1, 2. Ngoobani abanokuzuza ngokuqwalasela iNgoma yazo iiNgoma, yaye ngoba? (Jonga umfanekiso osekuqaleni.)

‘KHAWUJONGE nje indlela abajongene nababambene ngayo! Izicacele nje into yokuba bayathandana!’ Le yinto ecingwa ngumdala osandul’ ukubhalisa umtshato wesinye isibini. Njengoko aba batshati bedanisa kwigumbi ekuqhutywa kulo umsitho, lo mdala uyazibuza: ‘Kazi lo mtshato wabo uya kukwazi na ukumelana neemvavanyo? Njengoko iminyaka ihamba, ngaba uthando lwabo luya kuya luvutha okanye ngaba luya kuphola?’ Uthando oluphakathi kwendoda nomfazi lunokuba yinto ebukeka ngokwenene xa lungagungqi kwaye luhlala luhleli. Noko ke, ngenxa yokuqhekeka kwemitshato emininzi, kuyinto eqhelekileyo ukubuza enoba kunokwenzeka ngokwenene na ukuba uthando lungapheli.

² Uthando lokwenene lwalunqabile nangemihla kaKumkani uSolomon kaSirayeli wamandulo. Xa wayethetha ngokuziphatha kwabantu ngemihla yakhe, uSolomon wathi: “Ndifumene indoda yanye kwabaliwaka, kodwa andilifumananga ibhinqa phakathi kwabo bonke aba. Yabona! Koku kuphela endikufumeneyo, kukuba uThixo oyinyaniso walwenza uluntu lwathi tye, kodwa lusuke lona lwafuna amacebo amaninzi.” (INtshu. 7: 26-29) Imilinganiselo yokuziphatha yayihle kakhulu ngemihla kaSolomon kangangokuba kwakunzima ukufumana indoda okanye ibhinqa eliziphethe kakuhle, ubukhulu becala ngenxa yempembelelo yamabhinqa asemzini awayenqula uBhahali. * Kodwa ke, umbongo awayewubhale kwiminyaka eyi-20 ngaphambili, iNgoma yazo iiNgoma, ubonisa ukuba kuyenzeka ukuba lungapheli uthando oluphakathi kwendoda nomfazi. Kwakhona ubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba lunjani olo thando nokuba luboniswa njani. Abakhonzi bakaYehova abatshatileyo nabangatshatanga banokufunda lukhulu ngolu thando ngokuqwalasela le ncwadi yeBhayibhile.

3. Kutheni indoda nomfazi benako ukuthandana ngokwenene?

³ Funda iNgoma yazo iiNgoma 8:6. Ininzi into ethethwa libinzana elichaza uthando ngokuthi ‘lidangatye likaYa.’ Uthando lokwenene ‘lidangatye likaYa’ kuba nguYehova uMsunguli walo. Wadala umntu ngokomfanekiselo wakhe, wamenza wakwazi ukuthanda abanye abantu. (Gen. 1:26, 27) Xa uThixo wasa umfazi wokuqala, uEva, kwindoda yokuqala uAdam, kwaphuma umbongo emlonyeni ka-Adam. Ngokuqinisekileyo uEva waziva esondele kuAdam, ‘awayethatyathwe’ kuye. (Gen. 2:21-23) Ekubeni uYehova enze abantu ngendlela yokuba bakwazi ukuthanda abanye, indoda nomfazi banako ukuba nothando olungagungqiyo nolungapheliyo.

4, 5. Ngamafutshane, khawubalise ibali leNgoma yazo iiNgoma.

⁴ Zikho nezinye izinto oluphawuleka ngazo uthando oluphakathi kwamadoda nabafazi. Ezinye zazo ziboniswa kakuhle kwiNgoma yazo iiNgoma. Eli bali, elibhalwe ngathi ngamazwi engoma yeopera, lingothando oluphakathi kwegqiyazana elithile elalisuka kwilali yaseShunem, okanye eShulem, kunye nesithandwa salo esingumalusi. Emva kokuba uSolomon ephandliwe yile ntwazana, iziswa kwinkampu yakhe ekufutshane nesidiliya esigadileyo. Kodwa ke, zisuka nje, iyazicacela into yokuba yona izithandela umalusi wayo. Njengoko uSolomon ezama ukuyicenga, iyenza icace into yokuba ikhumbula isithandwa sayo. (INgoma 1:4-14) Umalusi ude afike naye enkampini, baze bancokolisane kamnandi.—INgoma 1:15-17.

⁵ USolomon ubuyela nale ntwazana eYerusalem aze nomalusi abalandele. (INgoma 4:1-5, 8, 9) Yonke imizamo kaSolomon yokuzicengela kule ntwazana iwa phantsi. (INgoma 6:4-7; 7:1-10) Ekugqibeleni, lo kumkani uyayivumela ukuba igoduke. Le ngoma iphela le ntwazana inqwenela ukuba isithandwa sayo sikhawuleze ukuza kuyo, ‘sixelise ibhadi.’—INgoma 8:14.

6. Kutheni kunzima ukufumanisa ukuba ngubani othethayo kweli bali?

⁶ Nangona inentsingiselo yaye ibhalwe kakuhle le “ngoma ibalaseleyo” kaSolomon, kunzima ukufumanisa ukuba ngoobani abancokolayo, ngubani othetha yedwa nophuphayo kule ngoma. (INgoma 1:1) Ngokutsho kweThe New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, “izinto ezifana nendlela ecetywe ngayo, ibali, ukulandeleka kwalo nabalinganiswa azibalulekanga kangako.” Kusenokwenzeka ukuba amagama abantu abathethayo aye ashiywa ukuze kungaphazanyiswa amazwi abumbongo ale ngoma. Sekunjalo, into yokuba ngubani othethayo unokuyichola ngokuhlalutya loo nto ayithethayo okanye ibhekiswa kuye.

7, 8. Yintoni esinokuyithetha ‘ngezincokoliso zothando’ ezifumaneka kwiNgoma yazo iiNgoma? Yenza imizekelo.

⁷ INgoma yazo iiNgoma ‘inezincokoliso zothando’ ezininzi zale ntwazana nomalusi wayo. Nangona ezi zincokoliso zaseMpuma zazithethwe kwiminyaka emalunga neyi-3 000 eyadlulayo kwaye zinokuvakala zingaqhelekanga kubantu bale mihla, zinentsingiselo kwaye zidlulisela imvakalelo esiyaziyo nathi. Ngokomzekelo, umalusi uncoma amehlo anothando ale ntokazi ngokuwafanisa ‘nawamahobe.’ (INgoma 1:15) Le ntokazi yona ifanisa amehlo akhe namahobe ngokwawo. (Funda iNgoma yazo iiNgoma 5:12.) Le ntwazana yayisithi yakujonga ibala lamehlo alo mfana lijikelezwe bubumhlophe, abe ngathi lihobe eliqubha ebisini.

⁸ Le ngoma ayithethi ngezincokoliso ezinento yokwenza nobuhle kuphela. Umzekelo woku ngamazwi awathethwa ngumalusi ngezinto ezithethwa yile ntwazana. (Funda iNgoma yazo iiNgoma 4:7, 11.) Kuthiwa “ubusi nobisi zingaphantsi kolwimi” lwakhe. La mazwi athetha ukuba izinto azithethayo zimnandi kwaye zilungile njengobusi nobisi. Kucacile ke ukuba xa umalusi esithi kule ntokazi, “umhle ngokupheleleyo, . . . yaye akunasiphene,” akathethi ngenkangeleko kuphela.

9. (a) Luquka ntoni uthando oluphakathi kwabantu abatshatileyo? (b) Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba abantu abatshatileyo baxelelane indlela abathandana ngayo?

⁹ Umtshato awusosivumelwano okanye umnqophiso nje osayinwayo kube kuphelele apho, ubandakanya uthando. Eneneni, uthando lungundoqo kumtshato wamaKristu. Kodwa luluphi olu thando sithetha ngalo apha? Ngaba lolu lulawulwa yimigaqo yeBhayibhile? (1 Yoh. 4:8) Ngaba luthando lwemvelo—olufana nolwabantu abazalanayo? Ngaba lolufana nolwabahlobo abasenyongweni? (Yoh. 11:3) Okanye ngaba lolwezinqanda-mathe? (IMize. 5:15-20) Uthando lokwenene nolungapheliyo oluphakathi kwabantu abatshatileyo luziquka zonke ezi ntlobo. Eyona ndlela ibhetele yokubonisa umntu ukuba uyamthanda kukuba iphum’ emlonyeni kuwe loo nto. Kubaluleke gqitha ukuba abantu abatshatileyo bangavumeli ukuxakeka zizinto zobomi kubenze bangaxelelani indlela abathandana ngayo! Ukwenjenjalo kuya kuliqinisekisa iqabane lakho ukuba uyalithanda nize nonwabe emtshatweni. Kwiindawo apho umntu alibonelwayo iqabane lakhe, kwaye indoda nomfazi betshata bengazani, ukuxelelana kwabo indlela abathandana ngayo kuya kubenza bathandane nangakumbi, uze nomtshato wabo uqine.

10. Kunokuba nawuphi umphumo ukukhumbula amazwi othando eqabane lakho?

¹⁰ Ikho nenye into ezinceda ngayo izincokoliso zothando kumaqabane atshatileyo. UKumkani uSolomon wathembisa eli gqiyazana lomShulami ukuba uza kulenzela “iingcaca zegolide, kunye nengqukuva yokuhombisa yesilivere.” Walityibela elincoma ngokuthi “lihle njengenyanga ehlangeneyo, lisulungeke njengelanga eliqaqambileyo.” (INgoma 1:9-11; 6:10) Kodwa le ntokazi yayingafuni nokuva ngomalusi wayo. Yancedwa yintoni ukuze ingagungqi? Yintoni eyayenza yathuthuzeleka xa yayikude naye? Iyasichazela. (Funda iNgoma yazo iiNgoma 1:2, 3.) Yayikukukhumbula ‘izincokoliso zothando’ zomalusi. Kule ntwazana, ‘zazilunge ngakumbi kunewayini’ eyenza intliziyo yomntu ibe nemihlali, kwaye igama lakhe lalithomalalisa ‘njengeoli ethululwa’ entloko. (INdu. 23:5; 104:15) Ngokwenene,  ukukhumbula amazwi othando eqabane lakho kunokulwenza lungapheli uthando. Kubaluleke nyhani ke ukuba abantu abatshatileyo baxelelane qho indlela abathandana ngayo!

11. Yintoni enokufundwa ngamaKristu angatshatanga kwinto yokuba umShulamikazi efungisa ezinye iintombi ukuba zingazami ukuluvusa uthando lwakhe?

¹¹ INgoma yazo iiNgoma inento eyifundisayo kumaKristu angatshatanga, ngokukodwa akhangela iqabane. Le ntwazana yayingamthandi uSolomon. Yafungisa iintombi zaseYerusalem, isithi: “Ningazami ukuluvusa okanye ukuluvuselela uthando lwam lude luzivukele ngokwalo.” (INgoma 2:7; 3:5) Ngoba? Kaloku ayifanelekanga into yokuleqa okanye ukuncwasa nje kwamntu uvelayo. Ngoko umKristu onqwenela ukutshata uya kuba ulumkile xa elinda umntu amthanda nyhani.

12. Yintoni eyayisenza umShulamikazi amthande kangaka lo malusi?

¹² Yintoni eyayisenza umShulamikazi amthande kangaka lo malusi? Ewe kona wayeyinzwana, efana “nebhadi”; izandla zakhe zomelele ngathi “yimiqulu yegolide”; kwaye imilenze yakhe imihle kwaye yomelele ‘njengeentsika zemabhile.’ Kodwa yayingekokuba nezoso nokuba yinzwana kuphela okwakumenza abe nomtsalane. Wathi ‘isithandwa sakhe phakathi koonyana’ babantu ‘sasinjengom-apile phakathi kwemithi yehlathi.’ Xa intombi eyayithembeke kuYehova yavakalelwa ngolu hlobo, kucacile ukuba loo ndoda yayimthanda uYehova.—INgoma 2:3, 9; 5:14, 15.

13. Yintoni eyayisenza umalusi ayithande le ntwazana?

¹³ Sifunda ntoni ke kumShulamikazi? Nangona wayeyimbelukazi emanz’ andonga eyayidumbis’ intloko ukumkani ‘owayenookumkanikazi abangamashumi amathandathu namashweshwe angamashumi asibhozo neentombi ezingenakubalwa’ ngelo xesha, yena wayezibona ‘eyisafroni yethafa eliselunxwemeni’—intyatyambo nje eqhelekileyo. Le nzwakazi yayithozamile yaye ithobeke ngokwenene. Ayisothusi into yokuba umalusi ayijonge njengomntu okhethekileyo, “njengenyibiba phakathi kokhula olunameva”! Yayithembekile kuYehova.—INgoma 2:1, 2; 6:8.

14. Yintoni enokufundwa ngamaKristu afuna ukutshata kuthando oluchazwe kwiNgoma yazo iiNgoma?

 ¹⁴ IZibhalo ziwabongoza kakhulu amaKristu ukuba atshate “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Umzalwana okanye udade ofuna ukutshata uyakuphepha ukuthandana nomntu ongakholwayo kwaye iqabane ulikhangela phakathi kwabakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo kuphela. Ukongezelela koko, ukujongana nezinto zobomi ngoxa kwangaxeshanye ugcine uxolo nomanyano emtshatweni kufuna ukuba umntu abe nokholo kwaye azinikele kuThixo—mpawu ezo zifunekayo kumntu oza kuba liqabane lakho. Umalusi kunye nomShulamikazi babenazo ezi mpawu.

15. UmShulamikazi ungumzekelo njani kumadoda nabafazi aboyika uThixo abangatshatanga?

¹⁵ Funda iNgoma yazo iiNgoma 4:12. Kutheni umalusi echaza isithandwa sakhe ngokuthi “ngumyezo obiyelweyo”? Kaloku akudakasi nabani na kumyezo obiyelweyo. Ekuphela kwendlela yokungena kuwo lisango elitshixwayo. UmShulamikazi ufana naloo myezo, kuba uthando lwakhe lwalufunyanwa ngumalusi owayeza kuba ngumyeni wakhe kuphela. Ukunganikezeli kwakhe kwizinto awayethenjiswa ngazo ngukumkani kwayenza yacaca into yokuba ‘uludonga’ kungekhona “ucango” oluvele luvuleke luthi genge. (INgoma 8:8-10) Ngendlela efanayo ke, amadoda nabafazi aboyika uThixo abangekatshati balubekela abo baza kuba ngamaqabane abo kuphela uthando lwabo.

16. Yintoni efundiswa yiNgoma yazo iiNgoma ngokuthandana ngenjongo yokutshata?

¹⁶ Xa ngaminazana ithile yasentwasahlobo umalusi wacela umShulamikazi ukuba bakhe bathi tshalala bahambe kunye, abantakwabo abazange bavume. Kunoko bamnika umsebenzi wokugada isidiliya. Kwakutheni? Ngaba babengamthembi? Ngaba mhlawumbi babecinga ukuba ufuna ukuziphatha kakubi nalo mfana? Eneneni, babemnceda udade wabo ukuze angangeni esilingweni. (INgoma 1:6; 2:10-15) Nasi isifundo kumaKristu angatshatanga: Xa uthandana nomntu ngenjongo yokutshata naye, thatha amanyathelo ayimfuneko ukuze nihlale ninyulu. Sanukuya kwiindawo ezisitheleyo. Nangona zifanelekile iimbonakaliso zothando ezicocekileyo, kulumkeleni ukuzibeka esilingweni.

17, 18. Yintoni oyifundileyo kwiNgoma yazo iiNgoma?

¹⁷ Ngokuqhelekileyo izibini ezingamaKristu zitshata zithandana kakhulu. Ekubeni umtshato owasungulwa nguYehova ulilungiselelo elingapheliyo, kubalulekile ukuba izibini zizame ukugcina uthando lwazo luvuth’ amadangatye kwaye lukhula.—Marko 10:6-9.

¹⁸ Xa ufuna iqabane lomtshato, khangela umntu omthanda nyhani, uze uluthi chatha uthando kwaye ulwenze lungapheli, njengoko kuboniswe kwiNgoma yazo iiNgoma. Enoba ukhangela iqabane lomtshato okanye sele utshatile, ngamana ungafumana uthando lokwenene—“idangatye likaYa.”—INgoma 8:6.