Ezekiel 24
1 Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngosuku lwetshumi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 “You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
“Ndodana yomuntu, bhala usuku lolu, usuku lolu lona ngokwalo, ngoba iNkosi yaseBhabhiloni isivimbezele iJerusalema ngalo kanye lolusuku.
3 Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
Tshela indlu le ehlamukayo umfanekiso uthi kubo: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Beka imbiza yokupheka eziko; ibeke phezu kwamaseko uthele amanzi phakathi kwayo.
4 Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
Faka phakathi kwayo amaqatha enyama, wonke amaqatha amahle, umlenze lesiphanga. Igcwalise ngamathambo amahle;
5 Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
thatha okukhethiweyo emhlambini. Basela kakhulu ngenkuni usenzela amathambo; ixhwathise upheke amathambo phakathi kwayo.
6 [Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
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 The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
Ngakho igazi elachithwa lidolobho leli liphakathi kwalo: lalithululela edwaleni elize; kalilithululelanga phansi lapho umhlabathi owawungaligqibela khona.
8 But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo njalo ngiphindisele, ngabeka igazi lelo phezu kwedwala elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
9 Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi! Lami futhi, ngizakwenza ibonda lenkuni eliphakemeyo.
10 [So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
Ngakho faka inkuni uphembe umlilo. Ipheke kuhle inyama, uhlanganisa leziyoliso; uyekele amathambo atshe.
11 Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
Emva kwalokho beka imbiza engelalutho phezu kwamalahle ize itshise lethusi layo livuthe ukuze ukungcola kwayo kutshe kuphele lokuthomba kwayo kutshe kuphele.
12 [It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
Isiphuthise imizamo yonke; uqweqwe lokuthomba kwayo kalususwanga, loba langomlilo.
13 The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
Khathesi ukungcola kwakho yisigwebo. Ngoba ngizamile ukukuhlambulula kodwa ubungeke uhlanjululwe ekungcoleni kwakho, kawuyikuhlambuluka futhi ukukuthukuthelela kwami kuze kudede.
14 I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
Mina Thixo sengikhulumile. Isikhathi sokuba ngenze sesifikile. Kangiyikuzithiba; kangiyikuba lesihawu, kumbe ngiyekethise. Uzakwahlulelwa mayelana lokuziphatha kwakho kanye lezenzo zakho, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’”
15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
16 “You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
“Ndodana yomuntu, sekuseduze ukuthi ngokugalela okukodwa nje ngisuse kuwe intokozo yamehlo akho. Kodwa ungalili kumbe ukhale loba wehlise inyembezi.
17 Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
Bubula uthule; ungalileli abafileyo. Bophela iqhiye yakho lamanyathela akho ezinyaweni zakho; ungambozi ingxenye yaphansi yobuso bakho loba udle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.”
18 [one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
Ngakho ngakhuluma labantu ekuseni, umkami wafa kusihlwa. Ekuseni kwakusisa ngenza njengokulaywa kwami.
19 Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
Abantu basebengibuza besithi, “Kawuyikusitshela na ukuthi izinto lezi zilani lathi?”
20 So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
Ngakho mina ngathi kubo, “Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
21 ‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
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 [When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
Njalo lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile. Kaliyikumboza ingxenye yaphansi yobuso benu loba lidle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.
23 [You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
Lizafaka amaqhiye enu emakhanda enu lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu. Kaliyikulila kumbe likhale kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yezono zenu njalo libubule phakathi kwenu.
24 Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
UHezekhiyeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengoba enzile. Nxa lokhu kusenzakala, lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo Wobukhosi.’
25 [Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
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, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
ngalolosuku isiphepheli yiso esizalandisa izindaba.
27 When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
Ngalesosikhathi umlomo wakho uzavuleka; uzakhuluma laye njalo kawuyikuthula futhi. Ngakho uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo, njalo bazakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.”
