Ezekiel 36
1 You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.
Wena-ke ndodana yomuntu, profetha kuzo izintaba zakoIsrayeli, uthi: Lina zintaba zakoIsrayeli, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi.
2 The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba isitha sitshilo simelene lani: Aha, ngitsho izindawo zasendulo eziphakemeyo ziyilifa lethu;
3 therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;”
ngakho profetha uthi: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba, yebo, ngoba bakwenze incithakalo, baliginya inhlangothi zonke, ukuze libe yilifa kuyo insali yabezizwe, liphakanyiswa endebeni zolimi, laba lunyeyo lwabantu;
4 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;
ngakho, lina zintaba zakoIsrayeli, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi uJehova: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova ezintabeni, lemaqaqeni, emifuleni, lezihotsheni, lemanxiweni achithekileyo, lemizini etshiyiweyo, esibe yimpango lenhlekisa kunsali yezizwe ezizingelezeleyo.
5 therefore the Lord GOD says: “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.”’
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Isibili ngomlilo wobukhwele bami sengikhulume ngimelene lensali yabezizwe, ngimelene leEdoma yonke, abazinikele ilizwe lami ukuthi libe yilifa ngentokozo yenhliziyo yonke, ngengqondo yokudelela, ngenxa yokuliphosa libe yimpango.
6 Therefore prophesy concerning Eretz-Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”
Ngakho profetha ngelizwe lakoIsrayeli, uthi ezintabeni, lemaqaqeni, emifuleni, lezihotsheni: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngikhulumile ebukhweleni bami lelakeni lwami, ngoba lithwele ihlazo lezizwe.
7 Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Mina ngiphakamisile isandla sami. Isibili izizwe ezilihanqileyo, yizo ezizathwala ihlazo lazo.
8 “‘“But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.
Kodwa lina, zintaba zakoIsrayeli, lizaveza ingatsha zenu, lithele isithelo senu kubantu bami uIsrayeli, ngoba basondela ukubuya.
9 For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
Ngoba, khangelani, ngilani, ngiphendukele ngakini, njalo lizalinywa lihlanyelwe.
10 I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
Njalo ngizakwandisa abantu phezu kwenu, yonke indlu kaIsrayeli, yona yonke; lemizi izahlalwa, lamanxiwa azakwakhiwa.
11 I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
Njalo ngizakwandisa phezu kwenu umuntu lenyamazana, njalo kuzakwanda kuthele izithelo; ngilenze lihlale njengasezindaweni zenu zendulo, ngikwenze kube kuhle kulezikhathi zenu zokuqala. Khona lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
12 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.”
Yebo ngizakwenza abantu bahambe phezu kwenu, abantu bami uIsrayeli; badle ilifa lakho, wena ube yilifa labo, kawusayikubenza bafelwe ngabantwana futhi.
13 “‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’
Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba bathi kini: Wena ungumudli wabantu, wenze izizwe zakho zifelwe ngabantwana.
14 therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.
Ngakho kawusayikudla abantu, kawusayikukhubekisa izizwe zakho, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
15 “I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more,” says the Lord GOD.’”
Njalo kangisayikuzwakalisa kuwe ihlazo lezizwe, kawusayikuthwala inhloni zabantu, kawusayikukhubekisa izizwe, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
16 Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
Ndodana yomuntu, abendlu kaIsrayeli besahlala elizweni lakibo, balingcolisa ngendlela yabo langezenzo zabo; indlela yabo phambi kwami yayifanana lokungcola kowesifazana osemfuleni.
18 Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
Ngakho ngathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ngenxa yegazi ababelichithe elizweni, langenxa yezithombe zabo ababelingcolise ngazo.
19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
Ngasengibahlakaza phakathi kwezizwe, basabalaliswa phakathi kwamazwe; ngabahlulela njengokwendlela yabo lanjengokwezenzo zabo.
20 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and have left his land.’
Lapho befika kwabezizwe, lapho abaya khona, bangcolisa ibizo lami elingcwele, lapho kwathiwa ngabo: Laba ngabantu beNkosi, baphume elizweni layo.
21 But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
Kodwa ngalihawukela ibizo lami elingcwele, indlu kaIsrayeli eyayilingcolise phakathi kwezizwe, lapho abaya khona.
22 “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I don’t do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
Ngakho tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kangikwenzi ngenxa yenu, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli, kodwa ngenxa yebizo lami elingcwele, elilingcolisileyo phakathi kwezizwe, lapho elaya khona.
23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
Njalo ngizangcwelisa ibizo lami elikhulu, elingcoliswe phakathi kwezizwe, elilingcolisileyo phakathi kwazo; lezizwe zizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, itsho iNkosi uJehova, lapho ngizangcweliswa kini emehlweni abo.
24 “‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Ngoba ngizalithatha ezizweni, ngilibuthe emazweni wonke, ngililethe elizweni lenu.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
Khona ngizafafaza amanzi ahlambulukileyo phezu kwenu, lihlambuluke; kukho konke ukungcola kwenu, lakuzo zonke izithombe zenu, ngizalihlambulula.
26 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
Ngilinike inhliziyo entsha, ngifake umoya omutsha phakathi kwenu, ngisuse inhliziyo yelitshe enyameni yenu, ngilinike inhliziyo yenyama.
27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
Ngifake uMoya wami phakathi kwenu, ngilenze ukuthi lihambe ngezimiso zami, ligcine izahlulelo zami lizenze.
28 You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
Lizahlala-ke elizweni engalinika oyihlo, libe ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.
29 I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
Njalo ngizalisindisa kukho konke ukungcola kwenu; ngibize amabele, ngiwandise, ngingabeki ndlala phezu kwenu.
30 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
Ngandise isithelo sesihlahla, lesivuno sensimu, ukuze lingaphindi lemukele ihlazo lendlala phakathi kwezizwe.
31 “‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
Khona lizakhumbula izindlela zenu ezimbi lezenzo zenu ezingalunganga; linengeke ngani ngokwenu ngobubi benu langenxa yezinengiso zenu.
32 I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.”
Kangikwenzi ngenxa yenu, itsho iNkosi uJehova; kakwaziwe kini. Banini lenhloni libe lehlazo ngenxa yezindlela zenu, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli.
33 “‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Mhla ngilihlambulula kubo bonke ububi benu, ngizakwenza imizi ihlalwe, lamanxiwa akhiwe.
34 The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
Lelizwe elichithekileyo lizalinywa, endaweni yokuthi beliyinkangala emehlweni abo bonke abadlulayo.
35 They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
Njalo bazakuthi: Lelilizwe ebeselichithekile selinjengesivande seEdeni; lemizi eyinkangala lengamanxiwa lediliziweyo isibiyelwe yahlalwa.
36 Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
Khona izizwe ezisele zilizingelezele zizakwazi ukuthi mina iNkosi ngakha indawo ezidiliziweyo, ngihlanyele ezichithekileyo. Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile, ngizakwenza.
37 “‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Langalokhu ngizacelwa yindlu kaIsrayeli, ukuthi ngiyenzele khona; ngizabandisa ngabantu njengomhlambi.
38 As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
Njengomhlambi ongcwele, njengomhlambi weJerusalema emikhosini yawo emisiweyo, ngokunjalo imizi echithekileyo izagcwala ngemihlambi yabantu. Khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
