UHezekheli 18
1 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What is the meaning?
2 “Litshoni lina bantu nxa libetha isaga lesi ngelizwe lako-Israyeli lisithi: ‘Oyise badla amavini amunyu, amazinyo abantwana asetshelela’?
That you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.
3 Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, kalisayikusitsho isaga lesi ko-Israyeli.
As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel.
4 Ngoba yonke imphefumulo ephilayo ngeyami, uyise kanye lendodana, bobabili ngokufanayo ngabami. Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo ozakufa.
Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die.
5 Kasithi kulomuntu olungileyo owenza okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo.
And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice,
6 Kadleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela zasentabeni loba athembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe loba alale lowesifazane esemazibukweni.
And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman:
7 Kancindezeli muntu kodwa uyabuyisela akuthathayo njengesibambiso sokwebolekwayo. Kabenzi ubuphangi kodwa unika abalambileyo ukudla kwakhe labanqunu abanike izigqoko.
And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:
8 Kabolekisi ukuba athole inzuzo loba athathe inzuzo edlulisileyo. Uyasithinta isandla sakhe ekwenzeni okubi njalo ehlulele kuhle phakathi komuntu lomuntu.
Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man:
9 Uyazilandela izimiso zami agcine lemithetho yami ngokuthembeka. Lowomuntu ulungile; ngempela uzaphila, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.
10 Kasithi ulendodana elodlakela echitha igazi kumbe yenze loba yikuphi kwalezizinto
And if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that hath done some one of these things:
11 (lanxa uyise engenzanga lanye yazo): Idlela ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni. Iyamngcolisa umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
Though he doth not all these things, but that eateth upon the mountains, and that defileth his neighbour’s wife:
12 Incindezela abayanga labaswelayo. Yenza ubuphangi. Kayibuyiseli eyakuthatha kuyisibambiso. Yethemba izithombe. Yenza izinto ezinengisayo.
That grieveth the needy and the poor, that taketh away by violence, that restoreth not the pledge, and that lifteth up his eyes to idols, that committeth abomination:
13 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.
That giveth upon usury, and that taketh an increase: shall such a one live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.
14 Kodwa kasithi indodana le ilendodana ezibonayo zonke izono ezenziwa nguyise, kodwa lanxa izibona, yona kayizenzi izinto ezinje:
But if he beget a son, who, seeing all his father’s sins, which he hath done, is afraid, and shall not do the like to them:
15 Kayidleli ezindaweni zokukhonzela ezisentabeni, kumbe yethembe izithombe zendlu ka-Israyeli. Kayimngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wayo.
That hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife:
16 Kayincindezeli muntu kumbe ifune isibambiso ekwebolekiseni. Kayibenzi ubuphangi kodwa abalambileyo iyabapha ukudla kwayo inike labanqunu izigqoko.
And hath not grieved any man, nor withholden the pledge, nor taken away with violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment:
17 Iyasithinta isandla sayo ekoneni njalo kayithathi nzuzo loba inzuzo edlulisileyo. Iyagcina imilayo yami ilandele lezimiso zami. Kayiyikufela izono zikayise; izaphila impela.
That hath turned away his hand from injuring the poor, hath not taken usury and increase, but hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my commandments: this man shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but living he shall live.
18 Kodwa uyise uzafela izono zakhe yena ngokwakhe, ngoba wabamba ngamandla, waphanga umfowabo wenza okubi ebantwini bakibo.
As for his father, because he oppressed and offered violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, behold he is dead in his own iniquity.
19 Ikanti liyabuza lithi, ‘Kungani indodana ingabi lecala likayise na?’ Njengoba indodana yenze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo njalo inaka ukugcina izimiso zami, izaphila impela.
And you say: Why hath not the son borne the iniquity of his father? Verily, because the son hath wrought judgment and justice, hath kept all my commandments, and done them, living, he shall live.
20 Umphefumulo owonayo yiwo ozakufa. Indodana kayiyikuba lecala likayise, loba uyise abe lecala lendodana. Ukulunga komuntu olungileyo kuzabalelwa kuye, lobubi bomubi buzamelana laye.
The soul that sinneth, the same shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son: the justice of the just shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka kuzozonke izono azenzayo njalo agcine izimiso zami zonke enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzaphila impela, akayikufa.
But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die.
22 Akukho kona kwakhe okuzakhunjulwa. Ngenxa yezinto ezilungileyo azenzileyo uzaphila.
I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live.
23 Ngiyathokoza ngokufa komuntu omubi na? kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Esikhundleni salokho, kangithabi na nxa bephenduka ezindleleni zabo njalo baphile?
Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?
24 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.
But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.
25 Kodwa lina lithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Zwana, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli: Indlela yami kayifanelanga na?
And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?
26 Nxa umuntu olungileyo eguquka ekulungeni kwakhe enze izono, uzakufela lokho; ngenxa yezono azenzileyo uzakufa.
For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die.
27 Kodwa nxa umuntu omubi ephenduka ebubini abenzileyo enze okufaneleyo lokuqondileyo, uzasilisa ukuphila kwakhe.
And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.
28 Ngoba ucabanga konke okubi akwenzayo aphenduke kukho, uzaphila impela; akayikufa.
Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.
29 Ikanti indlu ka-Israyeli ithi, ‘Indlela kaThixo kayilunganga.’ Izindlela zami kazilunganga na, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right. Are not my ways right, O house of Israel, and are not rather your ways perverse?
30 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.
Therefore will I judge every man according to his ways, O house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Be converted, and do penance for all your iniquities: and iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Zikhululeni kukho konke okubi elikwenzileyo, lizuze inhliziyo entsha lomoya omutsha. Kungani na uzakufa, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli?
Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit: and why will you die, O house of Israel?
32 Ngoba angithokozi ngokufa loba ngokukabani, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi. Phendukani liphile!”
For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live.
