Ezekiel 24
1 In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngosuku lwetshumi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 “Son of man, write down today’s date, for on this very day the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem.
“Ndodana yomuntu, bhala usuku lolu, usuku lolu lona ngokwalo, ngoba iNkosi yaseBhabhiloni isivimbezele iJerusalema ngalo kanye lolusuku.
3 Now speak a parable to this rebellious house and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Put the pot on the fire; put it on and pour in the water.
Tshela indlu le ehlamukayo umfanekiso uthi kubo: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Beka imbiza yokupheka eziko; ibeke phezu kwamaseko uthele amanzi phakathi kwayo.
4 Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece— thigh and shoulder— fill it with choice bones.
Faka phakathi kwayo amaqatha enyama, wonke amaqatha amahle, umlenze lesiphanga. Igcwalise ngamathambo amahle;
5 Take the choicest of the flock and pile the fuel beneath it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.’
thatha okukhethiweyo emhlambini. Basela kakhulu ngenkuni usenzela amathambo; ixhwathise upheke amathambo phakathi kwayo.
6 Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed, to the pot now rusted, whose rust will not come off! Empty it piece by piece; cast no lots for its contents.
Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi, kuyo imbiza esithombile, ukuthomba kwayo okungayikuphela! Thulula imbiza ukhuphe amaqhatha ngalinye ngalinye kungekho inkatho.
7 For the blood she shed is still within her; she poured it out on the bare rock; she did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dust.
Ngakho igazi elachithwa lidolobho leli liphakathi kwalo: lalithululela edwaleni elize; kalilithululelanga phansi lapho umhlabathi owawungaligqibela khona.
8 In order to stir up wrath and take vengeance, I have placed her blood on the bare rock, so that it would not be covered.’
Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo njalo ngiphindisele, ngabeka igazi lelo phezu kwedwala elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
9 Yes, this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Woe to the city of bloodshed! I, too, will pile the kindling high.
Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi! Lami futhi, ngizakwenza ibonda lenkuni eliphakemeyo.
10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned.
Ngakho faka inkuni uphembe umlilo. Ipheke kuhle inyama, uhlanganisa leziyoliso; uyekele amathambo atshe.
11 Set the empty pot on its coals until it becomes hot and its copper glows. Then its impurity will melt within; its rust will be consumed.
Emva kwalokho beka imbiza engelalutho phezu kwamalahle ize itshise lethusi layo livuthe ukuze ukungcola kwayo kutshe kuphele lokuthomba kwayo kutshe kuphele.
12 It has frustrated every effort; its thick rust has not been removed, even by the fire.
Isiphuthise imizamo yonke; uqweqwe lokuthomba kwayo kalususwanga, loba langomlilo.
13 Because of the indecency of your uncleanness I tried to cleanse you, but you would not be purified from your filthiness. You will not be pure again until My wrath against you has subsided.
Khathesi ukungcola kwakho yisigwebo. Ngoba ngizamile ukukuhlambulula kodwa ubungeke uhlanjululwe ekungcoleni kwakho, kawuyikuhlambuluka futhi ukukuthukuthelela kwami kuze kudede.
14 I, the LORD, have spoken; the time is coming, and I will act. I will not refrain or show pity, nor will I relent. I will judge you according to your ways and deeds,’
Mina Thixo sengikhulumile. Isikhathi sokuba ngenze sesifikile. Kangiyikuzithiba; kangiyikuba lesihawu, kumbe ngiyekethise. Uzakwahlulelwa mayelana lokuziphatha kwakho kanye lezenzo zakho, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’”
15 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
16 “Son of man, behold, I am about to take away the desire of your eyes with a fatal blow. But you must not mourn or weep or let your tears flow.
“Ndodana yomuntu, sekuseduze ukuthi ngokugalela okukodwa nje ngisuse kuwe intokozo yamehlo akho. Kodwa ungalili kumbe ukhale loba wehlise inyembezi.
17 Groan quietly; do not mourn for the dead. Put on your turban and strap your sandals on your feet; do not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.”
Bubula uthule; ungalileli abafileyo. Bophela iqhiye yakho lamanyathela akho ezinyaweni zakho; ungambozi ingxenye yaphansi yobuso bakho loba udle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.”
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. And the next morning I did as I had been commanded.
Ngakho ngakhuluma labantu ekuseni, umkami wafa kusihlwa. Ekuseni kwakusisa ngenza njengokulaywa kwami.
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
Abantu basebengibuza besithi, “Kawuyikusitshela na ukuthi izinto lezi zilani lathi?”
20 So I answered them, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Ngakho mina ngathi kubo, “Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
21 Tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I am about to desecrate My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and the delight of your soul. And the sons and daughters you left behind will fall by the sword.’
Tshono endlini ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngingcolise indlu yami engcwele, inqaba eliziqhenya ngayo, intokozo yamehlo enu, into eliyithanda kakhulu. Amadodana lamadodakazi eliwatshiyileyo azabulawa ngenkemba.
22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.
Njalo lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile. Kaliyikumboza ingxenye yaphansi yobuso benu loba lidle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.
23 Your turbans will remain on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or weep, but you will waste away because of your sins, and you will groan among yourselves.
Lizafaka amaqhiye enu emakhanda enu lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu. Kaliyikulila kumbe likhale kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yezono zenu njalo libubule phakathi kwenu.
24 ‘Thus Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Lord GOD.’
UHezekhiyeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengoba enzile. Nxa lokhu kusenzakala, lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo Wobukhosi.’
25 And you, son of man, know that on the day I take away their stronghold, their pride and joy—the desire of their eyes which uplifted their souls—and their sons and daughters as well,
Njalo wena, ndodana yomuntu, ngosuku engizasusa ngalo inqaba yabo, intokozo yabo lodumo, injabulo yamehlo abo, isifiso senhliziyo yabo, kanye lamadodana lamadodakazi abo futhi,
26 on that day a fugitive will come and tell you the news.
ngalolosuku isiphepheli yiso esizalandisa izindaba.
27 On that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped; you will speak and no longer be mute. So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the LORD.”
Ngalesosikhathi umlomo wakho uzavuleka; uzakhuluma laye njalo kawuyikuthula futhi. Ngakho uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo, njalo bazakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.”
