Ezekiel 34
1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
2 “You human, prophesy about [leaders] of Israel. [They should be taking care of my people like] [MET] shepherds [take care of their sheep]. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Terrible things will happen to you leaders [MET] of Israel who only take care of yourselves! You should certainly [RHQ] take care of [your people like] [MET] a shepherd takes care of his flock of sheep!
Ndodana yomuntu, profetha umelene labelusi bakoIsrayeli, profetha uthi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova kubelusi: Maye kubelusi bakoIsrayeli abazelusayo bona! Abelusi bebengayikuzelusa izimvu yini?
3 [It is as though] you eat the curds, you slaughter the very good animals and wear clothes made from their wool. But you do not take care of the flock.
Lidla amanono, lizigqokise ngoboya, lihlabe ezinonileyo, umhlambi kaliwelusi.
4 You have not enabled those who are weak to become strong. You have not healed those who were sick. You have not bandaged those who were wounded/injured. You have not brought back those who went astray. You have not searched for those who became lost. You have ruled your people harshly and cruelly.
Ezibuthakathaka kaliziqinisanga, lezigulayo kalizelaphanga, lezephukileyo kalizibophanga, lebezixotshiwe kalizibuyisanga, lebezilahlekile kalizidinganga; kodwa ngamandla langesihluku lizibusile.
5 So they were scattered, because you did not [take care of them like] [MET] a shepherd [takes care of his sheep]. And when they were scattered, [it was as though] wild animals attacked and [killed them and ate] their flesh.
Ngokunjalo zahlakazeka ngoba kungelamelusi; zaba yikudla kuzo zonke izilo zeganga, lapho zihlakazekile.
6 My people wandered like sheep all over the high hills and mountains. They were scattered all over the earth, and no one searched for them [DOU].
Izimvu zami zazulazula kuzo zonke izintaba, laphezu kwalo lonke uqaqa oluphakemeyo; yebo umhlambi wami wawuhlakazeke phezu kobuso bonke bomhlaba, njalo kungekho ozidingayo, kungekho ozibhudulayo.
7 Therefore, you [who should be acting like] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh the Lord say:
Ngakho, lina belusi, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi.
8 As surely as I am alive, my people [are like a flock of sheep that has] no shepherd, and as a result [it is as though] wild animals have attacked my people and eaten them. You did not search for them; instead, you only wanted to provide food for yourselves.
Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, isibili, ngoba umhlambi wami usube yimpango, lomhlambi wami usube yikudla kwaso sonke isilo seganga, ngoba kungelamelusi, labelusi bami bengazidinganga izimvu zami, kodwa abelusi bezelusile bona, bengazelusanga izimvu zami;
9 Therefore, you [who should be like] [MET] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh say:
ngakho, lina belusi, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi.
10 I am opposed to [you leaders who should be like] [MET] shepherds for my people. I will remove you from taking care of my people, with the result that you will no longer feed yourselves [instead of feeding them]. I will rescue my people from you, with the result that you will longer be able to [butcher them and] eat them.
Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngimelane labelusi, ngizabiza umhlambi wami esandleni sabo, ngibenze bayekele ukwelusa umhlambi, ukuthi abelusi bangabuyi bazeluse bona; ngiwophule umhlambi wami emlonyeni wabo, ukuze ungabi yikudla kwabo.
11 This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you leaders: I myself will search for my sheep and take care of them.
Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, mina, ngitsho mina ngizafuna izimvu zami, ngizidinge.
12 Like a shepherd finds his scattered sheep, I will rescue my people from all the places to which they have been scattered, at a time when things were very gloomy and they experienced disasters.
Njengomalusi edinga umhlambi wakhe ngosuku ephakathi kwezimvu zakhe ezihlakazekileyo, ngokunjalo ngizadinga izimvu zami, ngizophule kuzo zonke izindawo lapho ezihlakazekele khona ngosuku lweyezi lolomnyama.
13 I will bring them back from many countries and gather them together again in their own land. [Because my people are like sheep] [MET], [it is as though] I will enable them to find good pastureland on the hills of Israel, and in the ravines, and in the villages of Israel.
Ngizazikhupha ebantwini, ngizibuthe emazweni, ngizise elizweni lazo, ngizeluse phezu kwezintaba zakoIsrayeli ngasemifuleni lakuzo zonke indawo zokuhlala zelizwe.
14 [It is as though] I will allow them to graze in good pastures on the mountaintops. They will lie down in good (grazing areas/grassy fields) there [DOU].
Ngizazelusa edlelweni elivundileyo, lesibaya sazo sizakuba sezintabeni eziphakemeyo zakoIsrayeli. Zizalala lapho esibayeni esihle, zidle edlelweni elihle ezintabeni zakoIsrayeli.
15 I myself will take care of my people and enable them to lie down and rest.
Mina ngizawelusa umhlambi wami, mina ngiwulalise phansi, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
16 I will search for those who are lost and bring back the ones who have strayed away. I will bandage those who have been injured and strengthen those who are weak. But I will get rid of those who are fat and powerful. I will act fairly toward [the people who are like] [MET] my sheep. That is what I, Yahweh, promise.
Ngizadinga ezilahlekileyo, ngibuyise ezixotshiweyo, ngibophe ezephukileyo, ngiqinise ezigulayo; kodwa ezinonileyo leziqinileyo ngizazibhubhisa, ngizeluse ngesahlulelo.
17 And as for you who are like [MET] my sheep, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: I will judge between each of you; and I will separate [those that are peaceful like] sheep from [those that are always trying to dominate others like] goats.
Lina-ke, mhlambi wami, itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizakwahlulela phakathi kwemvu lemvu, phakathi kwezinqama lezimpongo.
18 It is bad that [RHQ] some of you keep the best pastures for yourselves. It is even worse that [RHQ] you trample the good grass with your feet. You yourselves drink the clear water [RHQ]. But with your feet you cause the other water to become muddy [RHQ].
Kuyinto encane kini yini ukuthi lidle edlelweni elihle, linyathelele phansi ngenyawo zenu insali yamadlelo enu, lokuthi linathe amanzi acengekileyo, kodwa lidunge aseleyo ngenyawo zenu?
19 [It is as though] you [RHQ] are forcing my flock to eat the grass that you have trampled and to drink the water that you have caused to become muddy!
Kodwa umhlambi wami udla lokhu elikunyathele ngenyawo zenu, wanatha lokho elikudunge ngenyawo zenu.
20 Therefore, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you: I myself will judge between [those of you who are like] [MET] the fat sheep and [those of you who are like] the thin sheep.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova kuzo: Khangelani, mina, ngitsho mina ngizakwahlulela phakathi kwezimvu ezinonileyo lezimvu ezicakileyo.
21 [who are like] strong sheep, [it is as though] with your shoulders and buttocks you have shoved away [those who are like] thin sheep, and you have butted them with your horns, until you have chased them all away [from the good pastureland].
Ngoba lisunduza ngomhlubulo langehlombe, lihlabe zonke ezigulayo ngezimpondo zenu, lize lizihlakazele ngaphandle;
22 But I will rescue my people, and they no longer will be (harassed/treated cruelly). I will judge between one person and another.
ngakho ngizasindisa umhlambi wami, njalo kawusayikuba yimpango; ngahlulele phakathi kwemvu lemvu.
23 And I will appoint one leader [MET] for them, [someone who will be like] King David, who served me [very well]. That leader will take care of them and be like their shepherd.
Ngimise umelusi oyedwa phezu kwazo, azeluse, inceku yami uDavida; yena uzazelusa, yena abe ngumelusi wazo.
24 I, Yahweh, will be their God, and [the one who is like] [MET] King David will be their king. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
Mina-ke Nkosi ngizakuba nguNkulunkulu wazo, lenceku yami uDavida ibe yisiphathamandla phakathi kwazo. Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile.
25 I will make a peace agreement with the people of Israel. In this agreement I will promise to get rid of all the wild animals in Israel, in order that my people may live safely, even in the desert and in the forests.
Njalo ngizakwenza lazo isivumelwano sokuthula, ngenze izilo ezimbi ziphele elizweni; njalo zizahlala zivikelekile enkangala, zilale emahlathini.
26 I will bless them, and I will bless the places close to my sacred hill. I will bless them by sending them rain showers at the right season; they will be showers to bless them.
Futhi ngizakwenza zona lezindawo ezihanqe uqaqa lwami kube yisibusiso; ngenze umkhizo wehle ngesikhathi sawo, kuzakuba lemikhizo yesibusiso.
27 The fruit trees will produce fruit and the ground will produce crops. And my people will live safely in their land. When I rescue them from people who caused them to be slaves [MET, DOU], they will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].
Lesihlahla sasendle sizathela izithelo zaso, lomhlaba uveze isivuno sawo; njalo zizakuba ngezivikelekileyo elizweni lazo, zazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, nxa sengephule izikeyi zejogwe lazo, ngizophule esandleni salabo abazisebenzisayo.
28 [Soldiers from] other nations will no longer take away their valuable possessions, and wild animals will no longer attack them. They will live safely, and no one will cause them to be afraid.
Njalo kazisayikuba yimpango yabezizwe, njalo izilo zelizwe kazisayikuzidla; kodwa zizahlala zivikelekile, njalo kakukho okungazethusa.
29 I will cause their land to be famous/well-known for its good crops. There will no longer be famines in the land, and people in other nations will no longer ridicule them.
Njalo ngizazivusela isilimo esilebizo njalo kazisayikususwa yindlala elizweni, kazisayikuthwala ihlazo labezizwe.
30 Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am helping them, and they will know that they, the Israeli people, are my people.
Ngalokho zizakwazi ukuthi mina Nkosi, uNkulunkulu wazo, ngilazo, lokuthi zona, indlu kaIsrayeli, zingabantu bami, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
31 [It will be as though] [MET] my people are my sheep whom I will take care of, and I will be their God. That is what I, Yahweh the Lord, declare.’”
Lina-ke, mhlambi wami, mhlambi wedlelo lami, lingabantu; mina nginguNkulunkulu wenu, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
