< UHezekheli 14 >
1 Kwasekufika kimi abanye babadala bakoIsrayeli, bahlala phambi kwami.
Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
2 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
3 Ndodana yomuntu, lamadoda amise izithombe zawo enhliziyweni yawo, abeka isikhubekiso sesiphambeko sawo phambi kobuso bawo: Ngingabuzwa yiwo ngeqiniso yini?
'Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their mind, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?
4 Ngakho khuluma lawo, uthi kuwo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Wonke umuntu wendlu kaIsrayeli omisa izithombe zakhe enhliziyweni yakhe, abeke isikhubekiso sesiphambeko sakhe phambi kobuso bakhe, abesesiza kumprofethi, mina iNkosi ngizamphendula njengobunengi bezithombe zakhe;
Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his mind, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet — I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
5 ukuze ngibambe indlu kaIsrayeli ngenhliziyo yabo, ngoba bonke bazenze abemzini kimi ngezithombe zabo.
that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all turned away from Me through their idols.
6 Ngakho tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Phendukani, lifulathele izithombe zenu, lifulathelise ubuso benu kuzo zonke izinengiso zenu.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord GOD: Return ye, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7 Ngoba ngulowo lalowo wendlu kaIsrayeli, kumbe owezizweni ohlala koIsrayeli njengowezizwe ozehlukanisa ekungilandeleni, amise izithombe zakhe enhliziyweni yakhe, abeke isikhubekiso sobubi bakhe phambi kobuso bakhe, eze kumprofethi ukubuza kuye ngami; mina Nkosi ngizamphendula ngokwami.
For every one of the house of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that separateth himself from Me, and taketh his idols into his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, that he inquire for him of Me — I the LORD will answer him by Myself,
8 Ngizamisa ubuso bami ngimelane lalowomuntu, ngimenze abe yisibonakaliso lezaga, ngimqume asuke phakathi kwabantu bami; lizakwazi-ke ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
and I will set My face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
9 Futhi uba umprofethi ekhohliseka, nxa ekhulume ilizwi, mina Nkosi ngimkhohlisile lowomprofethi; njalo ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwakhe, ngimbhubhise asuke phakathi kwabantu bami uIsrayeli.
And when the prophet is enticed and speaketh a word, I the LORD have enticed that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel.
10 Njalo bazathwala icala labo. Njengecala lobuzayo lizakuba njalo icala lomprofethi;
And they shall bear their iniquity; the iniquity of the prophet shall be even as the iniquity of him that inquireth;
11 ukuze indlu kaIsrayeli ingabe isaphambuka ekungilandeleni, futhi ingabuyi izingcolise ngeziphambeko zabo zonke, kodwa ukuthi babe ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wabo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
that the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be My people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.'
12 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
13 Ndodana yomuntu, lapho ilizwe lisona kimi ngokuphambeka okukhulu, ngizakwelulela isandla sami phezu kwalo, ngephule udondolo lwesinkwa salo, ngithume indlala kulo, ngiqume kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
'Son of man, when a land sinneth against Me by trespassing grievously, and I stretch out My hand upon it, and break the staff of the bread thereof, and send famine upon it, and cut off from it man and beast;
14 lanxa lamadoda amathathu, oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe, ayephakathi kwalo, wona ayezakhulula umphefumulo wawo wodwa ngokulunga kwawo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD.
15 Uba ngidabulisa izilo ezimbi elizweni, zenze lifelwe ngabantwana, lize libe lunxiwa, kuze kungabi khona odlulayo ngenxa yezilo,
If I cause evil beasts to pass through the land, and they bereave it, and it be desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the beasts;
16 loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi; wona wodwa abezakhululwa, kodwa ilizwe libe lunxiwa.
though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate.
17 Kumbe uba ngisehlisela inkemba phezu kwalelolizwe ngithi: Nkemba, dabula phakathi kwelizwe, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say: Let the sword go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and beast;
18 loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi, kodwa wona wodwa abezakhululwa.
though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves.
19 Kumbe uba ngithumela umatshayabhuqe wesifo kulelolizwe, ngithululele ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwalo ngegazi, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out My fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast;
20 loba oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe bebephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, bebengayikukhulula indodana loba indodakazi; bona bebezakhulula umphefumulo wabo wodwa ngokulunga kwabo.
though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.
21 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kakhulu kangakanani lapho ngithuma izahlulelo zami ezine ezimbi phezu kweJerusalema, inkemba, lendlala, lesilo esibi, lomatshayabhuqe wesifo, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kiyo umuntu lenyamazana.
For thus saith the Lord GOD: How much more when I send My four sore judgments against Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the evil beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast.
22 Kodwa khangela, kuzasala kiyo abaphephileyo abazakhutshwa, amadodana lamadodakazi; khangela, bazaphuma besiza kini, libone indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizaduduzwa mayelana lokubi engikulethe phezu kweJerusalema, mayelana lakho konke engikulethe phezu kwayo.
And, behold, though there be left a remnant therein that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters; behold, when they come forth unto you, and ye see their way and their doings, then ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it;
23 Ngokunjalo bazaliduduza nxa libona indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi kangikwenzanga ngaphandle kwesizatho, konke engikwenzileyo phakathi kwayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
and they shall comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings, and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.'