Ezekiel 18
1 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 What mean ye, ye who use this proverb of the land of Israel, saying, [The] fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
“Litshoni lina bantu nxa libetha isaga lesi ngelizwe lako-Israyeli lisithi: ‘Oyise badla amavini amunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela’?
3 [As] I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, kalisayikusitsho isaga lesi ko-Israyeli.
4 Behold, all the souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Ngoba yonke imphefumulo ephilayo ngeyami, uyise kanye lendodana, bobabili ngokufanayo ngabami. Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo ozakufa.
5 And if a man be righteous, and do judgment and justice:
Kasithi kulomuntu olungileyo owenza okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo.
6 — he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a woman in her separation,
Kadleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela zasentabeni loba athembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe loba alale lowesifazane esemazibukweni.
7 and hath not oppressed any; he hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath not exercised robbery, hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;
Kancindezeli muntu kodwa uyabuyisela akuthathayo njengesibambiso sokwebolekwayo. Kabenzi ubuphangi kodwa unika abalambileyo ukudla kwakhe labanqunu abanike izigqoko.
8 he hath not given forth upon usury, nor taken increase; he hath withdrawn his hand from unrighteousness, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
Kabolekisi ukuba athole inzuzo loba athathe inzuzo edlulisileyo. Uyasithinta isandla sakhe ekwenzeni okubi njalo ehlulele kuhle phakathi komuntu lomuntu.
9 hath walked in my statutes, and kept mine ordinances, to deal faithfully: he is righteous, he shall certainly live, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Uyazilandela izimiso zami agcine lemithetho yami ngokuthembeka. Lowomuntu ulungile; ngempela uzaphila, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
10 And if he have begotten a son that is violent, a shedder of blood, and that doeth only one of any of these [things],
Kasithi ulendodana elodlakela echitha igazi kumbe yenze loba yikuphi kwalezizinto
11 and that doeth not any of those [duties], but also hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
(lanxa uyise engenzanga lanye yazo): Idlela ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni. Iyamngcolisa umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
12 hath oppressed the poor and needy, exercised robbery, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, committed abomination,
Incindezela abayanga labaswelayo. Yenza ubuphangi. Kayibuyiseli eyakuthatha kuyisibambiso. Yethemba izithombe. Yenza izinto ezinengisayo.
13 given forth upon usury, and taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall certainly die; his blood shall be upon him.
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 But lo, if he have begotten a son that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like:
Kodwa kasithi indodana le ilendodana ezibonayo zonke izono ezenziwa nguyise, kodwa lanxa izibona, yona kayizenzi izinto ezinje:
15 — he hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; he hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
Kayidleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni, kumbe yethembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kayimngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
16 and hath not oppressed any, nor withholden the pledge, neither hath exercised robbery; he hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment;
Kayincindezeli muntu kumbe ifune isibambiso ekwebolekiseni. Kayibenzi ubuphangi kodwa abalambileyo iyabapha ukudla kwayo inike labanqunu izigqoko.
17 he hath withdrawn his hand from the poor, hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, [and] walked in my statutes: he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall certainly 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, because he practised oppression, exercised robbery upon his brother, and did what was not good among his people, behold, he shall die in his iniquity.
Kodwa uyise uzafela izono zakhe yena ngokwakhe, ngoba wabamba ngamandla, waphanga umfowabo wenza okubi ebantwini bakibo.
19 And ye say, Why doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? But the son hath done judgment and justice, hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them; he shall certainly 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 that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be 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 And the wicked, if he turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do judgment and justice, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.
Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka kuzozonke izono azenzayo njalo agcine izimiso zami zonke enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzaphila impela, akayikufa.
22 None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered against him; in his righteousness which he hath done shall he live.
Akukho kona kwakhe okuzakhunjulwa. Ngenxa yezinto ezilungileyo azenzileyo uzaphila.
23 Have I any pleasure at all in the death of the wicked? saith the Lord Jehovah; is it not in his turning from his way, that he may live?
Ngiyathokoza ngokufa komuntu omubi na? kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Esikhundleni salokho, kangithabi na nxa bephenduka ezindleleni zabo njalo baphile?
24 And when the righteous turneth from his righteousness and practiseth what is wrong, [and] doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked doeth, shall he live? None of his righteous acts which he hath done shall be remembered: in his unfaithfulness which he hath wrought, and in his sin which he hath sinned, in them shall he 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 And ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear then, house of Israel. Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
Kodwa lina lithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Zwana, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli: Indlela yami kayifanelanga na?
26 When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and practiseth what is wrong, and dieth for it; in his wrong that he hath done shall he die.
Nxa umuntu olungileyo eguquka ekulungeni kwakhe enze izono, uzakufela lokho; ngenxa yezono azenzileyo uzakufa.
27 And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness which he hath committed, and doeth judgment and justice, he shall keep his soul alive.
Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka ebubini abenzileyo enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzasilisa ukuphila kwakhe.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall certainly live, he shall not die.
Ngoba ucabanga konke okubi akwenzayo aphenduke kukho, uzaphila impela; akayikufa.
29 But the house of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? Is it not your ways that are unequal?
Ikanti indlu ka-Israyeli ithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Izindlela zami kazilunganga na, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
30 Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Return ye, and turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your snare.
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 you all your transgressions wherewith ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit: why then will ye die, house of Israel?
Zikhululeni kukho konke okubi elikwenzileyo, lizuze inhliziyo entsha lomoya omutsha. Kungani na uzakufa, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah; therefore turn ye and live.
Ngoba angithokozi ngokufa loba ngokukabani, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Phendukani liphile!”
