< Ezekiel 14 >

1 Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.
Kwasekufika kimi abanye babadala bakoIsrayeli, bahlala phambi kwami.
2 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
3 “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
Ndodana yomuntu, lamadoda amise izithombe zawo enhliziyweni yawo, abeka isikhubekiso sesiphambeko sawo phambi kobuso bawo: Ngingabuzwa yiwo ngeqiniso yini?
4 Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,
Ngakho khuluma lawo, uthi kuwo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Wonke umuntu wendlu kaIsrayeli omisa izithombe zakhe enhliziyweni yakhe, abeke isikhubekiso sesiphambeko sakhe phambi kobuso bakhe, abesesiza kumprofethi, mina iNkosi ngizamphendula njengobunengi bezithombe zakhe;
5 so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’
ukuze ngibambe indlu kaIsrayeli ngenhliziyo yabo, ngoba bonke bazenze abemzini kimi ngezithombe zabo.
6 Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations.
Ngakho tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Phendukani, lifulathele izithombe zenu, lifulathelise ubuso benu kuzo zonke izinengiso zenu.
7 For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.
Ngoba ngulowo lalowo wendlu kaIsrayeli, kumbe owezizweni ohlala koIsrayeli njengowezizwe ozehlukanisa ekungilandeleni, amise izithombe zakhe enhliziyweni yakhe, abeke isikhubekiso sobubi bakhe phambi kobuso bakhe, eze kumprofethi ukubuza kuye ngami; mina Nkosi ngizamphendula ngokwami.
8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Ngizamisa ubuso bami ngimelane lalowomuntu, ngimenze abe yisibonakaliso lezaga, ngimqume asuke phakathi kwabantu bami; lizakwazi-ke ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
9 But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
Futhi uba umprofethi ekhohliseka, nxa ekhulume ilizwi, mina Nkosi ngimkhohlisile lowomprofethi; njalo ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwakhe, ngimbhubhise asuke phakathi kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
10 They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—
Njalo bazathwala icala labo. Njengecala lobuzayo lizakuba njalo icala lomprofethi;
11 in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”
ukuze indlu kaIsrayeli ingabe isaphambuka ekungilandeleni, futhi ingabuyi izingcolise ngeziphambeko zabo zonke, kodwa ukuthi babe ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
12 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
13 “Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,
Ndodana yomuntu, lapho ilizwe lisona kimi ngokuphambeka okukhulu, ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwalo, ngephule udondolo lwesinkwa salo, ngithume indlala kulo, ngiqume kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
14 then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
lanxa lamadoda amathathu, oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe, ayephakathi kwalo, wona ayezakhulula umphefumulo wawo wodwa ngokulunga kwawo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
15 Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts,
Uba ngidabulisa izilo ezimbi elizweni, zenze lifelwe ngabantwana, lize libe lunxiwa, kuze kungabi khona odlulayo ngenxa yezilo,
16 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi; wona wodwa abezakhululwa, kodwa ilizwe libe lunxiwa.
17 Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast,
Kumbe uba ngisehlisela inkemba phezu kwalelolizwe ngithi: Nkemba, dabula phakathi kwelizwe, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
18 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.
loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi, kodwa wona wodwa abezakhululwa.
19 Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,
Kumbe uba ngithumela umatshayabhuqe wesifo kulelolizwe, ngithululele ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwalo ngegazi, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
20 then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
loba oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe bebephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, bebengayikukhulula indodana loba indodakazi; bona bebezakhulula umphefumulo wabo wodwa ngokulunga kwabo.
21 For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kakhulu kangakanani lapho ngithuma izahlulelo zami ezine ezimbi phezu kweJerusalema, inkemba, lendlala, lesilo esibi, lomatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kiyo umuntu lenyamazana.
22 Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it.
Kodwa khangela, kuzasala kiyo abaphephileyo abazakhutshwa, amadodana lamadodakazi; khangela, bazaphuma besiza kini, libone indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizaduduzwa mayelana lokubi engikulethe phezu kweJerusalema, mayelana lakho konke engikulethe phezu kwayo.
23 They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
Ngokunjalo bazaliduduza nxa libona indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi kangikwenzanga ngaphandle kwesizatho, konke engikwenzileyo phakathi kwayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.

< Ezekiel 14 >