YINI loyentako nangabe ufuna kwati kutsi ngubani sikhatsi? Uvele ubuke liwashi. Ungaphendvula utsini nangabe umngani wakho akubuta kutsi ngubani sikhatsi? Tinyenti tindlela tekuchaza kutsi ngubani sikhatsi. Kanjani?

Ase sitsi seyigabence insimbi yekucala emini. Kungenteka utsi: “Ngu-1:30.” Noma utsi: “Ngu-13:30” kuye ngekutsi ngukuphi lokwetayelekile endzaweni lohlala kuyo. Kuletinye tindzawo, ungasho nekutsi: “Seyigabence insimbi yesibili,” lokusho kutsi sekusele imizuzu lengu-30 kutsi kushaye insimbi yesibili.

Ngesikhatsi sekubhalwa kweliBhayibheli, bantfu bebasibita njani sikhatsi? Nabo bebanetindlela letehlukahlukene tekusho kutsi ngubani sikhatsi. ImiBhalo YesiHebheru isebentisa emagama lanjengekutsi “ekuseni,” “emini,” “entsambama” kanye nalelitsi “ebusuku.” (Gen. 8:11; 19:27; 43:16; Dut. 28:29; 1 Khos. 18:26) Kod​vwa ngaletinye tikhatsi liBhayibheli lisebentisa emagama lacacile.

Ngetikhatsi tekubhalwa kweliBhayibheli, bekulisiko kutsi kube nebalindzi ikakhulukati ebusuku. Ngaphambi kwekutsi Jesu atalwe, ema-Israyeli bekahlukanisa busuku ngetincenye letintsatfu. (Hla. 63:6) Tikhulu 7:19 tikhuluma ngencenye letsi ‘kusekhatsi nebusuku.’ Ngesikhatsi Jesu sekatelwe, emaJuda ehlukanisa busuku baba tincenye letine, njengobe bekwenta emaGriki nemaRoma.

EmaVangeli akhuluma ngaletincenye tikhatsi letinyenti. Nasi sibonelo, lelinye liVangeli litsi: “Ekuseni ngeluvivi,” Jesu wahamba etikwemanti waya emkhunjini lapho bekunebaphostoli bakhe khona. (Mat. 14:25) Kulomunye umfanekiso, Jesu watsi: “Kube umnikati wendlu bekati kutsi lisela litawufika ngasiphi sikhatsi, abetawuhlala agadzile kute indlu yakhe ingagcekezwa.”​—Mat. 24:43.

Jesu wakhuluma ngetincenye letine tebusuku ngesikhatsi atsi kubafundzi bakhe: “Ngako-ke hlalani nilindzile, ngobe anati kutsi uMnikati wendlu utawufika nini, kungaba kunasekuhwalala, ekhatsi nebusuku, nakudzabuka kusa, nobe ekuseni.” (Mak. 13:35) Incenye yekucala yebusuku lebitwa ngekutsi “kunasekuhwalala,” beyisho kusukela nakushona lilanga kuze kushaye insimbi yemfica ebusuku. Incenye yesibili lebitwa ngekutsi ‘kusekhatsi nebusuku,’ beyisho kusukela ngensimbi yemfica kuze kushaye 12. Incenye yesitsatfu lebeyibitwa ngekutsi “kudzabuka kwekusa,” noma ‘sikhatsi sekukhala kwelichudze’ beyisho kusukela nga-12 kuze kuyoshaya insimbi yesitsatfu ekuseni. Kungenteka lichudze lakhala ngaleso sikhatsi nakuboshwa Jesu. (Mak. 14:72) Incenye yesine yebusuku lebeyibitwa ngekutsi ‘kusekuseni,’ beyisho kusukela ngensimbi yesitsatfu ekuseni kuze kuyophuma lilanga.

Ngisho noma bantfu basendvulo bebete emawashi njengobe tsine sinawo, bebanayo indlela yekuchaza kutsi ngubani sikhatsi.