< UHezekheli 31 >
1 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wetshumi lanye, ngenyanga yesithathu, ngolokuqala lwenyanga, ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi, lisithi:
2 Ndodana yomuntu, tshono kuFaro inkosi yeGibhithe lexukwini lakhe: Ufanana lobani ebukhulwini bakho?
3 Khangela, iAsiriya yayingumsedari eLebhanoni, omuhle ngengatsha, njengegusu elilomthunzi, njalo umude ngokuphakama, lesihloko sawo sasiphakathi kwengatsha eziqatha.
4 Amanzi awukhulisa, inziki yawuphakamisa, imifula yawo yageleza yazingelezela indawo ohlanyelwe kiyo, wakhuphela izifudlana zawo kuzo zonke izihlahla zeganga.
5 Ngakho-ke ubude bawo baphakama bedlula zonke izihlahla zeganga, lengatsha zawo zanda, lamahlumela awo aba made, ngenxa yamanzi amanengi, lapho uwaphumisa.
6 Lazo zonke izinyoni zamazulu zakha izidleke zazo ezingatsheni zawo, lenyamazana zonke zeganga zazalela ngaphansi kwengatsha zawo, langaphansi komthunzi wawo kwahlala izizwe zonke ezinkulu.
7 Ngokunjalo wawumuhle ebukhulwini bawo, ebudeni bengatsha zawo; ngoba impande yawo yayingasemanzini amanengi.
8 Imisedari esivandeni sikaNkulunkulu yayingewufiphaze; izihlahla zamafiri zazingafanani lengatsha zawo; lezingelamaxolo zazingafanani lamahlumela awo; futhi kwakungekho sihlahla esivandeni sikaNkulunkulu esinjengawo ebuhleni bawo.
9 Ngawenza waba muhle ngobunengi bezingatsha zawo, kwaze kwathi zonke izihlahla zeEdeni, ezazisesivandeni sikaNkulunkulu, zaba lomhawu ngawo.
10 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngenxa yokuthi uziphakamisile ngobude, uthutshise isihloko sawo ngaphakathi kwezingatsha eziqatha, lenhliziyo yawo yaziphakamisa ngobude bawo;
11 ngakho ngizawunikela esandleni solamandla wezizweni; uzakwenza lokwenza lawo; ngiwuxotshile ngenxa yenkohlakalo yawo.
12 Njalo abemzini, abesabekayo bezizwe, bawuqumile bawutshiya; lengatsha zawo ziwele ezintabeni lakuzo zonke izihotsha; lamahlumela akhe ephulwe kuyo yonke imifula yelizwe; labo bonke abantu bomhlaba behlile basuka emthunzini wawo, bawutshiya.
13 Zonke inyoni zamazulu zizahlala phezu kwencithakalo yawo, lazo zonke inyamazana zeganga zizakuba phezu kwengatsha zawo.
14 Ukuze kungabi khona kuzo zonke izihlahla ngasemanzini eziziphakamisayo ngenxa yobude bazo, futhi zingafuqi isihloko sazo ngaphakathi kwezingatsha eziqatha, futhi zingemi ngokwazo ngobude bazo, zonke ezinatha amanzi; ngoba zonke zinikelwe ekufeni endaweni engaphansi yomhlaba, phakathi kwabantwana babantu, kulabo abehlela egodini.
15 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Mhla usehlela engcwabeni ngenza isililo, ngasibekela inziki ngenxa yawo, ngavimba izifula zayo, lamanzi amanengi amiswa; ngenza iLebhanoni ibe mnyama ngenxa yawo, lezihlahla zonke zeganga zabuna ngenxa yawo. (Sheol )
16 Ngenza izizwe zithuthumele ngomdumo wokuwa kwawo, lapho ngiwehlisela esihogweni lalabo abehlela egodini; lazo zonke izihlahla zeEdeni, ikhethelo lokuhle kweLebhanoni, zonke ezinatha amanzi, zaziduduza endaweni engaphansi yomhlaba. (Sheol )
17 Lazo zehlela esihogweni kanye lawo, kulabo ababebulewe ngenkemba; lababeyingalo yawo ababehlala ngaphansi komthunzi wawo phakathi kwezizwe. (Sheol )
18 Ufanana lobani ngokunjalo ngodumo langobukhulu phakathi kwezihlahla zeEdeni? Kanti uzakwehliselwa kanye lezihlahla zeEdeni endaweni engaphansi yomhlaba, ulale phakathi kwabangasokanga, kanye labo ababulewe ngenkemba. Lo nguFaro lexuku lakhe lonke, itsho iNkosi uJehova.