UHezekheli 36
1 Wena-ke ndodana yomuntu, profetha kuzo izintaba zakoIsrayeli, uthi: Lina zintaba zakoIsrayeli, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi.
You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, “You mountains of Israel, hear the LORD’s word.
2 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba isitha sitshilo simelene lani: Aha, ngitsho izindawo zasendulo eziphakemeyo ziyilifa lethu;
The Lord GOD says: ‘Because the enemy has said against you, “Aha!” and, “The ancient high places are ours in possession!”’
3 ngakho profetha uthi: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba, yebo, ngoba bakwenze incithakalo, baliginya inhlangothi zonke, ukuze libe yilifa kuyo insali yabezizwe, liphakanyiswa endebeni zolimi, laba lunyeyo lwabantu;
therefore prophesy, and say, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Because, even because they have made you desolate, and swallowed you up on every side, that you might be a possession to the residue of the nations, and you are taken up in the lips of talkers, and the evil report of the people;”
4 ngakho, lina zintaba zakoIsrayeli, zwanini ilizwi leNkosi uJehova: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova ezintabeni, lemaqaqeni, emifuleni, lezihotsheni, lemanxiweni achithekileyo, lemizini etshiyiweyo, esibe yimpango lenhlekisa kunsali yezizwe ezizingelezeleyo.
therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: The Lord GOD says to the mountains and to the hills, to the watercourses and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which have become a prey and derision to the residue of the nations that are all around;
5 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Isibili ngomlilo wobukhwele bami sengikhulume ngimelene lensali yabezizwe, ngimelene leEdoma yonke, abazinikele ilizwe lami ukuthi libe yilifa ngentokozo yenhliziyo yonke, ngengqondo yokudelela, ngenxa yokuliphosa libe yimpango.
therefore the Lord GOD says: “Surely in the fire of my jealousy I have spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed my land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.”’
6 Ngakho profetha ngelizwe lakoIsrayeli, uthi ezintabeni, lemaqaqeni, emifuleni, lezihotsheni: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Khangela, ngikhulumile ebukhweleni bami lelakeni lwami, ngoba lithwele ihlazo lezizwe.
Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell the mountains, the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Behold, I have spoken in my jealousy and in my wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations.”
7 Ngakho itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Mina ngiphakamisile isandla sami. Isibili izizwe ezilihanqileyo, yizo ezizathwala ihlazo lazo.
Therefore the Lord GOD says: “I have sworn, ‘Surely the nations that are around you will bear their shame.’
8 Kodwa lina, zintaba zakoIsrayeli, lizaveza ingatsha zenu, lithele isithelo senu kubantu bami uIsrayeli, ngoba basondela ukubuya.
“‘“But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot out your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they are at hand to come.
9 Ngoba, khangelani, ngilani, ngiphendukele ngakini, njalo lizalinywa lihlanyelwe.
For, behold, I am for you, and I will come to you, and you will be tilled and sown.
10 Njalo ngizakwandisa abantu phezu kwenu, yonke indlu kaIsrayeli, yona yonke; lemizi izahlalwa, lamanxiwa azakwakhiwa.
I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it. The cities will be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
11 Njalo ngizakwandisa phezu kwenu umuntu lenyamazana, njalo kuzakwanda kuthele izithelo; ngilenze lihlale njengasezindaweni zenu zendulo, ngikwenze kube kuhle kulezikhathi zenu zokuqala. Khona lizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
I will multiply man and animal on you. They will increase and be fruitful. I will cause you to be inhabited as you were before, and you will do better than at your beginnings. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
12 Yebo ngizakwenza abantu bahambe phezu kwenu, abantu bami uIsrayeli; badle ilifa lakho, wena ube yilifa labo, kawusayikubenza bafelwe ngabantwana futhi.
Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even my people Israel. They will possess you, and you will be their inheritance, and you will never again bereave them of their children.”
13 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Ngoba bathi kini: Wena ungumudli wabantu, wenze izizwe zakho zifelwe ngabantwana.
“‘The Lord GOD says: “Because they say to you, ‘You are a devourer of men, and have been a bereaver of your nation;’
14 Ngakho kawusayikudla abantu, kawusayikukhubekisa izizwe zakho, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
therefore you shall devour men no more, and not bereave your nation any more,” says the Lord GOD.
15 Njalo kangisayikuzwakalisa kuwe ihlazo lezizwe, kawusayikuthwala inhloni zabantu, kawusayikukhubekisa izizwe, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
“I won’t let you hear the shame of the nations any more. You won’t bear the reproach of the peoples any more, and you won’t cause your nation to stumble any more,” says the Lord GOD.’”
16 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
Moreover the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
17 Ndodana yomuntu, abendlu kaIsrayeli besahlala elizweni lakibo, balingcolisa ngendlela yabo langezenzo zabo; indlela yabo phambi kwami yayifanana lokungcola kowesifazana osemfuleni.
“Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and by their deeds. Their way before me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.
18 Ngakho ngathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ngenxa yegazi ababelichithe elizweni, langenxa yezithombe zabo ababelingcolise ngazo.
Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols.
19 Ngasengibahlakaza phakathi kwezizwe, basabalaliswa phakathi kwamazwe; ngabahlulela njengokwendlela yabo lanjengokwezenzo zabo.
I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. I judged them according to their way and according to their deeds.
20 Lapho befika kwabezizwe, lapho abaya khona, bangcolisa ibizo lami elingcwele, lapho kwathiwa ngabo: Laba ngabantu beNkosi, baphume elizweni layo.
When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name, in that men said of them, ‘These are the LORD’s people, and have left his land.’
21 Kodwa ngalihawukela ibizo lami elingcwele, indlu kaIsrayeli eyayilingcolise phakathi kwezizwe, lapho abaya khona.
But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.
22 Ngakho tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kangikwenzi ngenxa yenu, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli, kodwa ngenxa yebizo lami elingcwele, elilingcolisileyo phakathi kwezizwe, lapho elaya khona.
“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “I don’t do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.
23 Njalo ngizangcwelisa ibizo lami elikhulu, elingcoliswe phakathi kwezizwe, elilingcolisileyo phakathi kwazo; lezizwe zizakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, itsho iNkosi uJehova, lapho ngizangcweliswa kini emehlweni abo.
I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the LORD,” says the Lord GOD, “when I am proven holy in you before their eyes.
24 Ngoba ngizalithatha ezizweni, ngilibuthe emazweni wonke, ngililethe elizweni lenu.
“‘“For I will take you from among the nations and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 Khona ngizafafaza amanzi ahlambulukileyo phezu kwenu, lihlambuluke; kukho konke ukungcola kwenu, lakuzo zonke izithombe zenu, ngizalihlambulula.
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.
26 Ngilinike inhliziyo entsha, ngifake umoya omutsha phakathi kwenu, ngisuse inhliziyo yelitshe enyameni yenu, ngilinike inhliziyo yenyama.
I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you. I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 Ngifake uMoya wami phakathi kwenu, ngilenze ukuthi lihambe ngezimiso zami, ligcine izahlulelo zami lizenze.
I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes. You will keep my ordinances and do them.
28 Lizahlala-ke elizweni engalinika oyihlo, libe ngabantu bami, lami ngibe nguNkulunkulu wenu.
You will dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
29 Njalo ngizalisindisa kukho konke ukungcola kwenu; ngibize amabele, ngiwandise, ngingabeki ndlala phezu kwenu.
I will save you from all your uncleanness. I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.
30 Ngandise isithelo sesihlahla, lesivuno sensimu, ukuze lingaphindi lemukele ihlazo lendlala phakathi kwezizwe.
I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.
31 Khona lizakhumbula izindlela zenu ezimbi lezenzo zenu ezingalunganga; linengeke ngani ngokwenu ngobubi benu langenxa yezinengiso zenu.
“‘“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.
32 Kangikwenzi ngenxa yenu, itsho iNkosi uJehova; kakwaziwe kini. Banini lenhloni libe lehlazo ngenxa yezindlela zenu, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli.
I don’t do this for your sake,” says the Lord GOD. “Let it be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.”
33 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Mhla ngilihlambulula kubo bonke ububi benu, ngizakwenza imizi ihlalwe, lamanxiwa akhiwe.
“‘The Lord GOD says: “In the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places will be built.
34 Lelizwe elichithekileyo lizalinywa, endaweni yokuthi beliyinkangala emehlweni abo bonke abadlulayo.
The land that was desolate will be tilled instead of being a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.
35 Njalo bazakuthi: Lelilizwe ebeselichithekile selinjengesivande seEdeni; lemizi eyinkangala lengamanxiwa lediliziweyo isibiyelwe yahlalwa.
They will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden. The waste, desolate, and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.’
36 Khona izizwe ezisele zilizingelezele zizakwazi ukuthi mina iNkosi ngakha indawo ezidiliziweyo, ngihlanyele ezichithekileyo. Mina Nkosi ngikhulumile, ngizakwenza.
Then the nations that are left around you will know that I, the LORD, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, the LORD, have spoken it, and I will do it.”
37 Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Langalokhu ngizacelwa yindlu kaIsrayeli, ukuthi ngiyenzele khona; ngizabandisa ngabantu njengomhlambi.
“‘The Lord GOD says: “For this, moreover, I will be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them: I will increase them with men like a flock.
38 Njengomhlambi ongcwele, njengomhlambi weJerusalema emikhosini yawo emisiweyo, ngokunjalo imizi echithekileyo izagcwala ngemihlambi yabantu. Khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi.
As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so the waste cities will be filled with flocks of men. Then they will know that I am the LORD.’”
