Ezekiel 15

1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:

2 Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Ndodana yomuntu, isihlahla sevini siyini ngaphezu kwaso sonke isihlahla, kumbe ugatsha oluphakathi kwezihlahla zegusu?

3 Shall wood be taken of it to make any work? Or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

Kuzathathwa kiso isigodo yini ukwenza umsebenzi? Bangathatha kiso isikhonkwane yini ukuthi balengise lasiphi isitsha kiso?

4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel. The fire has devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it profitable for any work?

Khangela, siyanikelwa emlilweni sibe yikudla, umlilo uqede izihloko zaso zombili, lokuphakathi kwaso kutshiswe. Siselosizo kuwo umsebenzi yini?

5 Behold, when it was whole, it was fit for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be fit for any work!

Khangela, lapho sisaphelele, asenziwanga sibe ngumsebenzi; kuncane kangakanani lapho umlilo ususiqedile sesitshile sisezakwenziwa sibe ngumsebenzi!

6 Therefore thus says the lord Jehovah: As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Njengesihlahla sevini phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, engisinikele emlilweni sibe yikudla, ngokunjalo ngizanikela abahlali beJerusalema.

7 And I will set my face against them. They shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them. And ye shall know that I am Jehovah when I set my face against them.

Ngoba ngizamisa ubuso bami bumelane labo; bazaphuma komunye umlilo kuthi omunye umlilo ubaqede; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, sengimise ubuso bami bamelana labo.

8 And I will make the land desolate because they have committed a trespass, says the lord Jehovah.

Njalo ngizakwenza ilizwe libe lunxiwa, ngoba benze isiphambeko, itsho iNkosi uJehova.