Ezekiel 23
1 Yahweh said to me,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 “You human, [listen to this parable about Jerusalem and Samaria]. Once there were two women, daughters of the same mother.
“Ndodana yomuntu, kwakulabesifazane ababili, amadodakazi omfazi munye.
3 They lived in Egypt. And from the time that they were young women, they became prostitutes. In that land, [men] fondled their breasts and caressed their bosoms [DOU].
Baba yizifebe eGibhithe, beqalise ubuwule kusukela ebutsheni babo. Kulelolizwe amabele abo abanjwabanjwa lengaphambili yabo yaphathwaphathwa.
4 The older [sister] was Oholah, and her [younger] sister was Oholibah. [It was as though] they became my [wives. Later] they gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah represents Samaria, and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.
Omdala wayethiwa ngu-Ohola, umnawakhe engu-Oholibha. Babengabami njalo bazala amadodana lamadodakazi. U-Ohola yiSamariya, u-Oholibha kuyiJerusalema.
5 Oholah acted like a prostitute while she was [still] my wife. She desired to have sex with those she loved—soldiers from Assyria.
U-Ohola waqalisa ubuwule esesengowami; njalo wakhanuka izithandwa zakhe, ama-Asiriya, amabutho
6 [Some of them] were army officers and commanders. They wore [beautiful] blue [uniforms. They were] all handsome young men. Some of them rode horses.
agqoke okulifefe, ababusi kanye labalawuli bebutho, bonke babengamajaha amahle, kanye labagada amabhiza.
7 She acted like a prostitute toward all the important Assyrian officials, and became unacceptable to me by worshiping all the idols of the men she wanted to have sex with.
Wazinikela njengesifebe kubo bonke abaphakemeyo base-Asiriya njalo wazingcolisa ngezithombe zabo bonke abakhanukayo.
8 When she was a young woman in Egypt, she started being a prostitute, and [young] men caressed her breasts and had sex with her; and when she became older, she did not quit acting like a prostitute.
Kabudelanga ubufebe abuqalisa eGibhithe, lapho amajaha alala laye ebutsheni bakhe, ambambabamba ngaphambili, athululela lezinkanuko zawo phezu kwakhe.
9 So I allowed the Assyrian soldiers, whom she wanted to have sex with, to capture her.
Ngakho ngamnikela kuzithandwa zakhe, ama-Asiriya, ayewakhanuka.
10 They stripped all her clothes off her. They took away her sons and daughters. And then they killed her with a sword. [Other] women started talking about what had happened to her, about how she had been punished.
Amnqunula, athatha amadodana lamadodakazi akhe yena ambulala ngenkemba. Waba yisiga phakathi kwabesifazane, wajeziswa.
11 [younger] sister Oholibah saw those [that happened to Oholah], but she was a prostitute, and she desired to have sex with men more than [older] sister had desired.
Umnawakhe u-Oholibha wakubona lokhu, kodwa ngenkanuko lobufebe bakhe wayexhwale kakhulu kulodadewabo.
12 Oholibah [also] wanted to have sex with the Assyrian soldiers. [Some of them were] army officers and commanders. [They all] wore beautiful blue uniforms. They were all handsome young men. [Some of] them rode horses.
Laye wakhanuka ama-Asiriya, ababusi labalawuli bebutho, lamabutho agqoke okupheleleyo, labagadi bamabhiza, lawo wonke amajaha amahle.
13 I saw what she did that caused her to became unacceptable to me, just like [older] sister.
Ngabona ukuthi laye wazingcolisa; bobabili bahamba ndlelanye.
14 But she did [even] worse things. She saw drawings of men from Babylonia on the walls, painted in red.
Kodwa yena ubufebe bakhe bengezeleleka futhi. Wabona amadoda efanekisiwe emdulini, izithombe zamaKhaladiya ezifanekiswe ngokubomvu,
15 The [in the drawings] had belts around their waists and long turbans on their heads. They all resembled officers from Babylonia [DOU] [who rode in chariots].
zilamabhanti ezinkalweni zazo njalo zilamaqhiye alengayo emakhanda azo; zonke zikhanya angathi yizikhulu zezinqola zempi zamaKhaladiya, inzalo yaseBhabhiloni.
16 As soon as she saw those drawings, she wanted to have sex with those men, and she sent messages to them in Babylonia.
Kwathi khonokho nje ebabona wahle wabafisa wasethuma isithunywa kubo eKhaladiya.
17 Then the soldiers from Babylonia came to her, they lay in bed with her, and they had sex with her. Then she became disgusted with them and turned away from them.
Ngakho amaBhabhiloni afika kuye, alala laye, njalo ezinkanukweni zawo amngcolisa. Emva kokuba esengcoliswe yiwo, wasuka kuwo enengekile.
18 But when she continued to openly/boldly act like a prostitute [DOU], I became disgusted with her, and I rejected her like I had rejected [older] sister.
Kwathi lapho esesenza ubufebe bakhe obala njalo eveza lobunqunu bakhe, ngasuka kuye nginengekile, njengoba ngangisukile kudadewabo.
19 But she became even more immoral, as she remembered when she was a young woman who was a prostitute in Egypt.
Kodwa banda ngamandla ubuwule bakhe esekhumbula insuku zobutsha bakhe, lapho wayeyisifebe eGibhithe.
20 There she wanted to have sex with those who loved her, whose genitals were [very long], like [SIM] those of donkeys, and whose sexual emissions were huge, [like] those of horses.
Khonale wakhanuka izithandwa zakhe, ezazilezitho zangaphambili ezazifana lezabobabhemi, zikhihliza okufana lokwamabhiza.
21 So she desired to be immoral like she was when she was young, when men in Egypt caressed her bosom and fondled her breasts.”
Ngakho walangazela isagweba sasebutsheni bakho, lapho okwathi useGibhithe isifuba lamabele akho kwabanjwabanjwa.
22 “[represents you people of Jerusalem]. Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘I will cause those [soldiers] who loved you but whom you turned away from because you became disgusted with them, to be angry with you. I will cause them to come and attack you from every side—
Ngakho-ke, Oholibha, nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ngizakwenza izithandwa zakho zikuvukele, lezo owazitshiya unengekile, njalo ngizaziletha kuwe ukuba zimelane lawe zivela emaceleni wonke,
23 soldiers from Babylon and all the other places in Babylonia, [their allies] from Pekod and Shoa and [regions], and all the army of Assyria. [Yes], all of them are handsome young men, army officers and commanders, officers who ride in chariots, all riding on horses.
abaseBhabhiloni lamaKhaladiya wonke, amadoda asePhekhodi laseShowa kanye leKhowa, lama-Asiriya wonke elawo, amajaha amahle, wonke angababusi labalawuli bebutho, izinduna zezinqola zempi lamanye amadoda alezikhundla ezinkulu, bonke begade amabhiza.
24 Their huge army will attack you with weapons, riding in chariots and pulling wagons [that will carry their army supplies]. They will surround you, carrying large and small shields, and wearing helmets. I will allow them to capture you and punish you in the way that they [always] [their enemies].
Bazakuzakuhlasela ngezikhali, izinqola zempi lezinqola zokuthwala, njalo belexuku elikhulu labantu; bazaviva ukulwa lawe emaceleni wonke belamahawu amakhulu lamancane njalo belezingowane. Ngizakunikela kubo ukuba bakujezise, njalo bazakujezisa ngokumayelana lemithetho yabo.
25 Because I am very angry with you, I will cause them to act [very] furiously toward you. They will cut off your noses and your ears. Then, those who are still alive, they will kill with their swords. They will take away your sons and daughters, and a fire will burn up those who remain alive.
Ngizakwenza intukuthelo yobukhwele bami imelane lawe, njalo bazakuphatha ngolaka. Bazaquma impumulo zenu lezindlebe zenu, njalo abenu labo abazasala bazabulawa ngenkemba. Bazathumba amadodana enu lamadodakazi, njalo abenu labo abazasala bazaqothulwa ngumlilo.
26 They will strip off your clothes and your fine jewelry and take them away.
Njalo bazakuhlubula izigqoko zakho bathathe leziceciso zakho ezinhle.
27 In that way, I will stop all the immoral behavior that began when you became a prostitute in Egypt. You will no longer desire to do those things, or think [what you did in] Egypt.’
Kanjalo-ke ngizaqeda isagweba lobufebe owabuqalisela eGibhithe. Kawuyikukhangela lezizinto uzikhanuke loba ukhumbule iGibhithe futhi.
28 This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘I am about to allow those whom you hate, those you became disgusted with and turned away from, to capture you.
Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Sekuseduze ukuba ngikunikele kulabo abakuzondayo, kulabo owasuka kubo unengekile.
29 They will be cruel and take away everything that you have worked hard to acquire. They will leave you completely naked [DOU], and everyone will see that you truly are a prostitute.
Bazakuphatha ngenzondo njalo bathumbe yonke into owayisebenzelayo. Bazakutshiya unqunu uze, njalo ihlazo lobufebe bakho lizavela obala. Isagweba sakho lobufebe
30 It is because of what you have done that you will be punished like that; you have been an immoral prostitute; you have had sex with men of other nations, and you have caused yourselves to become unacceptable to me [worshiping] their idols.
kwehlisele lokhu phezu kwakho, ngoba ufebe lezizwe, wazingcolisa wena ngokwakho ngezithombe zazo.
31 You have behaved [the people of Samaria, who are like] your [older] sister. So I will cause you to be punished [MET] like they were punished.’
Ulandele indlela kadadewenu; ngakho ngizabeka inkezo yakhe esandleni sakho.
32 This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘[You will suffer like people suffer when they drink from a cup a lot of strong alcoholic drink]: [It will be as though] you will drink from the cup that the people of Samaria drank from; a big and tall cup. Because of your drinking what is in that cup, many people will scorn you and make fun of you because there is a lot of liquid in that cup.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Uzanatha inkezo kadadewenu, inkezo enkulu ezikileyo futhi; izaletha ukuhlekwa lokuklolodelwa, ngoba ithwele lukhulu.
33 When you become very drunk, you will become very sad, [drinking what is in] that cup [MTY] will cause you to become ruined and deserted, like what happened [MET] to [the people of] Samaria, [who are like] [MET] your sister.
Uzakhulelwa yikudakwa losizi, inkezo yokuchitheka lokuphundleka, inkezo kadadewenu iSamariya.
34 You will drink all the liquid that is in that cup; then you will break that cup into pieces [use those pieces to] gash/cut your [because you will be very sad].’ [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
Uzayinatha uyibhije; uzayiphahlaza ibe yizicucu ufucuze amabele akho. Sengikhulumile, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
35 Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘Because you have forgotten me and rejected me [IDM], you must be punished for your immoral behavior and for [like] a prostitute.’”
Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Njengoba usungikhohliwe wangifuqela ngemva kwakho, kumele uthwale imivuzo yesagweba sakho kanye lobufebe bakho.”
36 Yahweh said to me, “You human, you must [RHQ] [the people of those two cities represented by] Oholah and Oholibah. You must remind them of their detestable behavior:
UThixo wathi kimi: “Ndodana yomuntu, uzakwahlulela u-Ohola lo-Oholibha na? Ngakho melana labo ngezenzo zabo ezinengayo,
37 [It is as though the people of those cities] have committed adultery and have murdered [MTY] people. They have been unfaithful to me by [worshiping] idols. They have even sacrificed their own children, who belonged to me, to be food for their idols.
ngoba benze ubufebe njalo lezandla zabo zilegazi. Bafeba lezithombe zabo; banikela labantwana babo ababengizalele bona, njengokudla kuzo.
38 They have done [disgraceful things]: They have caused my temple to be an unacceptable place for worship, and have not respected the Sabbath days.
Njalo benze lokhu kimi: Ngasonaleso isikhathi bangcolisa indlu yami engcwele batshaphaza lamaSabatha ami.
39 On the same day that they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my temple, which caused it to be an unacceptable place for worshiping me.
Ngalo kanye usuku abanikela ngalo abantwana babo ezithombeni zabo, bangena endlini yami engcwele bayingcolisa. Lokho yikho abakwenzayo endlini yami.
40 They sent messages to men [in countries] far away. And when those men arrived, [the women of those two cities] bathed themselves for them, painted their eyebrows, and put on jewelry.
Bathuma lesithunywa ebantwini ukuba beze bevela khatshana, kwathi sebefikile wabagezela, wacomba amehlo akho wasufaka leziceciso zakho.
41 They sat on a beautiful couch, with a table in front of it on which they had put incense and [olive] oil that belonged to me.
Wahlala embhedeni omuhle, kuletafula elilungisiweyo phambi kwawo owawufake phezu kwayo impepha yami lamafutha ami.
42 Soon there was a noisy crowd around them. Among the crowd there were men from Sheba who had come from the [of Arabia]. They put bracelets on the arms of the [two] sisters and put beautiful crowns on their heads.
Umsindo wexuku elalithokoza wawumzungezile; amaSebhiya ayelethwe evela enkangala kanye lamadoda avela exukwini elixokozelayo, njalo bafaka amasongo ezingalweni zowesifazane lodadewabo kanye lemiqhele emihle emakhanda abo.
43 Then I said about the woman who had become exhausted by her having sex with many men, ‘Now allow those men to act toward her as though she is a prostitute, because that is all that she is.’
Lapho-ke ngalowo owayesegugiswe yibufebe ngathi, ‘Khathesi kabamsebenzise njengewule, ngoba lokho yikho konke ayikho.’
44 So they had sex [EUP] with those two women, Oholah and Oholibah, like men have sex with prostitutes.
Balala laye. Njengabesilisa belala lesifebe, ngokunjalo balala lalabobafazi abalesagweba, u-Ohola lo-Oholibha.
45 But righteous men will condemn them to be punished, like women who commit adultery and who murder others are punished, because those women commit adultery and they murder [MTY] others.
Kodwa abantu abalungileyo bazabanika isijeziso sabesifazane abafebayo njalo bachithe legazi, ngoba bayizifebe njalo lezandla zabo zilegazi.
46 So this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: Bring a mob to attack Samaria and Jerusalem, and allow that mob to cause the people of those cities to be terrified, and to rob them.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Baletheleni ixuku limelane labo beselibanikela kukho ukwesaba lokuphangwa.
47 The mob will throw stones at [to kill them]; they will cut them into pieces with their swords, they will kill their sons and daughters, and burn down their houses.
Ixuku lizabatshaya ngamatshe libajuqe ngezinkemba; lizabulala amadodana lamadodakazi abo litshise izindlu zabo ngomlilo.
48 In that way I will cause them to stop their immoral behavior. It will warn other women to not imitate/do what you people of Jerusalem are doing.
Ngizakuqeda kanjalo ukuxhwala elizweni, ukuze bonke abesifazane baxwayiseke njalo bangenzi njengani.
49 [people of Jerusalem] will be punished for your immoral behavior and for your worshiping idols. Then you will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
Lizajeziselwa ukuxhwala kwenu njalo lithwale lemivuzo yezono zenu zokukhonza izithombe. Lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo Wobukhosi.”
