimpilweni zenu kodwa nihlale ningaqaphile futhi aningiqapheli nokungiqaphela. Cishe ingxenye yamazwi engiwashoyo iyisahlulelo kini, futhi ingxenye yawo inomphumela okufanele ibe nawo, okuwukuthi ukufaka ukwesaba okujulile ngahakathi kini. Ingxenye esele ingamazwi anifundisa ngempilo nendlela okufanele niziphathe ngayo, kodwa kunjengokungathi awekho ngenxa yenu, nanjengokungathi nilalele amazwi okudlalisa izingane, nokuyilapho enihlale nimamatheka khona ngokuzenzisa, bese kungabi nalutho olwenziwayo. Anikaze nilokothe nikhathazeke ngalezi zinto; benihlale niqaphela izenzo Zami ninelukuluku ngezinga lokuthi manje seniwele ebumnyameni futhi anikwazi ukubona ukukhanya, ngakho nikhala kabuhlungu ebumnyameni. Engikufunayo ukulalela kwenu, ukulalela kwenu okungenambandela nokungaphezulu, ngifuna niqiniseke ngakho konke engikushoyo. Akufanele nibe nombono wokunganaki futhi ikakhulu akufanele nithathe izinto engizishoyo ngokuzikhetha, futhi ningabi nandaba ngamazwi Ami kanye nomsebenzi Wami. Kwenziwa umsebenzi Wami phakathi kwenu futhi ngibeke umsebenzi Wami omkhulu phezu kwenu, kodwa uma ningiphamba ngale ndlela, engingakwenza nje ukuphisana ngalokho ebeningakakuzuzi futhi ebeningakakwenzi emindenini yabeZizwe. Yini phakathi kwendalo engekho ezandleni Zami? Abaningi phakathi kwenu “bangabenkathi endala evuthiwe” futhi aninawo amandla okwamukela lolu hlobo lomsebenzi enginawo. Nifana nenyoni iHanhao,^[a] ngokuba khona nje, anikaze niwabheke njengabalulekile amazwi Ami. Abantu abasha abanalutho ngokwedlulele futhi bayazitika, abawunaki umsebenzi Wami. Abacabangi ukuthi bangadla emadilini Ami ehla esiphundu; bafana nenyoni encane ephume esidlekeni sayo yiye kude. Lolu hlobo lwabantu abasha nabadala lungasebenziseka kanjani Kimi? Labo asebebadala ngeminyaka bakulungele ukusebenzisa amazwi Ami njengempesheni baze babe semathuneni abo, ukuze kuthi ngemva kokuba sebefile imiphefumulo yabo iye ezulwini; lokho kwanele ngabo. Laba bantu abadala manje bahlala njalo “benogqozi olukhulu” futhi “bezethemba kakhulu.” Nakuba begcwele isineke ngomsebenzi Wami, futhi beqotho bengehleli ngezansi njengomoya womuntu omdala ongeke ahudulwe noma anqotshwe omunye noma enye into—njengoba kunjalo ngenqaba eqinile—kodwa ukholo lwalaba bantu alufani yini nomoya ongaphezu kwemvelo wesidumbu? Ikuphi indlela yabo? Kubo, indlela yabo ayiyinde yini kakhulu, ayikude yini kakhulu? Bangayazi kanjani intando Yami? Ngisho noma ukuzethemba kwabo kuncomeka, bangaki kulaba abadala abangilandela bedidekile kodwa abalwela ukuphila? Bangaki abakuqonda ngokucacile ukubaluleka komsebenzi Wami? Injongo yabo okungekhona ukungilandela kuleli zwe namuhla, futhi abangeke behlele eHayidesi esikhathini esizayo kodwa abayolethwa komunye umbuso kanye Nami? Ingabe nicabanga ukuthi isiphetho senu siyindaba elula kanjalo? Nakuba nina basha nonke nifana namawundlu ezingonyama, kuyaqabukela ukuthi nibe nendlela yeqiniso ezinhliziyweni zenu. Ubusha benu abunakuzuza okuningi emsebenzini Wami, kodwa nihlale ningenza nginengeke kini. Nakuba nibancane, kuphakathi kokuthi nithatha izinto kalula noma nintula isifiso, nihlale ningundaza ngekusasa lenu; kuba sengathi aninandaba futhi nikhathazekile. Kungashiwo ukuthi ukubaluleka, imiyalo, nombono othathiwe okufanele utholakale kubantu abasha akunakutholakala nhlobo kini; nina, lolu hlobo lwentsha, aninamyalo futhi aninalo ikhono lokuhlukanisa okulungile nokungalungile, okuhle nokubi, okubukeka kahle nokubukeka kabi. Akunakwenzeka ukuthola izinto ezintsha kini. Cishe niyisidala ngokugcwele, futhi nina, lolu hlobo lwentsha, senifunde ukulandela iningi, ukungahluzeki engqondweni. Anikwazi ukwehlukanisa ngokucacile okulungile kokungalungile, anikwazi ukwehlukanisa izindaba ezingamanga neziyiqiniso, aniyiphokopheleli impumelelo, futhi anikwazi ukusho okulungile nokungalungile, okuyiqiniso, nokuwukuzenzisa. Kini kukhona iminonjana ebulalayo yenkolo embi kakhulu kunakubantu abadala. Nize nibe nenkani, ningasebenzisi ingqondo, niyancintisana, futhi ulaka lwenu luyindaba enkulu—uhlobo olunjena lwentsha lungaba kanjani neqiniso? Umuntu ongenambono angakwazi kanjani ukufakaza? Umuntu ongakwazi ukuhlukanisa okulungile nokungalungile angabizwa kanjani ngomuntu omusha? Umuntu ongenabo ubungqabavu, ugqozi, ubusha, ukuzola, nokuma aqine komuntu omusha angabizwa kanjani ngomlandeli Wami? Umuntu ongenalo iqiniso noma umuzwa wobulungiswa, kodwa othanda ukudlala nokulwa, angafanelekela kanjani ukuba ufakazi Wami? Amehlo abantu abagcwele inkohliso nobandlululo akufanele kube awabantu abasha, nalabo abaletha imbubhiso, nezenzo ezinyantisayo akufanele kube abantu abasha. Akufanele bangabi nazimiso, ugqozi, noma isisekelo sokwanda kwentshiseko; akufanele bakhathazeke ngamathemba abo futhi akufanele balahlekelwe ithemba empilweni noma ithemba ngekusasa; kufanele babe nesineke sokuqhubeka nendlela yeqiniso abayikhethile manje—ukuze babone isifiso sabo sokwandisa izimpilo zabo ngenxa Yami; akufanele bangabi nalo iqiniso, futhi akufanele bafihle ubuzenzisi nokungalungi—kufanele bame baqine embonweni ofanele. Akufanele bamane nje babe othathekile, kodwa kufanele babe nomoya wokuzimisela ukuzinikela futhi balwele ubulungisa neqiniso. Intsha kufanele ibe nesibindi ingavumi ukucindezelwa amandla obumnyama nokuthi kuguqule ukubaluleka kokuba khona kwayo. Abantu abasha akufanele bazinikele enhluphekweni, kodwa kufanele bavuleke futhi baqine emoyeni wokuthethelela abafowabo nodadewabo. Ngempela lezi izimfuno Zami kuwo wonke umuntu kanye neseluleko Sami kuwo wonke umuntu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, zingamazwi Ami aduduzayo kuyo yonke intsha. Kumele nenze ngokuvumelana namazwi Ami. Ikakhulu intsha, akufanele ingabi nesinqumo sokuqonda ezinkingeni, nasekufuneni ubulungiswa neqiniso. Okufanele nikufune yizo zonke izinto ezinhle nezilungile, futhi kufanele nibe nesimo esingokoqobo sezinto ezinhle. Futhi kufanele ninakekele izimpilo zenu, futhi ningazithathi kalula. Abantu beza emhlabeni futhi kuyivela kancane ukuhlangana Nami, futhi kuyivela kancane nokuba nethuba lokufuna nokuzuza iqiniso. Kungani ungeke usazise lesi sikhathi esihle njengendlela efanele yokuphila? Futhi kungani sihlale singalinaki iqiniso nobulungiswa? Kungani nihlale ninganaki futhi nizonakalisa ngalezo zinto ezingalungile nezingcolile ezidlala abantu? Futhi kungani nenza izinto ezenziwa abangalungile njengabantu abadala? Kungani nilingisa izindlela ezindala zezinto ezindala? Izimpilo zenu kufanele zigcwale ubulungiswa, iqiniso, nobungcwele; izimpilo zenu akufanele nizonakalise kangaka nisebancane kangaka, ziniholele ekubeni niwele eHayidesi. Anicabangi yini ukuthi lokhu kuyishwa elikhulu? Anicabangi yini ukuthi lokhu akunifanele nhlobo?

Nonke kufanele niwuphelelise ngokugcwele umsebenzi wenu futhi niwunikele e-altare Lami njengongcono, ekugcineni, nizenze zibe umhlatshelo ohlukile eninginika wona. Nonke kufanele nime niqine ekumeni kwenu futhi ningapheshulwa yiwo wonke umoya njengamafu esibhakabhakeni. Nisebenza kanzima ingxenye yokuphila kwenu, ngakho kungani ningasifuni isiphetho okufanele nibe naso? Nisebenza kanzima ingxenye yokuphila kwenu kodwa nivumela ingulube—nenja—njengabazali benu abadonsela iqiniso nokubaluleka kokuphila kwenu ethuneni. Awucabangi yini ukuthi lokhu kuyinto engafanele? Awucabangi yini ukuthi ukuphila ngale ndlela kuwukuphila okungenanjongo? Ukufuna iqiniso nomzila ofanele ngale ndlela kuzogcina kubanga izinkinga ukuze omakhelwane bangakhululeki nawo wonke umndeni ungajabuli, futhi kubangele izinhlekelele ezibulalayo. Uma uphila ngale ndlela, akufani yini nokuthi awunanjongo ekuphileni? Okukabani ukuphila okungaba nenhlanhla eyedlula eyokho, futhi okukabani ukuphila okungaba umsangano ukwedlula okwakho? Ukungifuna kwenu akukho yini mayelana nokuthola injabulo Yami namazwi azoniduduza? Kodwa ngemva kokuzulazula ingxenye yokuphika kwakho bese ungithukuthelisa ngize ngigcwale ulaka ngingakunaki noma ngikudumise—ingabe lokhu akusho yini ukuthi ukuphila kwakho konke kube yize? Futhi ungaba kanjani nobuso bokuhamba uyobona imiphefumulo yalabo santa phakathi nazo zonke izinkathi ekhululiwe esihlanzweni? Awunandaba Nami futhi ekugcineni uchukuluza inhlekelele ebulalayo—kungaba kuhle ukulisebenzisa ngokuhlakanipha leli thuba futhi ube nohambo olumnandi olwandle olukhulu bese ulalela “umsebenzi” Wami. Nganitshela kudala ukuthi wena namuhla, nakuba unganakile futhi ungazimisele ukuhamba, ekugcineni uyobuthwa ugwinye amagagasi aphakanyiswa Yimi. Ingabe ngempela ningazivikela? Ingabe uqiniseka ngempela ngokuthi indlela ofuna ngayo manje iyoqinisekisa ukuthi uyapheleliswa? Ayikho lukhuni yini inhliziyo yakho? Lolu hlobo lokulandela, lolu hlobo lokufuna, lolu hlobo lokuphila, nalolu hlobo lomuntu—lungakuzuza kanjani ukudunyiswa Yimi?

Imibhalo yaphansi:

a. Indaba yenyoni iHanhao ifana kakhulu nenganekwane ka-Aesop yentuthwane nentethe. Inyoni iHanhao ikhetha ukulala esikhundleni sokwakha isidleke ngenkathi isimo sezulu sisafudumele—naphezu kwezexwayiso eziningi ezivela kumakhelwane wayo, igwababa. Uma ubusika bufika, inyoni iyagodola ife.