6 Ke ukumkani uRehobhowam wathetha-thethana namadoda amakhulu awayebusa kuyise uSolomon ngexesha lokudla kwakhe ubomi, wathi: “Nicebisa ngelithini na nina ukuze ndibaphendule aba bantu?”
7 Ke wona aphendula athi: “Ukuba uthe wanobubele kwaba bantu, wazama ukubanelisa, wathetha kakuhle nabo, baya kusoloko bezizicaka zakho.”
8 Kambe ke uRehobhowam walikhaba eli cebiso alinikwa ngamadoda amakhulu, waza wathetha-thethana nabafana abaziintanga zakhe, ababembusa.
9 Wabuza kubo wathi: “Nindinika cebiso lini nina? Mandithini ukubaphendula aba bantu bathi: ‘Khawuyenze lula idyokhwe awayibeka phezu kwethu uyihlo’?”
10 Abo bafana baziintanga zakhe baphendula bathi: “Abantu bathi: ‘Uyihlo wayenza nzima idyokhwe yethu, kodwa wena yenze ibe lula kuthi.’ Ke wena baxelele uthi: ‘Ucikicane wam ungaphezu kwesinqe sikabawo.
11 Ukuba ubawo ubenithwalise idyokhwe enzima, mna ke ndiza kuyenza ibe nzima ngaphezulu. Ubawo ebenibetha ngoswazi, ke mna ndonikatsa ngemvubu.’ ”
12 Emva kweentsuku ezintathu ke uJerobhowam nabantu bonke babuyela kuRehobhowam ngokwaloo mlomo wakhe owawuthe: “Ze nibuye nize apha kum emva kweentsuku ezintathu.”