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