< Ezekiel 24 >

1 In the ninth year, on the tenth day of the tenth month, the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi, ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngolwetshumi lwenyanga, 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, zibhalele ibizo losuku, lwalona lolusuku; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yazimisa ukumelana leJerusalema ngalona 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.
Njalo tshono umfanekiso kuyo indlu evukelayo uthi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Beka imbiza, ibeke, futhi uthele amanzi kuyo,
4 Put in the pieces of meat, every good piece— thigh and shoulder— fill it with choice bones.
ubuthele iziqa zayo kiyo, zonke iziqa ezinhle, umlenze lomkhono, uyigcwalise ngekhethelo lamathambo.
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 ikhethelo lomhlambi, ubuthelele lamathambo ngaphansi kwayo, kwenze kubile kuhle, kuphekwe lamathambo awo 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.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi, imbiza omengulo wayo uphakathi kwayo, lomengulo wayo kawuphumanga kuyo! Khupha isiqa ngesiqa, inkatho kayingaweli kuyo.
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.
Ngoba igazi lawo liphakathi kwawo, ulibeke edwaleni elize, kawulithululelanga phezu komhlabathi ukuligqibela ngenhlabathi.
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, ukuze ngiphindisele impindiselo, ngibekile igazi lawo edwaleni 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 itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi! Lami ngizakwenza ibonda libe likhulu.
10 Pile on the logs and kindle the fire; cook the meat well and mix in the spices; let the bones be burned.
Yandisa izinkuni, uphembe umlilo, uqede inyama, uxubanise izinongo, lamathambo atshiswe.
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.
Ubusuyibeka phezu kwamalahle ayo ingelalutho, ukuze kutshise kuvuthe ithusi layo, lokungcola kwayo kuncibilike phakathi kwayo, kuqedwe umengulo wayo.
12 It has frustrated every effort; its thick rust has not been removed, even by the fire.
Izidinisile ngomtshikatshika, lomengulo wayo omnengi kawuphumanga kuyo. Umengulo wayo usemlilweni.
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.
Kulamanyala ekungcoleni kwakho; ngoba ngikuhlambulule, kodwa kawuhlambulukanga, kawuyikuhlambuluka ekungcoleni kwakho futhi, ngize ngihlalise ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwakho.
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 Nkosi ngikhulumile; kuzafika, ngikwenze; kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lesihawu, kangiyikuzisola; njengokwendlela zakho lanjengokwezenzo zakho bazakugweba, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
15 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi, 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, khangela, ngizasusa kuwe isiloyiso samehlo akho ngokutshaya; kodwa ungalili, ungakhali inyembezi, futhi inyembezi zakho zingaveli.
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, ungenzi isililo ngabafileyo, ubophe iqhiye yakho phezu kwakho, ufake amanyathela akho enyaweni zakho, ungambombozi indevu zendebe yakho yangaphezulu, ungadli isinkwa sabantu.
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.
Ngasengikhuluma labantu ekuseni, lakusihlwa umkami wafa. Ngasengisenza ekuseni njengokulaywa kwami.
19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things you are doing mean to us?”
Abantu basebesithi kimi: Kawuyikusitshela yini ukuthi lezizinto ziyini kithi, ukuthi wenze nje?
20 So I answered them, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying:
Ngasengisithi kubo: Ilizwi leNkosi 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 kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizangcolisa indawo yami engcwele, udumo lwamandla enu, isiloyiso samehlo enu, lokuzwelwa ngumphefumulo wenu; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu eliwatshiyileyo azakuwa ngenkemba.
22 Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lips or eat the bread of mourners.
Khona lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile; kaliyikumbomboza indevu zendebe yangaphezulu, kaliyikudla isinkwa sabantu.
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.
Lamaqhiye enu azakuba phezu kwamakhanda enu, lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu; kaliyikulila kaliyikukhala inyembezi; kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yeziphambeko zenu, libubule, omunye komunye.
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.’
Ngokunjalo uHezekeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengakho konke akwenzileyo; lapho sekufika lokhu, lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.
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,
Futhi, wena ndodana yomuntu, kakuyikuba njalo yini ngalolosuku lapho engizasusa kubo inqaba yabo, intokozo yobuhle babo, isiloyiso samehlo abo, lokuphakama komphefumulo wabo, amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo,
26 on that day a fugitive will come and tell you the news.
ngalolosuku kuzafika kuwe ophunyukileyo, ukwenza indlebe zakho zizwe?
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.”
Ngalolosuku umlomo wakho uzavulekela yena ophunyukileyo; njalo uzakhuluma, ungabe usaba yisimungulu; ngokunjalo uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo; khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.

< Ezekiel 24 >