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