UHezekheli 15

1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 “Ndodana yomuntu, isigodo sevini silwedlula ngani ugatsha lwaloba yisiphi sezihlahla eziseguswini na?

Son of man, what shall be made of the wood of the vine, out of all the trees of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

3 Isigodo siyake sithathwe kulo ukuba kwenziwe ulutho olusizayo na? Bayazenza izikhonkwane ngalo ukuba kulengiswe izinto kuzo na?

Shall wood be taken of if, to do any work, or shall a pin be made of it for any vessel to hang thereon?

4 Njalo emva kokuba sesiphoselwe emlilweni njengokhuni, umlilo usitshise izihloko zombili lomzaca waphakathi uhaqazeke, siselosizo ekwenzeni olunye ulutho na?

Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath consumed both ends thereof, and the midst thereof is reduced to ashes: shall it be useful for any work?

5 Nxa sasingelasizo ekwenzeni ulutho sisaphelele, kuncane kangakanani okungenziwa ukuthi sibe yilutho olusizayo lapho umlilo ususitshisile njalo sesililahle na?

Even when it was whole it was not fit for work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured and consumed it, shall any work be made of it?

6 Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Njengoba nginike isigodo sevini phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu njengokhuni lomlilo, ngizabaphatha kanjalo abantu abahlala eJerusalema.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: As the vine tree among the trees of the forests which I have given to the fire to be consumed, so will I deliver up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 Ngizamelana labo ngobuso bami. Lanxa sebephumile phakathi komlilo, umlilo usezabaqeda. Njalo lapho sengimelane labo ngobuso bami, lizakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.

And I will set my face against them: they shall go out from fire, and fire shall consume them: and you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have set my face against them.

8 Ngizakwenza ilizwe libe lugwadule ngoba bebengathembekanga, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.”

And I shall have made their land a wilderness, and desolate, because they have been transgressors, saith the Lord God.