Ezekiel 18
1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
“Litshoni lina bantu nxa libetha isaga lesi ngelizwe lako-Israyeli lisithi: ‘Oyise badla amavini amunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela’?
3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, kalisayikusitsho isaga lesi ko-Israyeli.
4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Ngoba yonke imphefumulo ephilayo ngeyami, uyise kanye lendodana, bobabili ngokufanayo ngabami. Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo ozakufa.
5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
Kasithi kulomuntu olungileyo owenza okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo.
6 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
Kadleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela zasentabeni loba athembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe loba alale lowesifazane esemazibukweni.
7 He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
Kancindezeli muntu kodwa uyabuyisela akuthathayo njengesibambiso sokwebolekwayo. Kabenzi ubuphangi kodwa unika abalambileyo ukudla kwakhe labanqunu abanike izigqoko.
8 He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
Kabolekisi ukuba athole inzuzo loba athathe inzuzo edlulisileyo. Uyasithinta isandla sakhe ekwenzeni okubi njalo ehlulele kuhle phakathi komuntu lomuntu.
9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
Uyazilandela izimiso zami agcine lemithetho yami ngokuthembeka. Lowomuntu ulungile; ngempela uzaphila, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
Kasithi ulendodana elodlakela echitha igazi kumbe yenze loba yikuphi kwalezizinto
11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
(lanxa uyise engenzanga lanye yazo): Idlela ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni. Iyamngcolisa umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
12 He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
Incindezela abayanga labaswelayo. Yenza ubuphangi. Kayibuyiseli eyakuthatha kuyisibambiso. Yethemba izithombe. Yenza izinto ezinengisayo.
13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
Yebolekisa ukuba ithole inzuzo njalo ithatha inzuzo edlulisileyo. Umuntu onjalo uzaphila na? Kasoze aphile! Ngenxa yokuba enze zonke lezizinto ezinengisayo uzabulawa mpela legazi lakhe lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakhe.
14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
Kodwa kasithi indodana le ilendodana ezibonayo zonke izono ezenziwa nguyise, kodwa lanxa izibona, yona kayizenzi izinto ezinje:
15 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
Kayidleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni, kumbe yethembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kayimngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
16 He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
Kayincindezeli muntu kumbe ifune isibambiso ekwebolekiseni. Kayibenzi ubuphangi kodwa abalambileyo iyabapha ukudla kwayo inike labanqunu izigqoko.
17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.
Iyasithinta isandla sayo ekoneni njalo kayithathi nzuzo loba inzuzo edlulisileyo. Iyagcina imilayo yami ilandele lezimiso zami. Kayiyikufela izono zikayise; izaphila impela.
18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.
Kodwa uyise uzafela izono zakhe yena ngokwakhe, ngoba wabamba ngamandla, waphanga umfowabo wenza okubi ebantwini bakibo.
19 Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.
Ikanti liyabuza lithi, ‘Kungani indodana ingabi lecala likayise na?’ Njengoba indodana yenze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo njalo inaka ukugcina izimiso zami, izaphila impela.
20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo ozakufa. Indodana kayiyikuba lecala likayise, loba uyise abe lecala lendodana. Ukulunga komuntu olungileyo kuzabalelwa kuye, lobubi bomubi buzamelana laye.
21 But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka kuzozonke izono azenzayo njalo agcine izimiso zami zonke enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzaphila impela, akayikufa.
22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
Akukho kona kwakhe okuzakhunjulwa. Ngenxa yezinto ezilungileyo azenzileyo uzaphila.
23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
Ngiyathokoza ngokufa komuntu omubi na? kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Esikhundleni salokho, kangithabi na nxa bephenduka ezindleleni zabo njalo baphile?
24 But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
Kodwa nxa umuntu olungileyo eguquka ekulungeni kwakhe enze izono njalo enze zona kanye izinto ezinengayo ezenziwa ngumuntu omubi, kambe uzaphila na? Akukho okwezinto ezilungileyo azenzayo okuzakhunjulwa. Ngenxa yecala lokungathembeki langenxa yezono azenzayo, uzakufa.
25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
Kodwa lina lithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Zwana, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli: Indlela yami kayifanelanga na?
26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
Nxa umuntu olungileyo eguquka ekulungeni kwakhe enze izono, uzakufela lokho; ngenxa yezono azenzileyo uzakufa.
27 But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka ebubini abenzileyo enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzasilisa ukuphila kwakhe.
28 Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
Ngoba ucabanga konke okubi akwenzayo aphenduke kukho, uzaphila impela; akayikufa.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
Ikanti indlu ka-Israyeli ithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Izindlela zami kazilunganga na, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
30 Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
Ngakho-ke wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, lowo lalowo ngizamahlulela ngokumayelana lezindlela zakhe, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Phendukani! Tshiyani ububi benu bonke; ngalokho isono kasiyikuba yikufa kwenu.
31 Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
Zikhululeni kukho konke okubi elikwenzileyo, lizuze inhliziyo entsha lomoya omutsha. Kungani na uzakufa, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
Ngoba angithokozi ngokufa loba ngokukabani, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Phendukani liphile!”
