UHezekheli 15

1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi lisithi:

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 Ndodana yomuntu, isihlahla sevini siyini ngaphezu kwaso sonke isihlahla, kumbe ugatsha oluphakathi kwezihlahla zegusu?

“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?

3 Kuzathathwa kiso isigodo yini ukwenza umsebenzi? Bangathatha kiso isikhonkwane yini ukuthi balengise lasiphi isitsha kiso?

Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils?

4 Khangela, siyanikelwa emlilweni sibe yikudla, umlilo uqede izihloko zaso zombili, lokuphakathi kwaso kutshiswe. Siselosizo kuwo umsebenzi yini?

No, it is cast into the fire for fuel. The fire devours both ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?

5 Khangela, lapho sisaphelele, asenziwanga sibe ngumsebenzi; kuncane kangakanani lapho umlilo ususiqedile sesitshile sisezakwenziwa sibe ngumsebenzi!

Even when it was whole, it could not be made useful. How much less can it ever be useful when the fire has consumed it and charred it!

6 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Njengesihlahla sevini phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu, engisinikele emlilweni sibe yikudla, ngokunjalo ngizanikela abahlali beJerusalema.

Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the people of Jerusalem.

7 Ngoba ngizamisa ubuso bami bumelane labo; bazaphuma komunye umlilo kuthi omunye umlilo ubaqede; njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, sengimise ubuso bami bamelana labo.

And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD.

8 Njalo ngizakwenza ilizwe libe lunxiwa, ngoba benze isiphambeko, itsho iNkosi uJehova.

Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ declares the Lord GOD.”