Ezekiel 18
1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi 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, ukuthi lisebenzise lesisaga ngelizwe lakoIsrayeli, lisithi: Oyise badlile izithelo zevini ezimunyu, lamazinyo abantwana asetshelela?
3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, isibili kakusayikuba kini ukusebenzisa lesisaga koIsrayeli.
4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Khangela, yonke imiphefumulo ngeyami; njengomphefumulo kayise, unjalo lomphefumulo wendodana, kungokwami. Umphefumulo owonayo, wona uzakufa.
5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
Kodwa uba umuntu elungile, enze ukwahlulela lokulunga,
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.
engadleli phezu kwezintaba, engaphakamiseli amehlo akhe ezithombeni zendlu yakoIsrayeli, engangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe, engasondeli kowesifazana osemfuleni,
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.
engacindezeli muntu, ebuyisela kowebolekayo isibambiso sakhe, engaphangi impango, enika olambileyo isinkwa sakhe, esembesa oze ngesembatho,
8 He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
enganiki ngenzuzo, engathathi okwengezelelweyo, ebuyisa isandla sakhe esiphambekweni, esenza isahlulelo esiqinisileyo phakathi komuntu lomuntu,
9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
ehamba ngezimiso zami, egcina izahlulelo zami, ukwenza iqiniso; yena uqondile, uzaphila isibili, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
Uba ezala indodana engumphangi, umchithi wegazi, lowenza okufanana lokunye kwalezizinto,
11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
longenzi zonke lezozinto, kodwa ngitsho edlela phezu kwezintaba, engcolisa umfazi womakhelwane wakhe,
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.
ecindezela umyanga loswelayo, ephanga impango, engabuyiselanga isibambiso, ephakamisele amehlo akhe ezithombeni, enze okunengekayo,
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.
enika ngenzuzo, athathe ngokwengezelelweyo, uzaphila yini? Kayikuphila; wenze zonke lezizinengiso; uzakufa lokufa, amacala akhe egazi azakuba phezu kwakhe.
14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
Khangela-ke, uzala indodana ebona zonke izono zikayise azenzileyo, ibona, ingenzi njengalezizinto,
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.
ingadleli phezu kwezintaba, ingaphakamiseli amehlo ayo ezithombeni zendlu yakoIsrayeli, ingangcolisi umfazi womakhelwane 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.
ingacindezeli muntu, ingagodli isibambiso, ingaphangi impango, isipha olambileyo isinkwa sayo, yembese oze ngesembatho,
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.
isuse isandla sayo kongumyanga, ingemukeli inzuzo lokwengezelelweyo, isenza izahlulelo zami, ihambe ngezimiso zami, yona kayiyikufela isiphambeko sikayise, izaphila isibili.
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.
Uyise, ngoba ecindezele ngocindezelo, waphanga impango kumfowabo, wenza okungalunganga phakathi kwabantu bakibo, khangela-ke, uzafela ebubini bakhe.
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.
Kanti lithi: Kungani indodana ingathwali isiphambeko sikayise? Nxa indodana yenzile isahlulelo lokulunga, igcinile zonke izimiso zami, yazenza, izaphila isibili.
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, wona uzakufa. Indodana kayiyikuthwala isiphambeko sikayise, loyise kayikuthwala isiphambeko sendodana. Ukulunga kolungileyo kuzakuba phezu kwakhe, lenkohlakalo yokhohlakeleyo izakuba phezu kwakhe.
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 uba omubi ephenduka ezonweni zakhe zonke azenzileyo, agcine zonke izimiso zami, enze isahlulelo lokulunga, uzaphila isibili, kayikufa.
22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
Iziphambeko zakhe zonke azenzileyo kaziyikukhunjulelwa kuye; ekulungeni kwakhe akwenzileyo, 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 lokuthokoza ngokufa kokhohlakeleyo yini? itsho iNkosi uJehova; kakusikuthi aphenduke ezindleleni zakhe, aphile yini?
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 olungileyo ephenduka ekulungeni kwakhe, esenza isiphambeko, enze njengokwezinengiso zonke azenzayo omubi, uzaphila yini? Ukulunga kwakhe konke akwenzileyo kakuyikukhunjulwa; esiphambekweni sakhe aphambeke ngaso, lesonweni sakhe asonileyo, uzafela kikho.
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?
Kanti lithi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani. Zwanini-ke, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli; indlela yami kayilingani yini? Kayisizo yini izindlela zenu ezingalinganiyo?
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.
Lapho olungileyo ephenduka ekulungeni kwakhe, enze iziphambeko, afele kuzo, eziphambekweni 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.
Futhi nxa omubi ephenduka ebubini bakhe abenzileyo, enze isahlulelo lokulunga, yena uzagcina umphefumulo wakhe uphila.
28 Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
Ngoba ebona, ephenduka kuzo zonke iziphambeko zakhe azenzileyo, uzaphila isibili, kayikufa.
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?
Kanti indlu kaIsrayeli ithi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani. Wena ndlu kaIsrayeli, indlela zami kazilingani yini? Kayisizo yini indlela zenu ezingalinganiyo?
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 ngizalahlulela, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngulowo lalowo njengokwendlela zakhe, itsho iNkosi uJehova. Phendukani, libuye lisuke eziphambekweni zenu zonke; ukuze ububi bungabi yisikhubekiso kini.
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?
Lahlani lisuse kini zonke iziphambeko zenu eliphambeke ngazo, lizenzele inhliziyo entsha lomoya omutsha; ngoba lizafelani, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli?
32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
Ngoba kangithokozi ngokufa kofayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova; ngakho phendukani liphile.
