UHezekheli 14
1 Kwasekufika kimi abanye babadala bakoIsrayeli, bahlala phambi kwami.
Then some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
2 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:
The LORD’s word came to 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 taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block 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 to them and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him there 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 estranged 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 tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! 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 everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself 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.
I will set my face against that man and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will 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.
“‘“If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from among my people Israel.
10 Njalo bazathwala icala labo. Njengecala lobuzayo lizakuba njalo icala lomprofethi;
They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him,
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 no more go 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,” says the Lord GOD.’”
12 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
The LORD’s word came to 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 sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—
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 would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness,” says 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 animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it and it is made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals—
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,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only would be delivered, but the land would 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 on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and animal’—
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,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only would 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 wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal—
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,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only 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 the Lord GOD says: “How much more when I send my four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence—to cut off from it man and animal!
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.
Yet, behold, there will be left a remnant in it that will be carried out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.
23 Ngokunjalo bazaliduduza nxa libona indlela yabo lezenzo zabo; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi kangikwenzanga ngaphandle kwesizatho, konke engikwenzileyo phakathi kwayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause,” says the Lord GOD.
