UHezekheli 13

1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Ndodana yomuntu, profetha umelene labaprofethi bakoIsrayeli abaprofethayo, utsho kubo abaprofetha okwenhliziyo yabo: Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi.

“Son of man, you are to prophesy against the prophets of Israel who right now are busy prophesying. Tell those who make up their own prophecies: Listen to the word of the Lord!

3 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kubaprofethi abayizithutha, abalandela umoya wabo, abangabonanga lutho!

This is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to these foolish prophets who follow their own ideas. They haven't seen anything.

4 Israyeli, abaprofethi bakho banjengamakhanka emanxiweni.

Israel, your prophets are like foxes that live in the ruins.

5 Kalenyukelanga ezikhexeni, kumbe libiyele indlu kaIsrayeli uthango ukuze ime empini ngosuku lweNkosi.

They didn't go and help repair the gaps in the wall that defends the people of Israel so that it would stand secure during the battle on the Day of the Lord.

6 Babone okuyize, lokuvumisa kwamanga, abathi: INkosi ithi; kanti iNkosi ingabathumanga; bathemba ekuqinisweni kwelizwi.

The visions they see are false, and the prophecies they give are lies. They claim, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ when the Lord didn't send them. Even so they still expect their message to be fulfilled!

7 Kalibonanga yini umbono oyize njalo likhulume ukuvumisa okungamanga yini? Kanti lithi: INkosi ithi; kodwa mina ngingakhulumanga.

Isn't it a false vision that you people saw? Isn't it a prophecy of lies when you announce, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ even though I haven't said anything?

8 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba likhulume okuyize, labona amanga, ngakho, khangelani, ngimelene lani, itsho iNkosi uJehova.

So this is what the Lord God says: Since you've spoken lies and claimed to see false visions, then watch out, because I'm against you, declares the Lord God.

9 Njalo isandla sami sizakuba phezu kwabaprofethi ababona okuyize, labavumisa amanga; kabayikuba senhlanganweni yabantu bami, futhi kabayikubhalwa embhalweni wendlu yakoIsrayeli, futhi kabayikungena elizweni lakoIsrayeli; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.

I will punish the prophets who see false visions and give prophecies that are lies. They will not belong to the assembly of my people or be listed in the register of Israelites, and they won't be allowed to enter the country of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord God.

10 Ngoba, yebo ngoba beduhise abantu bami, besithi: Ukuthula; khona kungelakuthula; kwathi omunye wakha umduli ongaqinanga, khangela-ke, abanye bawubhada ngodaka olungalunganga.

They have deceived my people by saying, ‘We shall have peace,’ when there won't be any peace. It's like they're putting a coat of whitewash on an unstable wall of loose stones that the people have built.

11 Tshono kulabo abawubhada ngekalaga ukuthi uzakuwa. Kuzakuba khona izulu elikhukhulayo; lawe, matshe amakhulu esiqhotho, uzakuwa, lomoya wesiphepho uwuqhekeze.

So tell those people whitewashing the wall that it's going to collapse. Rain will come pouring down. I will send hailstones crashing down on it. A windstorm will blow hard against it.

12 Khangela-ke, nxa umduli usuwile, kakuyikutshiwo yini kini ukuthi: Lungaphi udaka elalibhade ngalo?

Don't you think that when the wall collapses people are going to ask you, ‘What happened to the whitewash you painted it with?’

13 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngizawuqhekeza ngomoya wesiphepho ekuthukutheleni kwami, kube khona izulu elikhukhulayo ngolaka lwami, lamatshe esiqhotho ngentukuthelo yami ukuwuqeda.

So this is what the Lord God says: In my furious anger I'm going to send a windstorm, pouring rain, and hailstones to destroy the wall.

14 Ngokunjalo ngizadiliza umduli eliwubhade ngekalaga, ngiwuwisele emhlabathini, ukuze kwembuleke isisekelo sawo, uwe; njalo lizaqedwa phakathi kwawo; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.

I will demolish the wall you whitewashed, knocking it to the ground to reveal its foundations. The city is going to fall, and you're going to be destroyed with it. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

15 Ngokunjalo ngizaphelelisa ulaka lwami emdulini laphezu kwalabo abawubhade ngekalaga, besengisithi kini: Umduli kawusekho, lalabo abawubhadayo kabakho;

Once the wall and those who whitewashed it have experienced my anger, I will tell you: The wall is no more, and those who whitewashed it are no more,

16 okutsho abaprofethi bakoIsrayeli abaprofetha ngeJerusalema, labayibonela umbono wokuthula, kanti kungelakuthula, itsho iNkosi uJehova.

those ‘prophets’ of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and claimed to have seen a vision of peace for her when there wasn't going to be any peace, declares the Lord God.

17 Wena-ke ndodana yomuntu, misa ubuso bakho bumelene lamadodakazi abantu bakho, abaprofetha okuvela enhliziyweni yabo, uprofethe umelene labo.

Now, son of man, you are to oppose those Israelite women who make up prophecies in their own minds. Prophesy against them

18 Ubususithi: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kwabesifazana abathungela izigqizo kuzo zonke izihlakala, abenza izimbombozo ezinde phezu kwekhanda labo bonke ubude, ukuze bazingele imiphefumulo! Lizazingela imiphefumulo yabantu bami yini, njalo lizazigcinela imiphefumulo iphila yini?

and tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the women who sew bracelets of magic charms for their wrists and make veils for all kinds of people to wear as ways to trap and exploit them. Do you think you can trap the lives of my people yet still keep your own?

19 Futhi lizangingcolisa yini phakathi kwabantu bami ngenxa yezandla ezigcwele ibhali, langenxa yezincezu zezinkwa, ukuthi libulale imiphefumulo ebingayikufa, lokuthi ligcine iphila imiphefumulo ebingayikuphila, ngokuqamba amanga kwenu ebantwini bami abalalela amanga?

You have disgraced me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people who believe in you, you have killed those who shouldn't have died and let others live who shouldn't.

20 Ngalokho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangelani, ngimelene lezigqizo zenu, elizingela ngazo lapho imiphefumulo liyenza iphaphe; ngizaziqamula engalweni zenu, ngiyekele imiphefumulo ihambe, ngitsho imiphefumulo eliyizingelayo liyenza iphaphe.

So this is what the Lord God says: Watch out! I condemn the magic charms you use to trap people like birds, and I will rip them off your arms. I will set free those you have trapped.

21 Lezimbombozo zenu ezinde ngizazidabula, ngophule abantu bami esandleni senu, ukuthi bengasayikuba sesandleni senu ukuba yimpango; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.

I will also rip off your veils and rescue my people from your power, so that they will no longer be your victims. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

22 Ngoba lidanisile inhliziyo yolungileyo ngamanga, engingamdabukisanga mina, langoba laqinisa izandla zomubi ukuze angaphenduki endleleni yakhe embi, ukumgcina ephila.

Because you have discouraged good people with your lies, even though I didn't have anything against them, and because you have encouraged the wicked that they shouldn't give up from their evil ways to save their lives,

23 Ngakho kalisayikubona okuyize njalo kaliyikuvumisa okuvunyiswayo; ngoba ngizakophula abantu bami esandleni senu; beselisazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.

from now on you won't claim these false visions or practice magic. I will rescue my people from your power. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”