UHezekheli 14
1 Kwasekufika kimi abanye babadala bakoIsrayeli, bahlala phambi kwami.
One day some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat down in front of me.
2 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
3 Ndodana yomuntu, lamadoda amise izithombe zawo enhliziyweni yawo, abeka isikhubekiso sesiphambeko sawo phambi kobuso bawo: Ngingabuzwa yiwo ngeqiniso yini?
“You human, these men want to [IDM] worship idols, and they are allowing idols to induce them to sin [IDM]. So I will certainly [RHQ] answer them if they ask me for advice.
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;
So say this to them: ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: When any Israeli person wants to worship idols which will induce him to sin, and he goes to a [to get advice], I, Yahweh, will give him the answer that he deserves to receive because he worship idols.
5 ukuze ngibambe indlu kaIsrayeli ngenhliziyo yabo, ngoba bonke bazenze abemzini kimi ngezithombe zabo.
[I will do that] in order that the Israeli people, who have abandoned me in order to worship their idols, will sincerely [IDM] worship me again.’
6 Ngakho tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Phendukani, lifulathele izithombe zenu, lifulathelise ubuso benu kuzo zonke izinengiso zenu.
Therefore, say to the Israeli people, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: (Repent/Stop sinning)! Stop worshiping your idols, and stop all your [other] detestable behavior!’
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.
When any of [you] Israeli people or any foreigner living among you turns away from me and starts worshiping idols [IDM] that induce him to sin, and then goes to a prophet to find out what I want him to do, I myself will answer him.
8 Ngizamisa ubuso bami ngimelane lalowomuntu, ngimenze abe yisibonakaliso lezaga, ngimqume asuke phakathi kwabantu bami; lizakwazi-ke ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
I will show that I detest him, and [what happens to] him to be a warning [to others], and cause him to be someone whom people despise. I will cause him to no longer be allowed to associate with my people. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].
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 if a prophet is deceived and gives a false prophecy, [even though] I [allowed him to] give that message, I will get rid of him and remove him from among my Israeli people.
10 Njalo bazathwala icala labo. Njengecala lobuzayo lizakuba njalo icala lomprofethi;
Both the prophet and the one who asks him for advice will be guilty, [and I will punish both of them].
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.
Then you Israeli people will no longer abandon me, and you will no longer become unacceptable to me because of your sins. You will be my people, and I will be your God. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, say.”
12 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
Yahweh gave me another message. [He said],
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;
“You human, [the people of some] country sin against me by abandoning me, and I punish [IDM] them by cutting off their food supply and by sending a famine, with the result that people and animals die,
14 lanxa lamadoda amathathu, oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe, ayephakathi kwalo, wona ayezakhulula umphefumulo wawo wodwa ngokulunga kwawo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were there, they would save only themselves because of their being righteous. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.
15 Uba ngidabulisa izilo ezimbi elizweni, zenze lifelwe ngabantwana, lize libe lunxiwa, kuze kungabi khona odlulayo ngenxa yezilo,
Or, if I send wild animals throughout the country, and they attack and [many of] [HYP] the people, with the result that travel in that country becomes very dangerous and no one travels through that country,
16 loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi; wona wodwa abezakhululwa, kodwa ilizwe libe lunxiwa.
[as surely] as I am alive, even if those three men were in that country, they could not save [even their own] sons or [from being killed]. Only those [three] would (be saved/remain alive), and the country would become desolate. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.
17 Kumbe uba ngisehlisela inkemba phezu kwalelolizwe ngithi: Nkemba, dabula phakathi kwelizwe, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
Or, if I bring enemy soldiers [MTY] to attack that country, and they kill [MTY] people and animals throughout that country with their swords,
18 loba lamadoda amathathu abephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, abengayikukhulula amadodana kumbe amadodakazi, kodwa wona wodwa abezakhululwa.
as surely as I am alive, even if those three men were in that country, they would not be able to save even their own sons or [from being killed]. They would save only themselves. That is what I, Yahweh the Lord, declare.
19 Kumbe uba ngithumela umatshayabhuqe wesifo kulelolizwe, ngithululele ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwalo ngegazi, ukuze ngiqume ngisuse kulo umuntu lenyamazana;
Or, if I send a plague into that land and cause the people and the animals to [from the plague] because I am very angry with those people,
20 loba oNowa, uDaniyeli, loJobe bebephakathi kwalo, kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, bebengayikukhulula indodana loba indodakazi; bona bebezakhulula umphefumulo wabo wodwa ngokulunga kwabo.
[as surely] as I am alive, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in that country, they would not [be able to] save even their sons and daughters. They would save only themselves because of their being righteous. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.
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.
So [now] this is what [I, ], Yahweh the Lord, say: I will cause four things to happen to [the people of] Jerusalem to punish them very severely. [Some] people and animals will be killed by swords, [some will die from] famines, [others will be attacked and killed by] wild animals, and [others will die in] plagues.
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.
But some [of your people] will remain alive, [both adults] and children. They will come to you, [Ezekiel, in Babylon]. And when you see [disgusting] behavior and actions, you will realize that I had good reasons for causing [the people of] Jerusalem to experience those many great disasters [DOU] that I have sent to them.
23 Ngokunjalo bazaliduduza nxa libona indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi kangikwenzanga ngaphandle kwesizatho, konke engikwenzileyo phakathi kwayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
When you see those things that they do, you will know that there were very good reasons [LIT] for me to do everything that I caused to happen to them. [That is what I], Yahweh the Lord, declare.”
