UHezekheli 24
1 Ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngosuku lwetshumi, ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
Moreover, the word of Jehovah came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, and said:
2 “Ndodana yomuntu, bhala usuku lolu, usuku lolu lona ngokwalo, ngoba iNkosi yaseBhabhiloni isivimbezele iJerusalema ngalo kanye lolusuku.
Son of man, write the name of the day, even of this same day. The king of Babylon draweth near to Jerusalem 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.
Utter a parable to the rebellious house, and say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Set on a caldron, 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 pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder; fill it 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 under it a pile for the bones, and make it boil well, that the bones therein may be seethed.
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.
Wherefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the city of blood, to the caldron in which is rust, and whose rust goeth not out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.
7 Ngakho igazi elachithwa lidolobho leli liphakathi kwalo: lalithululela edwaleni elize; kalilithululelanga phansi lapho umhlabathi owawungaligqibela khona.
For blood is in the midst of her; upon the bare rock hath she shed it; she poured it not upon the ground, that it might be covered with dust.
8 Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo njalo ngiphindisele, ngabeka igazi lelo phezu kwedwala elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
To cause fury and to take vengeance, I have set the blood shed by her upon the bare rock, that it might not be covered.
9 Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Maye kulo idolobho lokuchithwa kwegazi! Lami futhi, ngizakwenza ibonda lenkuni eliphakemeyo.
Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Woe to the city of blood! Now will I make the pile for fire great.
10 Ngakho faka inkuni uphembe umlilo. Ipheke kuhle inyama, uhlanganisa leziyoliso; uyekele amathambo atshe.
Heap on wood, kindle the fire, cook the flesh, put in spices, and let the bones be burned.
11 Emva kwalokho beka imbiza engelalutho phezu kwamalahle ize itshise lethusi layo livuthe ukuze ukungcola kwayo kutshe kuphele lokuthomba kwayo kutshe kuphele.
Then set it empty upon the coals, that its brass may be hot and may burn, and that its impurity may be dissolved in it, and its rust be consumed.
12 Isiphuthise imizamo yonke; uqweqwe lokuthomba kwayo kalususwanga, loba langomlilo.
It hath wearied me with labors, yet its thick rust goeth not from it; its rust remaineth in the midst of the fire.
13 Khathesi ukungcola kwakho yisigwebo. Ngoba ngizamile ukukuhlambulula kodwa ubungeke uhlanjululwe ekungcoleni kwakho, kawuyikuhlambuluka futhi ukukuthukuthelela kwami kuze kudede.
In thy filthiness is gross wickedness, because, when I would have cleansed thee, thou wouldst not be cleansed. Thou shalt not be cleansed from thy filthiness any more, till I have quieted my fury toward 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, Jehovah, have spoken it; it shall come to pass, and I will do it. I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent. According to thy ways and according to thy doings shall they judge thee, saith the Lord Jehovah.
15 Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
Also the word of Jehovah 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 take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with one blow; yet thou shalt not mourn, nor weep, nor shall thy tears run down.
17 Bubula uthule; ungalileli abafileyo. Bophela iqhiye yakho lamanyathela akho ezinyaweni zakho; ungambozi ingxenye yaphansi yobuso bakho loba udle ukudla komkhuba wabalilayo.”
Sigh thou in silence, make no mourning for the dead; bind thy head-dress upon thee, and thy shoes on thy feet; cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of wretched men.
18 Ngakho ngakhuluma labantu ekuseni, umkami wafa kusihlwa. Ekuseni kwakusisa ngenza njengokulaywa kwami.
So I spake to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
19 Abantu basebengibuza besithi, “Kawuyikusitshela na ukuthi izinto lezi zilani lathi?”
And the people said to me, Wilt thou not tell us what those things which thou doest denote to us?
20 Ngakho mina ngathi kubo, “Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
Then I answered them: The word of Jehovah came to me and said:
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.
Say to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your confidence, the desire of your eyes, and the longing of your souls; and your sons and daughters that are left to you 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 your mouths, nor eat the bread of wretched men;
23 Lizafaka amaqhiye enu emakhanda enu lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu. Kaliyikulila kumbe likhale kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yezono zenu njalo libubule phakathi kwenu.
and your head-dresses shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet; ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and moan one to another.
24 UHezekhiyeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengoba enzile. Nxa lokhu kusenzakala, lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo Wobukhosi.’
Thus Ezekiel shall be to you a sign; according to all that he hath done shall ye do, when this cometh; and ye shall know that I am the Lord Jehovah.
25 Njalo wena, ndodana yomuntu, ngosuku engizasusa ngalo inqaba yabo, intokozo yabo lodumo, injabulo yamehlo abo, isifiso senhliziyo yabo, kanye lamadodana lamadodakazi abo futhi,
And thou, son of man, behold, in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and the longing of their souls, their sons and their daughters, in that day shall one
26 ngalolosuku isiphepheli yiso esizalandisa izindaba.
that is escaped come to thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears.
27 Ngalesosikhathi umlomo wakho uzavuleka; uzakhuluma laye njalo kawuyikuthula futhi. Ngakho uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo, njalo bazakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.”
In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him that is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb; and thou shalt be a sign to them, and they shall know that I am Jehovah.
