UHezekheli 23
1 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
Yahweh said to me,
2 Ndodana yomuntu, kwakulabesifazana ababili, amadodakazi omfazi oyedwa.
“You human, [listen to this parable about Jerusalem and Samaria]. Once there were two women, daughters of the same mother.
3 Basebesenza ubuwule eGibhithe; benza ubuwule ebutsheni babo; amabele abo abotozwa khonapho, lengono zobuntombi babo zacindezelwa khonapho.
They lived in Egypt. And from the time that they were young women, they became prostitutes. In that land, [men] fondled their breasts and caressed their bosoms [DOU].
4 Lamabizo abo ayenguOhola omdala, loOholiba umnawakhe. Njalo babengabami, bazala amadodana lamadodakazi. Lamabizo abo: UOhola uyiSamariya, loOholiba uyiJerusalema.
The older [sister] was Oholah, and her [younger] sister was Oholibah. [It was as though] they became my [wives. Later] they gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah represents Samaria, and Oholibah represents Jerusalem.
5 UOhola wasesenza ubuwule engaphansi kwami, wakhanuka izithandwa zakhe, amaAsiriya aseduze,
Oholah acted like a prostitute while she was [still] my wife. She desired to have sex with those she loved—soldiers from Assyria.
6 agqoke okuluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka, abalawulimabutho lababusi, bonke bengamajaha aloyisekayo, abagadi bamabhiza begade amabhiza.
[Some of them] were army officers and commanders. They wore [beautiful] blue [uniforms. They were] all handsome young men. Some of them rode horses.
7 Ngokunjalo wanika ubuwule bakhe kubo, bonke belikhethelo labantwana beAsiriya, lakubo bonke obakhanukayo; wazingcolisa ngazo zonke izithombe zabo.
She acted like a prostitute toward all the important Assyrian officials, and became unacceptable to me by worshiping all the idols of the men she wanted to have sex with.
8 Futhi kabuyekelanga ubuwule bakhe abuya labo eGibhithe, ngoba ebutsheni bakhe balala laye, bona-ke bacindezela izingono zobuntombi bakhe, bathululela ukuphinga kwabo phezu kwakhe.
When she was a young woman in Egypt, she started being a prostitute, and [young] men caressed her breasts and had sex with her; and when she became older, she did not quit acting like a prostitute.
9 Ngakho ngamnikela esandleni sezithandwa zakhe, esandleni sabantwana beAsiriya ayebakhanuka.
So I allowed the Assyrian soldiers, whom she wanted to have sex with, to capture her.
10 Bona baveza ubunqunu bakhe; bathatha amadodana lamadodakazi akhe, bambulala ngenkemba; wasesiba libizo phakathi kwabesifazana, lapho benza isahlulelo phezu kwakhe.
They stripped all her clothes off her. They took away her sons and daughters. And then they killed her with a sword. [Other] women started talking about what had happened to her, about how she had been punished.
11 Kwathi umnawakhe uOholiba ekubona, wonakala ekukhanukeni kwakhe kulaye, lebuwuleni bakhe okwedlula ubuwule bukadadewabo.
[younger] sister Oholibah saw those [that happened to Oholah], but she was a prostitute, and she desired to have sex with men more than [older] sister had desired.
12 Wakhanuka abantwana beAsiriya, abalawulimabutho lababusi abaseduze, abagqoke okupheleleyo, abagadi bamabhiza begade amabhiza, bonke bengamajaha akhanukekayo.
Oholibah [also] wanted to have sex with the Assyrian soldiers. [Some of them were] army officers and commanders. [They all] wore beautiful blue uniforms. They were all handsome young men. [Some of] them rode horses.
13 Ngasengibona ukuthi ungcolisiwe; bobabili babelendlelanye.
I saw what she did that caused her to became unacceptable to me, just like [older] sister.
14 Wasesengezelela ebuwuleni bakhe; lapho ebona abesilisa bebazwe ngokugujwa emdulini, izithombe zamaKhaladiya zibazwe ngokugujwa ngokubomvu,
But she did [even] worse things. She saw drawings of men from Babylonia on the walls, painted in red.
15 bebhince ibhanti ezinkalweni zabo, belamaqhiye alengayo emakhanda abo, bonke bekhangeleka beyiziphathamandla, umfanekiso wabantwana beBhabhiloni, beKhaladiya, ilizwe lokuzalwa kwabo.
The [in the drawings] had belts around their waists and long turbans on their heads. They all resembled officers from Babylonia [DOU] [who rode in chariots].
16 Wasebakhanuka ekubaboneni ngamehlo akhe, wathuma izithunywa kubo eKhaladiya.
As soon as she saw those drawings, she wanted to have sex with those men, and she sent messages to them in Babylonia.
17 Amadodana eBhabhiloni afika kuye embhedeni wothando, amngcolisa ngokuphinga kwawo, wasengcoliswa yiwo; khona umphefumulo wakhe wehlukaniswa lawo.
Then the soldiers from Babylonia came to her, they lay in bed with her, and they had sex with her. Then she became disgusted with them and turned away from them.
18 Wasesembula ubuwule bakhe, wembula ubunqunu bakhe; khona umphefumulo wami wehlukaniswa laye, njengalokhu umphefumulo wami wehlukaniswa lodadewabo.
But when she continued to openly/boldly act like a prostitute [DOU], I became disgusted with her, and I rejected her like I had rejected [older] sister.
19 Kodwa wandisa ubuwule bakhe, ngokukhumbula izinsuku zobutsha bakhe afebe ngazo elizweni leGibhithe.
But she became even more immoral, as she remembered when she was a young woman who was a prostitute in Egypt.
20 Wasekhanuka izithandwa zabo, onyama yazo iyinyama yabobabhemi, lokukhihliza kwazo kuyikukhihliza kwamabhiza.
There she wanted to have sex with those who loved her, whose genitals were [very long], like [SIM] those of donkeys, and whose sexual emissions were huge, [like] those of horses.
21 Ngokunjalo wena wakhumbula amanyala obutsha bakho, ekucindezelweni kwengono zakho ngamaGibhithe, ngenxa yamabele obutsha bakho.
So she desired to be immoral like she was when she was young, when men in Egypt caressed her bosom and fondled her breasts.”
22 Ngakho, wena Oholiba, itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizavusa izithandwa zakho zimelane lawe, owehlukana lazo umphefumulo wakho, ngizilethe zimelane lawe zivela inhlangothi zonke;
“[represents you people of Jerusalem]. Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘I will cause those [soldiers] who loved you but whom you turned away from because you became disgusted with them, to be angry with you. I will cause them to come and attack you from every side—
23 abantwana beBhabhiloni, lamaKhaladiya wonke, iPekodi, leShowa, leKowa, labo bonke abantwana beAsiriya kanye labo, bonke bengamajaha akhanukekayo, abalawulimabutho, lababusi, izinduna, labalodumo, bonke begade amabhiza.
soldiers from Babylon and all the other places in Babylonia, [their allies] from Pekod and Shoa and [regions], and all the army of Assyria. [Yes], all of them are handsome young men, army officers and commanders, officers who ride in chariots, all riding on horses.
24 Njalo bazakuza bemelene lawe belezikhali, izinqola, lamavili, langexuku labantu; bazamisa bemelene lawe ihawu lesihlangu lekhowa inhlangothi zonke; njalo ngizabeka isigwebo phambi kwabo, bakugwebe njengokwezigwebo zabo.
Their huge army will attack you with weapons, riding in chariots and pulling wagons [that will carry their army supplies]. They will surround you, carrying large and small shields, and wearing helmets. I will allow them to capture you and punish you in the way that they [always] [their enemies].
25 Njalo ngizabeka ubukhwele bami bumelane lawe, bakuphathe ngolaka; bazasusa impumulo yakho lendlebe zakho, lensali yakho izakuwa ngenkemba; bona bazathatha amadodana lamadodakazi akho, lensali yakho izadliwa ngumlilo.
Because I am very angry with you, I will cause them to act [very] furiously toward you. They will cut off your noses and your ears. Then, those who are still alive, they will kill with their swords. They will take away your sons and daughters, and a fire will burn up those who remain alive.
26 Futhi bazakuhlubula izigqoko zakho, bathathe iziceciso zakho ezinhle.
They will strip off your clothes and your fine jewelry and take them away.
27 Ngokunjalo ngizaqeda amanyala akho kuwe, lobuwule bakho owasuka labo elizweni leGibhithe, ukuze ungabe uphakamisela amehlo akho kubo, ungabe usakhumbula iGibhithe.
In that way, I will stop all the immoral behavior that began when you became a prostitute in Egypt. You will no longer desire to do those things, or think [what you did in] Egypt.’
28 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizakunikela esandleni salabo obazondayo, esandleni salabo umphefumulo wakho owehlukaniswe labo.
This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘I am about to allow those whom you hate, those you became disgusted with and turned away from, to capture you.
29 Njalo bazakuphatha ngenzondo, bathathe wonke umtshikatshika wakho, bakutshiye unqunu uze; lobunqunu bobuwule bakho buzakwembulwa, lamanyala akho lobuwule bakho.
They will be cruel and take away everything that you have worked hard to acquire. They will leave you completely naked [DOU], and everyone will see that you truly are a prostitute.
30 Lezizinto zizakwenziwa kuwe, ngoba ulandele abezizweni ngokuwula, langenxa yokuthi wangcoliswa ngezithombe zabo.
It is because of what you have done that you will be punished like that; you have been an immoral prostitute; you have had sex with men of other nations, and you have caused yourselves to become unacceptable to me [worshiping] their idols.
31 Uhambile ngendlela kadadewenu; ngakho ngizanikela inkezo yakhe esandleni sakho.
You have behaved [the people of Samaria, who are like] your [older] sister. So I will cause you to be punished [MET] like they were punished.’
32 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Uzanatha inkezo kadadewenu ezikileyo lebanzi; uzakuba yinhlekisa lokuklolodelwa; imumethe okunengi.
This is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘[You will suffer like people suffer when they drink from a cup a lot of strong alcoholic drink]: [It will be as though] you will drink from the cup that the people of Samaria drank from; a big and tall cup. Because of your drinking what is in that cup, many people will scorn you and make fun of you because there is a lot of liquid in that cup.
33 Uzagcwala ukudakwa losizi, inkezo yesesabiso lencithakalo, inkezo kadadewenu iSamariya.
When you become very drunk, you will become very sad, [drinking what is in] that cup [MTY] will cause you to become ruined and deserted, like what happened [MET] to [the people of] Samaria, [who are like] [MET] your sister.
34 Yebo, uzayinatha, uyibhije, uphahlaze indengezi zayo, utshuphule amabele akho; ngoba ngikhulumile, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
You will drink all the liquid that is in that cup; then you will break that cup into pieces [use those pieces to] gash/cut your [because you will be very sad].’ [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
35 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba ungikhohliwe, wangilahlela ngemva komhlana wakho, ngakho lawe thwala amanyala akho lobuwule bakho.
Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘Because you have forgotten me and rejected me [IDM], you must be punished for your immoral behavior and for [like] a prostitute.’”
36 INkosi yathi futhi kimi: Ndodana yomuntu, uzakwahlulela uOhola loOholiba yini? Yebo, batshele izinengiso zabo.
Yahweh said to me, “You human, you must [RHQ] [the people of those two cities represented by] Oholah and Oholibah. You must remind them of their detestable behavior:
37 Ngoba bafebile, legazi lisezandleni zabo, njalo bafebile lezithombe zabo, futhi lamadodana abo, abangizalele wona, bawadabulise emlilweni ukuthi abe yikudla.
[It is as though the people of those cities] have committed adultery and have murdered [MTY] people. They have been unfaithful to me by [worshiping] idols. They have even sacrificed their own children, who belonged to me, to be food for their idols.
38 Babuye benza lokhu kimi: Bangcolise indawo yami engcwele ngalolosuku, bangcolisa lamasabatha ami.
They have done [disgraceful things]: They have caused my temple to be an unacceptable place for worship, and have not respected the Sabbath days.
39 Ngoba sebebulalele izithombe zabo abantwana babo, basebengena ngalona lolosuku endaweni yami engcwele ukuthi bayingcolise; khangela-ke, benze njalo phakathi kwendlu yami.
On the same day that they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my temple, which caused it to be an unacceptable place for worshiping me.
40 Lalokho ukuthi bathumele kumadoda avela khatshana, okwathunywa kiwo isithunywa, khangela-ke, afika; owawagezelayo, wacomba amehlo akho, wazicecisa ngeziceciso.
They sent messages to men [in countries] far away. And when those men arrived, [the women of those two cities] bathed themselves for them, painted their eyebrows, and put on jewelry.
41 Wahlala embhedeni okhazimulayo, letafula lalungiswa phambi kwawo, owabeka phezu kwalo impepha yami lamafutha ami.
They sat on a beautiful couch, with a table in front of it on which they had put incense and [olive] oil that belonged to me.
42 Lelizwi lexuku elonwabileyo lalilaye; lakumadoda exuku labantu kwalethwa amaSabeya avela enkangala, afaka amasongo ezandleni zawo, lomqhele omuhle emakhanda awo.
Soon there was a noisy crowd around them. Among the crowd there were men from Sheba who had come from the [of Arabia]. They put bracelets on the arms of the [two] sisters and put beautiful crowns on their heads.
43 Ngasengisithi kowesifazana owayeguge ngokufeba: Khathesi bazakwenza ubuwule laye, yena-ke labo.
Then I said about the woman who had become exhausted by her having sex with many men, ‘Now allow those men to act toward her as though she is a prostitute, because that is all that she is.’
44 Basebengena kuye, njengoba besiya kowesifazana oyisifebe; ngokunjalo bangena kuOhola lakuOholiba, abesifazana abalamanyala.
So they had sex [EUP] with those two women, Oholah and Oholibah, like men have sex with prostitutes.
45 Kodwa amadoda alungileyo wona azabagweba, ngokwendlela yezifebekazi langendlela yabesifazana abachitha igazi; ngoba bayizifebekazi, njalo igazi lisezandleni zabo.
But righteous men will condemn them to be punished, like women who commit adultery and who murder others are punished, because those women commit adultery and they murder [MTY] others.
46 Ngoba itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngizabenyusela ixuku, ngibanikele babe yisesabiso njalo babe yimpango.
So this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord, say: Bring a mob to attack Samaria and Jerusalem, and allow that mob to cause the people of those cities to be terrified, and to rob them.
47 Njalo ixuku lizabakhanda ngamatshe, libaqume ngezinkemba zalo, libulale amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo, litshise izindlu zabo ngomlilo.
The mob will throw stones at [to kill them]; they will cut them into pieces with their swords, they will kill their sons and daughters, and burn down their houses.
48 Ngokunjalo ngizakwenza amanyala aphele elizweni, ukuze bonke abesifazana bafundiswe ukuthi bangenzi ngokwamanyala enu.
In that way I will cause them to stop their immoral behavior. It will warn other women to not imitate/do what you people of Jerusalem are doing.
49 Ngokunjalo bazabeka amanyala enu phezu kwenu, lithwale izono zezithombe zenu. Lizakwazi-ke ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.
[people of Jerusalem] will be punished for your immoral behavior and for your worshiping idols. Then you will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
