UHezekheli 24
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngosuku lwetshumi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, saying,
2 “Ndodana yomuntu, bhala usuku lolu, usuku lolu lona ngokwalo, ngoba iNkosi yaseBhabhiloni isivimbezele iJerusalema ngalo kanye lolusuku.
Son of man, write thee down the name of this day, of this same day: the king of Babylon hath advanced against Jerusalem on this same day.
3 Tshela indlu le ehlamukayo umfanekiso uthi kubo: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Beka imbiza yokupheka eziko; ibeke phezu kwamaseko uthele amanzi phakathi kwayo.
And speak concerning the rebellious family a parable, and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Set on the pot, set it on, and also pour water into it;
4 Faka phakathi kwayo amaqatha enyama, wonke amaqatha amahle, umlenze lesiphanga. Igcwalise ngamathambo amahle;
Gather the proper pieces into it, every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it up with the choice bones.
5 thatha okukhethiweyo emhlambini. Basela kakhulu ngenkuni usenzela amathambo; ixhwathise upheke amathambo phakathi kwayo.
Take the choice of the flock, and make also a fire for the bones under it: cause it to seethe well, that even the bones therein may be fully boiled through.
6 Ngoba nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi, kuyo imbiza esithombile, ukuthomba kwayo okungayikuphela! Thulula imbiza ukhuphe amaqhatha ngalinye ngalinye kungekho inkatho.
Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness, to the pot the scum of which is yet in it, and the scum of which is not gone out of it! one of its pieces after the other take out from it: no lot is cast for it.
7 Ngakho igazi elachithwa lidolobho leli liphakathi kwalo: lalithululela edwaleni elize; kalilithululelanga phansi lapho umhlabathi owawungaligqibela khona.
For her blood was in the midst of her; on the naked rock did she place it: she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it over with dust.
8 Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo njalo ngiphindisele, ngabeka igazi lelo phezu kwedwala elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
To cause my fury to arise to take vengeance, do I place her blood upon the naked rock, so that it shall not be covered up.
9 Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi! Lami futhi, ngizakwenza ibonda lenkuni eliphakemeyo.
Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Woe to the city of blood-guiltiness! I also will myself build up a large burning pile,
10 Ngakho faka inkuni uphembe umlilo. Ipheke kuhle inyama, uhlanganisa leziyoliso; uyekele amathambo atshe.
Heaping on the wood, kindling the fire, thoroughly boiling the flesh, and stirring the mixture, that the bones may be scorched.
11 Emva kwalokho beka imbiza engelalutho phezu kwamalahle ize itshise lethusi layo livuthe ukuze ukungcola kwayo kutshe kuphele lokuthomba kwayo kutshe kuphele.
Then will I set it empty upon its coals, in order that it may become hot, and its copper be made to glow, and its uncleanness may be molten in it, that its scum may be consumed.
12 Isiphuthise imizamo yonke; uqweqwe lokuthomba kwayo kalususwanga, loba langomlilo.
With fraud hath she wearied [the poor]; therefore shall not go forth from her the greatness of her scum: through fire shall her scum [be removed].
13 Khathesi ukungcola kwakho yisigwebo. Ngoba ngizamile ukukuhlambulula kodwa ubungeke uhlanjululwe ekungcoleni kwakho, kawuyikuhlambuluka futhi ukukuthukuthelela kwami kuze kudede.
In thy uncleanness is [thy] incest; because I endeavored to cleanse thee, and thou wouldst not be clean, thou shalt not be cleansed from thy uncleanness any more, until I have assuaged my fury on thee.
14 Mina Thixo sengikhulumile. Isikhathi sokuba ngenze sesifikile. Kangiyikuzithiba; kangiyikuba lesihawu, kumbe ngiyekethise. Uzakwahlulelwa mayelana lokuziphatha kwakho kanye lezenzo zakho, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’”
I the Lord have spoken it; it cometh to pass, and I will do it; I will not recall my decree, and I will not have pity, nor will I repent: according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall men judge thee, saith the Lord Eternal.
15 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
16 “Ndodana yomuntu, sekuseduze ukuthi ngokugalela okukodwa nje ngisuse kuwe intokozo yamehlo akho. Kodwa ungalili kumbe ukhale loba wehlise inyembezi.
Son of man, behold, I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes by a sudden death; but thou shalt neither mourn nor weep, nor shalt thou shed a tear.
17 Bubula uthule; ungalileli abafileyo. Bophela iqhiye yakho lamanyathela akho ezinyaweni zakho; ungambozi ingxenye yaphansi yobuso bakho loba udle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.”
Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the deceased, thy bonnet bind around thy head, and thy shoes put on thy feet, and cover not thyself to thy upper lip, and eat not the bread of [other] men.
18 Ngakho ngakhuluma labantu ekuseni, umkami wafa kusihlwa. Ekuseni kwakusisa ngenza njengokulaywa kwami.
And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening: and I did in the morning as I had been commanded.
19 Abantu basebengibuza besithi, “Kawuyikusitshela na ukuthi izinto lezi zilani lathi?”
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things mean for us, that thou doest so?
20 Ngakho mina ngathi kubo, “Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
And I said unto them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
21 Tshono endlini ka-Israyeli uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngingcolise indlu yami engcwele, inqaba eliziqhenya ngayo, intokozo yamehlo enu, into eliyithanda kakhulu. Amadodana lamadodakazi eliwatshiyileyo azabulawa ngenkemba.
Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and the darling of your soul: and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left behind shall fall by the sword.
22 Njalo lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile. Kaliyikumboza ingxenye yaphansi yobuso benu loba lidle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.
And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover yourselves to your upper lip, and the bread of other men shall ye not eat.
23 Lizafaka amaqhiye enu emakhanda enu lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu. Kaliyikulila kumbe likhale kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yezono zenu njalo libubule phakathi kwenu.
And your bonnets shall be around your heads, and your shoes shall be on your feet: ye shall not mourn nor shall ye weep; but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and groan, looking one at the other.
24 UHezekhiyeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengoba enzile. Nxa lokhu kusenzakala, lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo Wobukhosi.’
Thus shall Ezekiel be unto you for a token; in accordance with all that he hath done shall ye do: when this cometh, then shall ye know that I am the Lord Eternal.
25 Njalo wena, ndodana yomuntu, ngosuku engizasusa ngalo inqaba yabo, intokozo yabo lodumo, injabulo yamehlo abo, isifiso senhliziyo yabo, kanye lamadodana lamadodakazi abo futhi,
Also, thou son of man, behold, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the coveted object of their soul, their sons and their daughters, —
26 ngalolosuku isiphepheli yiso esizalandisa izindaba.
On that day there shall come one that hath escaped unto thee, and announce it to thy ears.
27 Ngalesosikhathi umlomo wakho uzavuleka; uzakhuluma laye njalo kawuyikuthula futhi. Ngakho uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo, njalo bazakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.”
On that day shall thy mouth be opened through him that hath escaped, and thou shalt speak, and thou shalt not be silenced any more: and thou shalt be a token unto them, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
