1. Izinsuku zikaDavide zasondela ekufeni; wayesemyala uSolomoni indodana yakhe, ethi:
2. “Mina sengihamba indlela yawo wonke umhlaba; ngalokho qina, ube yindoda,
3. ugcine isiyalezo sikaJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ukuba uhambe ezindleleni zakhe, ugcine izimiso zakhe, nemiyalo yakhe, nezahlulelo zakhe, nobufakazi bakhe njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni kaMose, ukuze uphumelele kukho konke okwenzayo nakukho konke okubhekayo,
4. ukuze uJehova aqinise izwi lakhe alikhuluma ngami ngokuthi: ‘Uma abantwana bakho begcina indlela yabo ukuba bahambe phambi kwami eqinisweni ngayo yonke inhliziyo yabo nangawo wonke umphefumulo wabo, awuyikuntula muntu -- washo njalo -- esihlalweni sobukhosi sakwa-Israyeli.’
5. “Futhi wena uyazi okwenziwayo kimi nguJowabe indodana kaSeruya, nalokho akwenzayo kuzo izinduna ezimbili zezimpi zakwa-Israyeli, o-Abineri indodana kaNeri no-Amasa indodana kaJetheri, owababulala, wachitha igazi lokulwa ngesikhathi sokuthula, wabeka igazi lokulwa kulo ibhande* lakhe elalisokhalweni lwakhe nasezicathulweni zakhe ezazisezinyaweni zakhe.
6. Yenza njengokuhlakanipha kwakho, ungayehlisi impunga ngokuthula endaweni yabafileyo.
7. “Kepha yiba nomusa kumadodana kaBarizilayi wakwaGileyadi, abe khona phakathi kwabadla ngasetafuleni lakho, ngokuba enza kanjalo kimi mhla ngabalekela u-Abisalomu umfowenu.
8. “Bheka, ukhona nawe uShimeyi indodana kaGera wakwaBenjamini waseBahurimi, owangithuka ngokuthuka okwesabekayo mhla ngiya eMahanayimi; kepha wehla ukungihlangabeza ngaseJordani, ngafunga kuye uJehova ngokuthi: ‘Angiyikukubulala ngenkemba.’