1, 2. Obani abangazuza ngokuhlolisisa isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo, futhi ngani? (Bheka isithombe esisekuqaleni.)

‘AWUBHEKE indlela ababukana nababambene ngayo! Akubuzwa ukuthi abeve bethandana!’ Yilokho umdala owayesanda kushadisa umbhangqwana othile ayekucabanga. Njengoba laba bashadikazi bedansa kamnandi phambi kwabantu edilini lomshado, wazithola esezibuza, ‘Kazi umshado wabo uzokwazi yini ukubhekana nezingqinamba zokuphila? Ingabe uthando lwabo luyoqhubeka lujula noma luyomila amaphiko lumuke ngokuhamba kweminyaka?’ Lapho uthando lwendoda nomkayo lubonakala lugxilile futhi luhlala njalo, lungaba into enhle ngempela. Nokho, lapho sicabanga ngemishado eminingi kangaka echithekayo, kunengqondo ukuzibuza ukuthi kungenzeka yini ngempela ukuba nothando olungapheli.

² Uthando lweqiniso lwaluyivelakancane nasezinsukwini zenkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, uSolomoni. Lapho ekhuluma ngesimilo sabantu besikhathi sakhe, uSolomoni wabhala: “Indoda eyodwa [eqotho] kwayinkulungwane ngiyitholile, kodwa owesifazane phakathi kwabo bonke laba angikamtholi. Bheka! Yilokhu kuphela engikutholile, ukuthi uNkulunkulu weqiniso wabenza abantu beqotho, kodwa bona ngokwabo baye bafuna amacebo amaningi.” (UmSh. 7:26-29) Ikakhulu ngenxa yethonya labesifazane bezinye izizwe ababekhulekela  uBhali, izindinganiso zokuziphatha zase zehle kakhulu osukwini lukaSolomoni kangangokuthi kwaba nzima ngaye ukuthola indoda noma owesifazane onesimilo. * Noma kunjalo, inkondlo ayeyibhale eminyakeni engaba ngu-20 ngaphambili, isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo, ibonisa ukuthi kungenzeka ukuba indoda nowesifazane babe nothando oluhlala njalo. Ibonisa ngokucacile nokuthi lunjani lolo thando nokuthi luboniswa kanjani. Abakhulekeli bakaJehova abashadile nabangashadile bangafunda okuningi ngothando olunjalo ngokuhlolisisa le ncwadi yeBhayibheli.

3. Kungani kungenzeka ukuba indoda nomfazi babe nothando lweqiniso?

³ Funda isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 8:6. Amazwi athi “ilangabi likaJah” asetshenziswe ekuchazeni uthando asitshela lukhulu. Uthando lweqiniso ‘luyilangabi likaJah’ ngenxa yokuthi uJehova unguMsunguli walo. Wadala umuntu ngomfanekiso wakhe, wamenza wakwazi ukuthanda. (Gen. 1:26, 27) Lapho uNkulunkulu eletha owesifazane wokuqala, u-Eva, endodeni yokuqala, u-Adamu, le ndoda yasho amazwi asankondlo. Akungabazeki ukuthi u-Eva wazizwa esondelene no-Adamu ‘ayethathwe’ kuye. (Gen. 2:21-23) Ngenxa yokuthi uJehova wenze abantu bakwazi ukubonisa uthando, kungenzeka ukuba indoda nowesifazane babe nothando olungantengantengi nolungapheli ngomunye nomunye.

4, 5. Landisa kafushane indaba yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo.

⁴ Uthando phakathi kwabantu bobulili obungafani lunezinye izici ngaphandle kokuba olungaguquguquki noluhlala njalo. Ezinye zazo zivezwe kahle kakhulu encwadini yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo. Le ndaba ephathelene nothando phakathi kwentombi yaseShunemi noma eShulemi, nesithandwa sayo esingumalusi ibhalwe njengokungathi amazwi engoma ye-opera. Ngenxa yokuthi ubuhle bayo bukhange uSolomoni okanise eduze nezivini eyayiziqaphile, le ntombi ilethwa ekamu lakhe. Nokho, zisuka nje, kuba sobala ukuthi yona izifela ngomalusi. Njengoba uSolomoni ezama ukuyizuza, le ntombi iveza ngokukhululekile isifiso sayo sokuba nesithandwa sayo. (IsiHl. 1:4-14) Umalusi ugcina efikile ekamu futhi bathophana ngamazwi othando.—IsiHl. 1:15-17.

⁵ USolomoni uthatha le ntombi abuyele nayo eJerusalema; umalusi uyayilandela. (IsiHl. 4:1-5, 8, 9) Yonke imizamo kaSolomoni yokuzuza le ntombi iba yize. (IsiHl. 6:4-7; 7:1-10) Ekugcineni, inkosi iyayivumela ukuba ibuyele ekhaya. Le ngoma iphetha ngesifiso sentombi sokuba isithandwa sayo size sigijima kuyo “njengensephe.”—IsiHl. 8:14.

6. Kungani kungelula ukubona abakhulumayo kule drama?

⁶ Nakuba “isihlabelelo sezihlabelelo” sinencazelo ezwakalayo futhi sibhalwe ngobuciko, akulula ukubona ukuthi obani abaphendulanayo, abakhuluma bodwa nabaphuphayo. (IsiHl. 1:1) Ngokwe-New Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, “izinto ezifana nendaba, ukuhlelwa kwayo, ukuthuthukiswa kwezenzakalo kanye nabalingiswa akuyona into esemqoka ngempela.” Amagama abalingiswa kungenzeka aye angafakwa ukuze kungaphazamiseki amazwi nobunkondlo bendaba. Noma kunjalo, ukuthi ubani othini kungabonakala ngalokho umlingiswa akushoyo noma okushiwo kuye.

7, 8. Yini esingayisho ‘ngokubonakaliswa kothando’ okusencwadini yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo? Nikeza izibonelo.

⁷ IsiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo sinamazwi amaningi ‘okubonakaliswa kothando’ phakathi kwentombi nomalusi. Nakuba la mazwi ehambisana nesimo saseMpumalanga sangeminyaka engaba ngu-3 000 edlule futhi kungenzeka awajwayelekile kubafundi banamuhla, anencazelo ezwakalayo, futhi imizwa ayivezayo siyijwayele. Ngokwesibonelo, umalusi uncoma amehlo azolile namnene entombi ngokuwafanisa ‘nawamajuba.’ (IsiHl. 1:15) Yona ifanisa amehlo akhe namajuba ngokwawo, hhayi namehlo awo. (Funda isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 5:12.) Isiyingi esimnyama seso esizungezwe okumhlophe sibonakala kuyo sisihle njengejuba ligeza ngobisi.

⁸ Akuwona wonke amazwi othando okukhulunywa ngawo kule ngoma aqokomisa ubuhle bangaphandle. Cabanga ngokushiwo umalusi ngamazwi entombi. (Funda isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 4:7, 11.) Uthi izindebe zayo “ziconsa uju lwamakhekheba.” Ngani? Ngoba uju lwamakhekheba lumnandi kunoselukhanyiwe. ‘Phansi kolimi lwakhe kunoju nobisi,’ okusho ukuthi amazwi akhe mahle futhi amnandi njengoju nobisi. Ngokusobala, lapho umalusi ethi kule ntombi, “umuhle ngokuphelele, . . . futhi akukho sici kuwe,” akacabangi ngobuhle bayo bangaphandle kuphela.

9. (a) Luhilelani uthando lwabantu abashadile? (b) Kungani kubalulekile ukuba abantu abashadile bathophane ngamazwi othando?

⁹ Umshado awusona isivumelwano esivamile esingaludingi uthando nokusondelana ngokomzwelo. Eqinisweni, uthando luyisici esivelele somshado wamaKristu. Kodwa uthando olunjani lolu? Ingabe uthando olulawulwa izimiso zeBhayibheli? (1 Joh. 4:8) Ingabe luhilela ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okungokwemvelo—okunjengalokho okuphakathi kwamalungu omndeni? Ingabe lolu thando luhlanganisa imfudumalo nokusondelana okuphakathi kwabangane abakhulu? (Joh. 11:3) Ingabe luwuthando lwezithandani? (IzAga 5:15-20) Empeleni, uthando lweqiniso noluhlala njalo phakathi kwabantu abashadile luhlanganisa konke lokhu. Uthando luzwakala kangcono lapho luboniswa. Yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ukuba abantu abashadile bangayivumeli imisebenzi yansuku zonke ukuba ibancishe ithuba lokubonisana uthando ngamazwi nangezenzo! Lokho kuboniswa kothando kungaba nomthelela omkhulu ekulondekeni nasenjabulweni yabashadile. Ezizweni lapho imishado ivame ukuhlelwa abanye futhi abazoshada bengazani kangako ngaphambi kosuku lomshado, ukuqaphela isidingo sokubonisana uthando ngamazwi kuyokhulisa uthando lwabo, kwenze umshado wabo uphumelele.

10. Ukukhumbula izenzo namazwi okubonakaliswa kothando kungaba namuphi umphumela?

¹⁰ Ukubonisana uthando kunomunye umphumela omuhle kwabashadile. INkosi uSolomoni yathembisa ukwenzela intombi yomShulamiti “amasongo egolide, kanye namaqhosha esiliva.” Yayithopha, yathi ‘yinhle njengenyanga egcwele, ihlanzeke njengelanga elikhazimulayo.’ (IsiHl. 1:9-11; 6:10) Kodwa le ntombi yahlala iqotho kumalusi wayo eyayimthanda. Yini eyayiqinisa futhi yayiduduza ngesikhathi beqhelelene? Iyasitshela. (Funda isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 1:2, 3.) Yakhumbula “ukubonakaliswa kothando” kukamalusi. Ngokwayo, ‘kwakungcono kunewayini’ elenza inhliziyo  ijabule futhi igama lakhe laliyithoba ‘njengamafutha anamakha amnandi athululelwa’ ekhanda. (IHu. 23:5; 104:15) Yebo, izinkumbulo ezimnandi zokubonakaliswa kothando zingalwenza luhlale njalo. Akuve kubalulekile ukuba abantu abashadile babonisane uthando njalo.

11. Yini amaKristu angashadile angayifunda ekufungiseni komShulamiti abanye ukuba bangazami ukuvusa uthando kuye?

¹¹ AmaKristu angashadile nawo angafunda okuthile encwadini yesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo, ikakhulu lawo afuna umngane womshado. UmShulamiti wayengamthandi uSolomoni. Efungisa amadodakazi aseJerusalema, wathi: “Ningazami ukuphaphamisa noma ukuvusa uthando kimi luze luzivukele lona.” (IsiHl. 2:7; 3:5) Kungani? Kungenxa yokuthi kumane nje akufaneleki ukuba nemizwa yothando nganoma ubani nje ohlangana naye. Ngakho-ke, kuwukuhlakanipha ngomKristu ofisa ukushada ukulinda ngesineke aze athole umuntu azomthanda ngempela.

12. Yini eyayenza umShulamiti athande umalusi?

¹² Yini eyayenza umShulamiti athande umalusi? Yiqiniso, wayebukeka, efana “nensephe”; izandla zakhe zaziqinile zifana ‘nemibhobho yegolide’; imilenze yakhe yayimihle futhi inamandla ‘njengezinsika zemabula.’ Kodwa wayengagcini nje ngokuba namandla nokubukeka. “Njengomapula phakathi kwemithi yehlathi,” sasinjalo ‘isithandwa somShulamiti phakathi kwezinsizwa.’ Uma le ntombi eyayithembekile kuJehova yazizwa ngaleyo ndlela ngale ndoda, kumelwe ukuba umalusi wayengumuntu ongokomoya ngempela.—IsiHl. 2:3, 9; 5:14, 15.

13. Yini eyayenza umalusi athande umShulamiti?

¹³ Kuthiwani ngomShulamiti? Nakuba ayemuhle kangangokuba waze wakhanga inkosi ngaleso sikhathi “[eyayinezindlovukazi] ezingamashumi ayisithupha nezancinza ezingamashumi ayisishiyagalombili namantombazane angenasibalo,” wayezibheka ‘njengesafroni nje lasethafeni elingasogwini,’ eliyimbali evamile. Le ntombi yayinesizotha futhi ithobeke ngendlela ephawulekayo. Akumangalisi ukuthi kumalusi yayingeyena neze umuntu ovamile kodwa ‘yayinjengomnduze phakathi kokhula olunameva’! Yayithembekile kuJehova.—IsiHl. 2:1, 2; 6:8.

14. Uthando oluchazwe esiHlabelelweni SeziHlabelelo luwafundisani amaKristu angashadile afuna ukushada?

 ¹⁴ ImiBhalo inikeza amaKristu iseluleko esinamandla sokushada “kuphela eNkosini.” (1 Kor. 7:39) Umuntu ongashadile ofuna ukushada uyakugwema ukuthandana nabangakholwa futhi ubheka umngane womshado phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova abaqotho kuphela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuze ubhekane nezimo zokuphila ube uzama ukulondoloza ukuthula nobunye obungokomoya emshadweni, kudingeka ukholo nokuzinikela kuNkulunkulu—izimfanelo ezifiselekayo okumelwe uzibheke kumuntu ofuna ukushada naye. Yilezo kanye izimfanelo umalusi nomShulamiti abazithola komunye nomunye.

15. UmShulamiti angaba kanjani isibonelo emadodeni nakwabesifazane abangashadile?

¹⁵ Funda isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo 4:12. Kungani umalusi echaza isithandwa sakhe ‘njengensimu ebiyelwe’? Insimu ebiyelwe ngodonga noma ngothango ayivulekele wonke umuntu. Iba nesango elihluthulelwayo okungenwa ngalo kuphela. UmShulamiti unjengaleyo nsimu ngoba uthando lwakhe wayelubonisa umyeni wakhe wakusasa kuphela—umalusi. Ngokungayiqomi inkosi, wazibonakalisa ‘enjengodonga’ hhayi ‘njengesicabha’ esivuleka gengelezi. (IsiHl. 8:8-10) Ngokufanayo, amadoda nabesifazane abangashadile abesaba uNkulunkulu balugcinela abangane babo bomshado bakusasa uthando lwabo.

16. Sifundisani isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo ngokuthandana?

¹⁶ Lapho umalusi ecela umShulamiti ukuba bake bashaywe umoya entwasahlobo, abafowabo bamenqabela umShulamiti. Kunalokho, bamnika umsebenzi wokuqapha izivini. Kungani? Ingabe babengamethembi? Noma kungenzeka babecabanga ukuthi udadewabo wayehlose ukuziphatha kabi? Empeleni, kwakuyisinyathelo sokumvikela esimweni esingaba isilingo. (IsiHl. 1:6; 2:10-15) Nasi-ke isifundo kumaKristu angashadile: Thathani izinyathelo ezidingekayo ukuze nigcine ubuhlobo benu bumsulwa ngesikhathi nisathandana. Zigwemeni izindawo ezingenabantu. Nakuba izindlela ezihlanzekile zokubonisana uthando zingase zifaneleke, qaphani izimo ezingaba isilingo.

17, 18. Kukuzuzise kanjani ukuhlola isiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo?

¹⁷ Ngokuvamile, imibhangqwana engamaKristu ishada ithandana futhi isondelene kakhulu ngokomzwelo. Ngenxa yokuthi ilungiselelo lomshado elasungulwa uJehova lingelihlala njalo, kubalulekile ukuba abashadile bazame ukugcina uthando lwabo luvutha futhi balondoloze isimo esivumela uthando ukuba lukhule.—Marku 10:6-9.

¹⁸ Lapho ufuna umngane womshado, thola umuntu ongamthanda ngempela bese wenza lolo thando luqine futhi lungacimi njengoba kubonisiwe esiHlabelelweni SeziHlabelelo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ufuna umngane womshado noma usushadile kakade, kwangathi ungaba nothando lweqiniso—“ilangabi likaJah.”—IsiHl. 8:6.