1 Ngalesosikhathi uJuda watshiya abafowabo wahamba wayahlala lendoda yase-Adulami eyayithiwa nguHira. 2 Khonale uJuda wabonana lendodakazi yendoda engumKhenani eyayithiwa nguShuwa. Wayithatha wembatha layo; 3 yathatha isisu yazala indodana yathiwa ngu-Eri. 4 Wazithwala njalo wazala indodana wayithi ngu-Onani. 5 Wazala njalo enye indodana wayithi nguShela. Le wayizalela eKhezibhi.

6 UJuda wazuzela u-Eri izibulo lakhe umfazi, ibizo lakhe linguThamari. 7 Kodwa u-Eri izibulo likaJuda, wayengcolile emehlweni kaThixo; uThixo wasembulala.

8 UJuda wasesithi ku-Onani, “Lala lomkamfowenu ugcwalise umlandu wakho njengomfowabo uzalele umfowenu abantwana.” 9 Kodwa u-Onani wakwazi ukuthi inzalo leyo yayingezukuba ngeyakhe; ngakho kwakusithi sonke isikhathi angalala lomkamfowabo achithele inhlanyelo phansi emhlabathini ukuze angaze azalela umfowabo abantwana. 10 Lokho ayekwenza kwakukubi emehlweni kaThixo; ngakho uThixo wambulala.

11 UJuda wasesithi kumalukazana wakhe uThamari, “Hamba uyehlala njengomfelokazi emzini kayihlo indodana yami uShela ize ikhule.” Ngoba wanakana wathi, “Laye angafa njengabanewabo.” Ngakho uThamari wahamba wayahlala emzini kayise.

12 Ngemva kwesikhathi eside umkaJuda, indodakazi kaShuwa wafa. Kwathi uJuda eseduduzekile waya eThimina, emadodeni ayegunda izimvu zakhe, ehamba lomngane wakhe uHira umʼAdulami.

13 Kwathi uThamari esetsheliwe kwathiwa, “Uyihlozala uyeza eThimina ukuzagunda izimvu zakhe,” 14 wakhulula izigqoko zakhe zokuzila wazimboza ngesimbombozo ukuzifihla, wasehlala phansi eduzane lesango lase-Enayimi, elisendleleni yaseThimina. Ngoba wabona ukuthi loba uShela wayesekhulile, yena wayelokhu engakamphiwa ukuthi abe ngumkakhe.

15 UJuda wathi embona wacabanga ukuthi yisifebe, ngoba wayezivale ubuso. 16 Kwathi ngoba engamboni ukuthi ngumalokazana wakhe waya kuye eceleni komgwaqo wathi, “Woza manje, ngifuna ukulala lawe.”

Yena wabuza wathi, “Uzangiphani ngingalala lawe?”

17 Wathi, “Ngizakuthumezela izinyane lembuzi emhlambini wami.”

UThamari wabuza wathi, “Uzangipha na ulutho lube yisibambiso ungakalithumezi?”

18 Wathi, “Ngikuphe sibambiso bani?”

Waphendula wathi, “Isilengiso sophawu lwakho lentambo yaso, kanye lodondolo lwakho oluphetheyo.” Ngakho wamupha lezozinto waselala laye, wahle wazithwala. 19 Esesuka lapho uThamari wakhupha isimbombozo sakhe wagqoka izigqoko zakhe zokuzila njalo.

20 Kusenjalo uJuda wathumezela izinyane lembuzi ngomngane wakhe umʼAdulami ukuze abuyiselwe isibambiso sakhe esasikowesifazane lowo, kodwa wamswela. 21 Wabuza amadoda ayehlala lapho wathi, “Singaphi isifebe ebesilapha eceleni komgwaqo e-Enayimi na?”

Athi, “Kakuzange kube lesifebe lapha.”

22 Ngakho wasebuyela kuJuda wayakuthi, “Kangimfumananga. Futhi amadoda lawo ahlala khona athi kakuzange kube lesifebe esasihlala lapho.”

23 UJuda wasesithi, “Myekele ahle akugcine khonokho alakho funa sicine sesiyinhlekisa. Phezu kwalokho mina bengimthumezele izinyane lembuzi, kodwa kawusamfumananga.”

24 Ngemva kwezinyanga ezintathu uJuda watshelwa ukuthi umalukazana wakhe uThamari wayesefebile wasethatha isisu.

UJuda wathi, “Mkhupheni, atshiswe aze afe.”

25 Kwathi lapho ekhutshwa wathumela ilizwi kuyisezala wathi, “Ngoniwa yindoda engumnikazi walezizinto.” Wengeza ngokuthi, “Akubone ukuthi singaba ngesikabani isilengiso sophawu lesi lentambo kanye lodondolo lolu.”

26 UJuda wazazi izinto lezo wathi, “Ulungile kulami, ngoba kangisamphanga endodaneni yami uShela.” Kasaphindanga wembatha laye njalo.

27 Kwathi isikhathi sakhe sokubeletha sesifikile, wayelamaphahla angabafana esiswini. 28 Wathi khonapho ebeletha omunye wawo wakhupha isandla; umbelethisi wathatha intambo ebomvu wayibophela esihlakaleni sesandla salo wathi, “Leli yilo eliphume kuqala.” 29 Kodwa labuyisela isandla, umfowabo waphuma kuqala, wasesithi, “Le yiyo indlela ofohle ngayo!” Laseliphiwa ibizo elithi nguPherezi. 30 Ngakho umfowabo, owayelentambo esihlakaleni, waphuma wethiwa ibizo wathiwa nguZera.