Genesis 38

UJuda LoThamari

1Ngalesosikhathi uJuda watshiya abafowabo wahamba wayahlala lendoda yase-Adulami eyayithiwa nguHira. 2Khonale uJuda wabonana lendodakazi yendoda engumKhenani eyayithiwa nguShuwa. Wayithatha wembatha layo; 3yathatha isisu yazala indodana yathiwa ngu-Eri. 4Wazithwala njalo wazala indodana wayithi ngu-Onani. 5Wazala njalo enye indodana wayithi nguShela. Le wayizalela eKhezibhi.

6UJuda wazuzela u-Eri izibulo lakhe umfazi, ibizo lakhe linguThamari. 7Kodwa u-Eri izibulo likaJuda, wayengcolile emehlweni kaThixo; uThixo wasembulala.

8UJuda wasesithi ku-Onani, “Lala lomkamfowenu ugcwalise umlandu wakho njengomfowabo uzalele umfowenu abantwana.” 9Kodwa u-Onani wakwazi ukuthi inzalo leyo yayingezukuba ngeyakhe; ngakho kwakusithi sonke isikhathi angalala lomkamfowabo achithele inhlanyelo phansi emhlabathini ukuze angaze azalela umfowabo abantwana. 10Lokho ayekwenza kwakukubi emehlweni kaThixo; ngakho uThixo wambulala.

11UJuda wasesithi kumalukazana wakhe uThamari, “Hamba uyehlala njengomfelokazi emzini kayihlo indodana yami uShela ize ikhule.” Ngoba wanakana wathi, “Laye angafa njengabanewabo.” Ngakho uThamari wahamba wayahlala emzini kayise.

12Ngemva kwesikhathi eside umkaJuda, indodakazi kaShuwa wafa. Kwathi uJuda eseduduzekile waya eThimina, emadodeni ayegunda izimvu zakhe, ehamba lomngane wakhe uHira umʼAdulami.

13Kwathi uThamari esetsheliwe kwathiwa, “Uyihlozala uyeza eThimina ukuzagunda izimvu zakhe,” 14wakhulula izigqoko zakhe zokuzila wazimboza ngesimbombozo ukuzifihla, wasehlala phansi eduzane lesango lase-Enayimi, elisendleleni yaseThimina. Ngoba wabona ukuthi loba uShela wayesekhulile, yena wayelokhu engakamphiwa ukuthi abe ngumkakhe.

15UJuda wathi embona wacabanga ukuthi yisifebe, ngoba wayezivale ubuso. 16Kwathi ngoba engamboni ukuthi ngumalokazana wakhe waya kuye eceleni komgwaqo wathi, “Woza manje, ngifuna ukulala lawe.”

Yena wabuza wathi, “Uzangiphani ngingalala lawe?”

17Wathi, “Ngizakuthumezela izinyane lembuzi emhlambini wami.”

UThamari wabuza wathi, “Uzangipha na ulutho lube yisibambiso ungakalithumezi?”

18Wathi, “Ngikuphe sibambiso bani?”

Waphendula wathi, “Isilengiso sophawu lwakho lentambo yaso, kanye lodondolo lwakho oluphetheyo.” Ngakho wamupha lezozinto waselala laye, wahle wazithwala. 19Esesuka lapho uThamari wakhupha isimbombozo sakhe wagqoka izigqoko zakhe zokuzila njalo.

20Kusenjalo uJuda wathumezela izinyane lembuzi ngomngane wakhe umʼAdulami ukuze abuyiselwe isibambiso sakhe esasikowesifazane lowo, kodwa wamswela. 21Wabuza amadoda ayehlala lapho wathi, “Singaphi isifebe ebesilapha eceleni komgwaqo e-Enayimi na?”

Athi, “Kakuzange kube lesifebe lapha.”

22Ngakho wasebuyela kuJuda wayakuthi, “Kangimfumananga. Futhi amadoda lawo ahlala khona athi kakuzange kube lesifebe esasihlala lapho.”

23UJuda wasesithi, “Myekele ahle akugcine khonokho alakho funa sicine sesiyinhlekisa. Phezu kwalokho mina bengimthumezele izinyane lembuzi, kodwa kawusamfumananga.”

24Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu uJuda watshelwa ukuthi umalukazana wakhe uThamari wayesefebile wasethatha isisu.

UJuda wathi, “Mkhupheni, atshiswe aze afe.”

25Kwathi lapho ekhutshwa wathumela ilizwi kuyisezala wathi, “Ngoniwa yindoda engumnikazi walezizinto.” Wengeza ngokuthi, “Akubone ukuthi singaba ngesikabani isilengiso sophawu lesi lentambo kanye lodondolo lolu.”

26UJuda wazazi izinto lezo wathi, “Ulungile kulami, ngoba kangisamphanga endodaneni yami uShela.” Kasaphindanga wembatha laye njalo.

27Kwathi isikhathi sakhe sokubeletha sesifikile, wayelamaphahla angabafana esiswini. 28Wathi khonapho ebeletha omunye wawo wakhupha isandla; umbelethisi wathatha intambo ebomvu wayibophela esihlakaleni sesandla salo wathi, “Leli yilo eliphume kuqala.” 29Kodwa labuyisela isandla, umfowabo waphuma kuqala, wasesithi, “Le yiyo indlela ofohle ngayo!” Laseliphiwa ibizo elithi nguPherezi. 30Ngakho umfowabo, owayelentambo esihlakaleni, waphuma wethiwa ibizo wathiwa nguZera.