UHezekheli 19
1 “Qhinqani isililo ngamakhosana ako-Israyeli
"Moreover, take up a lamentation for the princes of Israel,
2 lithi: ‘Yeka isilwanekazi esasingunyoko phakathi kwezilwane! Salala phansi phakathi kwezilwane ezisakhulayo sondla imidlwane yaso.
and say, 'What was your mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her cubs.
3 Sakhulisa omunye wemidlwane yaso waba yisilwane esilamandla wafunda ukudabula okubanjelwe ukudliwa, wadla labantu.
She brought up one of her cubs: he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.
4 Izizwe zezwa ngawo wasuthiywa egodini lazo. Zawuhola ngezingwegwe zawusa elizweni laseGibhithe.
The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.
5 Kwathi sibona ithemba laso lingagcwalisekanga, ithemba laso lingasekho, sathatha omunye wemidlwane yaso sawenza waba yisilwane esilamandla.
"'Now when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her cubs, and made him a young lion.
6 Wanyonyoba phakathi kwezilwane ngoba wawuyisilwane esilamandla. Wafunda ukudabula okubanjelwe ukudliwa, wadla labantu.
He went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.
7 Wadiliza izinqaba zabo wachitha lamadolobho abo. Ilizwe kanye labo bonke ababekulo bathuthumeliswa yikubhonga kwawo.
He devastated their strongholds, and destroyed their cities; and the land was desolate, and its fullness, because of the noise of his roaring.
8 Izizwe zawuvukela, zivela ezindaweni eziwuzingelezileyo. Zendlala amambule azo phezu kwawo wawela egodini labo.
Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces; and they spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.
9 Bawudonsela ekhejini ngezingwegwe bawusa enkosini yaseBhabhiloni. Bawufaka entolongweni, ngakho ukubhonga kwawo akuzwakalanga futhi ezintabeni zako-Israyeli.
They put him in a cage with hooks, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.
10 Unyoko wayenjengevini elihlanyelwe ngasemanzini esivinini sakho; sasithela izithelo njalo silezingatsha ezinengi ngenxa yamanzi amanengi.
"'Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, planted by the waters: it was fruitful and full of branches by reason of many waters.
11 Ingatsha zaso zaziqinile zifanele intonga yombusi. Sasiphakeme siphezulu le ngaphezu kwamahlamvu aminyeneyo, sibonakala ngobude baso langezingatsha zaso ezinengi.
It had strong rods for the scepters of those who bore rule, and their stature was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.
12 Kodwa sasitshunwa ngokuthukuthela saphoselwa phansi. Umoya wasempumalanga wasomisa, izithelo zaso zaqhululwa; ingatsha zaso eziqinileyo zabuna umlilo wazitshisa.
But it was plucked up in fury, it was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit: its strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire consumed them.
13 Khathesi sesihlanyelwe enkangala, elizweni elitshisayo lelomileyo.
Now it is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty land.
14 Umlilo umemetheke usuka kolunye lwezingatsha ezinkulu, watshisa izithelo zaso. Akulagatsha oluqinileyo oluseleyo kuso olufanele intonga yombusi.’ Lesi yisililo njalo sizasetshenziswa njengesililo.”
Fire is gone out of the rods of its branches, it has devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong rod to be a scepter to rule.' This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation."
