UHezekheli 24
1 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi, ngomnyaka wesificamunwemunye, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngolwetshumi lwenyanga, lisithi:
Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 Ndodana yomuntu, zibhalele ibizo losuku, lwalona lolusuku; inkosi yeBhabhiloni yazimisa ukumelana leJerusalema ngalona lolusuku.
“You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
3 Njalo tshono umfanekiso kuyo indlu evukelayo uthi kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Beka imbiza, ibeke, futhi uthele amanzi kuyo,
Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
4 ubuthele iziqa zayo kiyo, zonke iziqa ezinhle, umlenze lomkhono, uyigcwalise ngekhethelo lamathambo.
Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
5 Thatha ikhethelo lomhlambi, ubuthelele lamathambo ngaphansi kwayo, kwenze kubile kuhle, kuphekwe lamathambo awo phakathi kwayo.
Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
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.
[Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
7 Ngoba igazi lawo liphakathi kwawo, ulibeke edwaleni elize, kawulithululelanga phezu komhlabathi ukuligqibela ngenhlabathi.
The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
8 Ukuze ngivuse intukuthelo, ukuze ngiphindisele impindiselo, ngibekile igazi lawo edwaleni elize, ukuze lingagqitshelwa.
But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
9 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Maye kuwo umuzi wegazi! Lami ngizakwenza ibonda libe likhulu.
Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
10 Yandisa izinkuni, uphembe umlilo, uqede inyama, uxubanise izinongo, lamathambo atshiswe.
[So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
11 Ubusuyibeka phezu kwamalahle ayo ingelalutho, ukuze kutshise kuvuthe ithusi layo, lokungcola kwayo kuncibilike phakathi kwayo, kuqedwe umengulo wayo.
Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
12 Izidinisile ngomtshikatshika, lomengulo wayo omnengi kawuphumanga kuyo. Umengulo wayo usemlilweni.
[It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
13 Kulamanyala ekungcoleni kwakho; ngoba ngikuhlambulule, kodwa kawuhlambulukanga, kawuyikuhlambuluka ekungcoleni kwakho futhi, ngize ngihlalise ukuthukuthela kwami phezu kwakho.
The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
14 Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile; kuzafika, ngikwenze; kangiyikuyekela, kangiyikuba lesihawu, kangiyikuzisola; njengokwendlela zakho lanjengokwezenzo zakho bazakugweba, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
15 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi, lisithi:
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
16 Ndodana yomuntu, khangela, ngizasusa kuwe isiloyiso samehlo akho ngokutshaya; kodwa ungalili, ungakhali inyembezi, futhi inyembezi zakho zingaveli.
“You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
17 Bubula, uthule, ungenzi isililo ngabafileyo, ubophe iqhiye yakho phezu kwakho, ufake amanyathela akho enyaweni zakho, ungambombozi indevu zendebe yakho yangaphezulu, ungadli isinkwa sabantu.
Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
18 Ngasengikhuluma labantu ekuseni, lakusihlwa umkami wafa. Ngasengisenza ekuseni njengokulaywa kwami.
[one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
19 Abantu basebesithi kimi: Kawuyikusitshela yini ukuthi lezizinto ziyini kithi, ukuthi wenze nje?
Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
20 Ngasengisithi kubo: Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi lisithi:
So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
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 Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
22 Khona lizakwenza njengoba ngenzile; kaliyikumbomboza indevu zendebe yangaphezulu, kaliyikudla isinkwa sabantu.
[When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
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 wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
24 Ngokunjalo uHezekeli uzakuba yisibonakaliso kini; lizakwenza njengakho konke akwenzileyo; lapho sekufika lokhu, lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi uJehova.
Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
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,
[Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
26 ngalolosuku kuzafika kuwe ophunyukileyo, ukwenza indlebe zakho zizwe?
On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
27 Ngalolosuku umlomo wakho uzavulekela yena ophunyukileyo; njalo uzakhuluma, ungabe usaba yisimungulu; ngokunjalo uzakuba yisibonakaliso kubo; khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
