Ezekiel 24
1 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi, ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngolwetshumi lwenyanga, lisithi:
2 “Son of man, write the name of the day, this same day. The king of Babylon drew close to Jerusalem this same day.
Ndodana yomuntu, zibhalele ibizo losuku, lwalona lolusuku; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yazimisa ukumelana leJerusalema ngalona lolusuku.
3 Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says, “Put the cauldron on the fire. Put it on, and also pour water into it.
Njalo tshono umfanekiso kuyo indlu evukelayo uthi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Beka imbiza, ibeke, futhi uthele amanzi kuyo,
4 Gather its pieces into it, even every good piece: the thigh and the shoulder. Fill it with the choice bones.
ubuthele iziqa zayo kiyo, zonke iziqa ezinhle, umlenze lomkhono, uyigcwalise ngekhethelo lamathambo.
5 Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron. Make it boil well. Yes, let its bones be boiled within it.”
Thatha ikhethelo lomhlambi, ubuthelele lamathambo ngaphansi kwayo, kwenze kubile kuhle, kuphekwe lamathambo awo phakathi kwayo.
6 “‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the bloody city, to the cauldron whose rust is in it, and whose rust hasn’t gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece without casting lots for it.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi, imbiza omengulo wayo uphakathi kwayo, lomengulo wayo kawuphumanga kuyo! Khupha isiqa ngesiqa, inkatho kayingaweli kuyo.
7 “‘“For the blood she shed is in the middle of her. She set it on the bare rock. She didn’t pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.
Ngoba igazi lawo liphakathi kwawo, ulibeke edwaleni elize, kawulithululelanga phezu komhlabathi ukuligqibela ngenhlabathi.
8 That it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.”
Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo, ukuze ngiphindisele impindiselo, ngibekile igazi lawo edwaleni elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
9 “‘Therefore the Lord Yahweh says: “Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi! Lami ngizakwenza ibonda libe likhulu.
10 Heap on the wood. Make the fire hot. Boil the meat well. Make the broth thick, and let the bones be burned.
Yandisa izinkuni, uphembe umlilo, uqede inyama, uxubanise izinongo, lamathambo atshiswe.
11 Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its bronze may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.
Ubusuyibeka phezu kwamalahle ayo ingelalutho, ukuze kutshise kuvuthe ithusi layo, lokungcola kwayo kuncibilike phakathi kwayo, kuqedwe umengulo wayo.
12 She is weary with toil; yet her great rust, rust by fire, doesn’t leave her.
Izidinisile ngomtshikatshika, lomengulo wayo omnengi kawuphumanga kuyo. Umengulo wayo usemlilweni.
13 “‘“In your filthiness is lewdness. Because I have cleansed you and you weren’t cleansed, you won’t be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused my wrath toward you to rest.
Kulamanyala ekungcoleni kwakho; ngoba ngikuhlambulule, kodwa kawuhlambulukanga, kawuyikuhlambuluka ekungcoleni kwakho futhi, ngize ngihlalise ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwakho.
14 “‘“I, Yahweh, have spoken it. It will happen, and I will do it. I won’t go back. I won’t spare. I won’t repent. According to your ways and according to your doings, they will judge you,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”
Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile; kuzafika, ngikwenze; kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lesihawu, kangiyikuzisola; njengokwendlela zakho lanjengokwezenzo zakho bazakugweba, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
15 Also Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi, lisithi:
16 “Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with one stroke; yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.
Ndodana yomuntu, khangela, ngizasusa kuwe isiloyiso samehlo akho ngokutshaya; kodwa ungalili, ungakhali inyembezi, futhi inyembezi zakho zingaveli.
17 Sigh, but not aloud. Make no mourning for the dead. Bind your headdress on you, and put your sandals on your feet. Don’t cover your lips, and don’t eat mourner’s bread.”
Bubula, uthule, ungenzi isililo ngabafileyo, ubophe iqhiye yakho phezu kwakho, ufake amanyathela akho enyaweni zakho, ungambombozi indevu zendebe yakho yangaphezulu, ungadli isinkwa sabantu.
18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. So I did in the morning as I was commanded.
Ngasengikhuluma labantu ekuseni, lakusihlwa umkami wafa. Ngasengisenza ekuseni njengokulaywa kwami.
19 The people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things mean to us, that you act like this?”
Abantu basebesithi kimi: Kawuyikusitshela yini ukuthi lezizinto ziyini kithi, ukuthi wenze nje?
20 Then I said to them, “Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Ngasengisithi kubo: Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi lisithi:
21 ‘Speak to the house of Israel, “The Lord Yahweh says: ‘Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind will fall by the sword.
Tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizangcolisa indawo yami engcwele, udumo lwamandla enu, isiloyiso samehlo enu, lokuzwelwa ngumphefumulo wenu; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu eliwatshiyileyo azakuwa ngenkemba.
22 You will do as I have done. You won’t cover your lips or eat mourner’s bread.
Khona lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile; kaliyikumbomboza indevu zendebe yangaphezulu, kaliyikudla isinkwa sabantu.
23 Your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet. You won’t mourn or weep; but you will pine away in your iniquities, and moan one toward another.
Lamaqhiye enu azakuba phezu kwamakhanda enu, lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu; kaliyikulila kaliyikukhala inyembezi; kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yeziphambeko zenu, libubule, omunye komunye.
24 Thus Ezekiel will be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.’”’”
Ngokunjalo uHezekeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengakho konke akwenzileyo; lapho sekufika lokhu, lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.
25 “You, son of man, shouldn’t it be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart—their sons and their daughters—
Futhi, wena ndodana yomuntu, kakuyikuba njalo yini ngalolosuku lapho engizasusa kubo inqaba yabo, intokozo yobuhle babo, isiloyiso samehlo abo, lokuphakama komphefumulo wabo, amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo,
26 that in that day he who escapes will come to you, to cause you to hear it with your ears?
ngalolosuku kuzafika kuwe ophunyukileyo, ukwenza indlebe zakho zizwe?
27 In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped, and you will speak and be no more mute. So you will be a sign to them. Then they will know that I am Yahweh.”
Ngalolosuku umlomo wakho uzavulekela yena ophunyukileyo; njalo uzakhuluma, ungabe usaba yisimungulu; ngokunjalo uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo; khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
