UHezekheli 24
1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi, ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngolwetshumi lwenyanga, lisithi:
On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 Ndodana yomuntu, zibhalele ibizo losuku, lwalona lolusuku; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yazimisa ukumelana leJerusalema ngalona lolusuku.
“Son of man, write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.
3 Njalo tshono umfanekiso kuyo indlu evukelayo uthi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Beka imbiza, ibeke, futhi uthele amanzi kuyo,
Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some water.
4 ubuthele iziqa zayo kiyo, zonke iziqa ezinhle, umlenze lomkhono, uyigcwalise ngekhethelo lamathambo.
Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
5 Thatha ikhethelo lomhlambi, ubuthelele lamathambo ngaphansi kwayo, kwenze kubile kuhle, kuphekwe lamathambo awo phakathi kwayo.
Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.
6 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi, imbiza omengulo wayo uphakathi kwayo, lomengulo wayo kawuphumanga kuyo! Khupha isiqa ngesiqa, inkatho kayingaweli kuyo.
So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.
7 Ngoba igazi lawo liphakathi kwawo, ulibeke edwaleni elize, kawulithululelanga phezu komhlabathi ukuligqibela ngenhlabathi.
For the blood she shed is still inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.
8 Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo, ukuze ngiphindisele impindiselo, ngibekile igazi lawo edwaleni elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.
9 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi! Lami ngizakwenza ibonda libe likhulu.
So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.
10 Yandisa izinkuni, uphembe umlilo, uqede inyama, uxubanise izinongo, lamathambo atshiswe.
Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
11 Ubusuyibeka phezu kwamalahle ayo ingelalutho, ukuze kutshise kuvuthe ithusi layo, lokungcola kwayo kuncibilike phakathi kwayo, kuqedwe umengulo wayo.
Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.
12 Izidinisile ngomtshikatshika, lomengulo wayo omnengi kawuphumanga kuyo. Umengulo wayo usemlilweni.
So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
13 Kulamanyala ekungcoleni kwakho; ngoba ngikuhlambulule, kodwa kawuhlambulukanga, kawuyikuhlambuluka ekungcoleni kwakho futhi, ngize ngihlalise ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwakho.
Because of your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.
14 Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile; kuzafika, ngikwenze; kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lesihawu, kangiyikuzisola; njengokwendlela zakho lanjengokwezenzo zakho bazakugweba, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”
15 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi, lisithi:
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
16 Ndodana yomuntu, khangela, ngizasusa kuwe isiloyiso samehlo akho ngokutshaya; kodwa ungalili, ungakhali inyembezi, futhi inyembezi zakho zingaveli.
“Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.
17 Bubula, uthule, ungenzi isililo ngabafileyo, ubophe iqhiye yakho phezu kwakho, ufake amanyathela akho enyaweni zakho, ungambombozi indevu zendebe yakho yangaphezulu, ungadli isinkwa sabantu.
Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by mourners.”
18 Ngasengikhuluma labantu ekuseni, lakusihlwa umkami wafa. Ngasengisenza ekuseni njengokulaywa kwami.
I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.
19 Abantu basebesithi kimi: Kawuyikusitshela yini ukuthi lezizinto ziyini kithi, ukuthi wenze nje?
The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
20 Ngasengisithi kubo: Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi lisithi:
So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
21 Tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngizangcolisa indawo yami engcwele, udumo lwamandla enu, isiloyiso samehlo enu, lokuzwelwa ngumphefumulo wenu; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu eliwatshiyileyo azakuwa ngenkemba.
Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed by the sword.
22 Khona lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile; kaliyikumbomboza indevu zendebe yangaphezulu, kaliyikudla isinkwa sabantu.
Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.
23 Lamaqhiye enu azakuba phezu kwamakhanda enu, lamanyathela enu ezinyaweni zenu; kaliyikulila kaliyikukhala inyembezi; kodwa lizacikizeka ngenxa yeziphambeko zenu, libubule, omunye komunye.
You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.
24 Ngokunjalo uHezekeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengakho konke akwenzileyo; lapho sekufika lokhu, lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.
In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then you will know that I am the Lord God.
25 Futhi, wena ndodana yomuntu, kakuyikuba njalo yini ngalolosuku lapho engizasusa kubo inqaba yabo, intokozo yobuhle babo, isiloyiso samehlo abo, lokuphakama komphefumulo wabo, amadodana abo lamadodakazi abo,
You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—
26 ngalolosuku kuzafika kuwe ophunyukileyo, ukwenza indlebe zakho zizwe?
when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.
27 Ngalolosuku umlomo wakho uzavulekela yena ophunyukileyo; njalo uzakhuluma, ungabe usaba yisimungulu; ngokunjalo uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo; khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
On that day you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
