Ezekiel 18
1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten 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 GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, kalisayikusitsho isaga lesi ko-Israyeli.
4 Behold, all 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 But if a man is just, and doeth that which is lawful and right,
Kasithi kulomuntu olungileyo owenza okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo.
6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a polluted woman,
Kadleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela zasentabeni loba athembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe loba alale lowesifazane esemazibukweni.
7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath stripped none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath 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8 He that hath not given forth upon interest, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,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 hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
Uyazilandela izimiso zami agcine lemithetho yami ngokuthembeka. Lowomuntu ulungile; ngempela uzaphila, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
10 If he begetteth a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like any one of these things,
Kasithi ulendodana elodlakela echitha igazi kumbe yenze loba yikuphi kwalezizinto
11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even 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, hath stripped by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
Incindezela abayanga labaswelayo. Yenza ubuphangi. Kayibuyiseli eyakuthatha kuyisibambiso. Yethemba izithombe. Yenza izinto ezinengisayo.
13 Hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely 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 Now, lo, if he begetteth a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not likewise,
Kodwa kasithi indodana le ilendodana ezibonayo zonke izono ezenziwa nguyise, kodwa lanxa izibona, yona kayizenzi izinto ezinje:
15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife,
Kayidleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni, kumbe yethembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kayimngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withheld the pledge, neither hath stripped by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
Kayincindezeli muntu kumbe ifune isibambiso ekwebolekiseni. Kayibenzi ubuphangi kodwa abalambileyo iyabapha ukudla kwayo inike labanqunu izigqoko.
17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received interest nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely 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 cruelly oppressed, stripped his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
Kodwa uyise uzafela izono zakhe yena ngokwakhe, ngoba wabamba ngamandla, waphanga umfowabo wenza okubi ebantwini bakibo.
19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely 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 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely 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 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned to him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Akukho kona kwakhe okuzakhunjulwa. Ngenxa yezinto ezilungileyo azenzileyo uzaphila.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ngiyathokoza ngokufa komuntu omubi na? kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Esikhundleni salokho, kangithabi na nxa bephenduka ezindleleni zabo njalo baphile?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that 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 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O 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 a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Nxa umuntu olungileyo eguquka ekulungeni kwakhe enze izono, uzakufela lokho; ngenxa yezono azenzileyo uzakufa.
27 Again, when a wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka ebubini abenzileyo enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzasilisa ukuphila kwakhe.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Ngoba ucabanga konke okubi akwenzayo aphenduke kukho, uzaphila impela; akayikufa.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
Ikanti indlu ka-Israyeli ithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Izindlela zami kazilunganga na, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
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, by which ye have transgressed; and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O 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 GOD: therefore turn ye, and live.
Ngoba angithokozi ngokufa loba ngokukabani, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Phendukani liphile!”
