1Kwathi ngaleso sikhathi uJuda wasuka kubafowabo, wehla, waya kumuntu wase-Adulamu ogama lakhe linguHira.
2UJuda wabona lapho indodakazi yomuntu waseKhanani ogama lakhe linguShuwa; wayithatha, wangena kuyo.
3Yakhulelwa, yazala indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi u-Eri.
4Yabuye yakhulelwa, yazala indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi u-Onani.
5Yabuye yazala futhi indodana, yaqamba igama layo ngokuthi uShela; uJuda wayeseKesibi ekuyizaleni kwayo.
6UJuda wamthathela u-Eri izibulo lakhe umfazi ogama lakhe linguTamari.
7U-Eri izibulo likaJuda wayemubi emehlweni kaJehova; uJehova wambulala.
8UJuda wathi ku-Onani: “Yiya kumkamfowenu, umngene, umvusele umfowenu inzalo.”
9U-Onani wayekwazi ukuthi inzalo ayiyikuba ngeyakhe; kwathi nxa engena kumkamfowabo, wachitha emhlabathini ukuba angamniki umfowabo inzalo.
10Kwaba kubi emehlweni kaJehova lokho akwenzileyo; wambulala naye futhi.
11UJuda wayesethi kuTamari umalokazana wakhe: “Hlala ungumfelokazi endlini kayihlo, aze akhule uShela indodana yami,” ngokuba wathi: “Ukuba angafi njengabafowabo.” UTamari waya wahlala kwabo.
12Emva kwezinsuku eziningi yafa indodakazi kaShuwa umkaJuda; eseduduzekile uJuda wakhuphuka, waya kubo abagundi bezimvu zakhe eThimna, yena kanye nomhlobo wakhe uHira wase-Adulamu.
13Kwatshelwa uTamari ukuthi: “Bheka, uyihlozala uyakhuphukela eThimna ukuyogunda izimvu zakhe.”
14Wayesekhumula izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi, wagubuzela, wazimboza, wahlala esangweni lase-Enayimi ngasendleleni eya eThimna, ngokuba wabona ukuthi uShela usekhulile, engamnikwa nokho abe ngumkakhe.
15UJuda esembona wacabanga ukuthi uyisifebe, ngokuba wayegubuzele ubuso.
16Waphambukela kuye endleleni, wathi: “Woza, ake ngingene kuwe,” ngokuba wayengazi ukuthi ungumalokazana wakhe. Wathi: “Uyakungiphani ukuba ungene kimi na?”
17Wayesethi: “Mina ngizakukuthumela izinyane lembuzi elisemhlambini.” Wathi: “Uzakunginika isibambiso, uze ulithume, na?”
18Wathi: “Ngikuphe sibambiso sini na?” Wathi: “Indandatho yakho, nentambo yakho, nodondolo lwakho olusesandleni sakho.” Wamupha, wangena kuye; wakhuliselwa nguye.
19Wasuka, wahamba, wakhumula iveli lakhe, wembatha izingubo zakhe zobufelokazi.
20UJuda wathuma izinyane lembuzi ngesandla somhlobo wakhe wase-Adulamu ukuba athathe isibambiso esandleni sowesifazane, kepha akamfumananga.
21Wayesebuza abantu bendawo yakhe, wathi: “Siphi isifebe esasise-Enayimi ngasendleleni na?” Bathi: “Akuzange kube khona isifebe lapha.”
22Wayesebuyela kuJuda, ethi: “Angisifumananga; nabantu bendawo bathi: ‘Akuzange kube khona isifebe lapha.’ ”
23Wathi uJuda: “Masizithathele sona, funa sibe nehlazo; bheka, ngithume leli zinyane, kepha awusifumananga.”
24Kwathi emva kwezinyanga ezintathu uJuda watshelwa ukuthi: “UTamari umalokazana wakho ufebile; bheka, futhi ukhulelwe ngokufeba kwakhe.” UJuda wathi: “Mletheni, ashiswe.”
25Eselethiwe wathumela kuyisezala, wathi: “Ngikhuleliswe yile ndoda engumnini walezi zinto.” Wathi futhi: “Ake ubone ukuthi ngokukabani le ndandatho, nale ntambo, nalolu dondolo na?”
26Wakuvuma uJuda, wathi: “Ulungile kunami, njengokuba ngingamnikanga uShela indodana yami.” Akabange esamazi futhi.
27Kwathi ngesikhathi sokubeletha kwakhe, bheka, ngamawele asesiswini sakhe.
28Kwathi esabeletha, omunye wakhipha isandla; umbelethisi wathatha, wabopha esandleni sakhe ngentambo ebomvu, wathi: “Lo uphume kuqala.”
29Kwathi ukuba afinyeze isandla sakhe, nangu umfowabo ephuma; wathi: “Ufuzuleleni na?” Ngalokho igama lakhe laqanjwa ngokuthi uPheresi.*
30Ngasemuva waphuma umfowabo owayenentambo ebomvu esandleni sakhe; igama lakhe lathiwa uZera.