UHezekheli 4
1 Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, zithathele isitina, usibeke phambi kwakho, ubhale ngokugubha kiso umuzi, iJerusalema;
“Son of man, you are to take a brick, put in front of you, and draw a picture of the city of Jerusalem on it.
2 wenze ukuvinjezelwa umelene lawo, wakhe inqaba umelene lawo, ubuthelele idundulu umelene lawo, wenze izinkamba umelene lawo, umise izinqama zokudiliza inhlangothi zonke zimelene lawo.
Show that it's under siege: establish a siege perimeter all around it, build a siege ramp against it, set up the enemy camps beside it, and put battering rams on all sides around it.
3 Futhi wena uzithathele umganu wensimbi, uwumise ube ngumduli wensimbi phakathi kwakho lomuzi; umise ubuso bakho bumelene lawo, njalo ube sekuvinjezelweni, futhi uzawuvimbezela. Lokhu kuzakuba yisibonakaliso kundlu kaIsrayeli.
Put an iron plate between yourself and the city so it's like an iron wall. Face the city and demonstrate that it's under siege, and that you are the one attacking it. This is a symbolic warning to the people of Israel.
4 Futhi wena lala ngomhlubulo wakho wangasekhohlo, ubeke isiphambeko sendlu kaIsrayeli phezu kwayo; njengokwenani lezinsuku ozalala phezu kwawo uzathwala isiphambeko sabo.
Then lie on your left side and take the Israelites' sins on yourself. You will carry their sins for the number of days you lie on your side.
5 Ngoba mina ngikumisele iminyaka yesiphambeko sabo, njengokwenani lezinsuku, izinsuku ezingamakhulu amathathu layisificamunwemunye; ngokunjalo uzathwala isiphambeko sendlu kaIsrayeli.
I will make you stay there for 390 days, representing the number of years of their sins. You will bear the sins of the Israelites.
6 Lapho usuziphelelisile lezo, lala okwesibili ngomhlubulo wakho wangakwesokunene, uthwale isiphambeko sendlu kaJuda insuku ezingamatshumi amane; ngikunike usuku lube ngumnyaka, usuku lube ngumnyaka.
Once you have finished doing this for these days, then you are to lie down again, but this time on your right side, and carry the sins of the people of Judah. I will make you stay there for 40 days, one day for every year.
7 Ngakho uzamisa ubuso bakho ekuvinjezelweni kweJerusalema, lengalo yakho izakwembulwa, uprofethe umelene layo.
Keep your face towards the siege of Jerusalem with your arm bared, and prophesy against it.
8 Khangela-ke, ngizabeka izibopho phezu kwakho, ukuze ungaphenduki usuka komunye umhlubulo usiya komunye umhlubulo, uze uqede izinsuku zokuvimbezela kwakho.
Be ready, because now I'm going to tie you up with ropes so you can't move from side to side until the days of your siege are over.
9 Futhi wena zithathele ingqoloyi lebhali lendumba lamalentili lenyawuthi lespelite, ukubeke esitsheni esisodwa, uzenzele kube yisinkwa; njengokwenani lezinsuku olala ngazo ngomhlubulo wakho, izinsuku ezingamakhulu amathathu lesificamunwemunye uzakudla sona.
Get some wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt, and mix them together in a storage jar. Use them to make bread for yourself. This is what you are to eat for the 390 days that you lie on your side.
10 Lokudla kwakho ozakudla kuzakuba ngesilinganiso, amashekeli angamatshumi amabili ngelanga; ukudle isikhathi ngesikhathi.
You are allowed to eat twenty shekels weight of food each day, and you are to eat it at regular times.
11 Lamanzi uzawanatha ngesilinganiso, ingxenye yesithupha yehini, uwanathe isikhathi ngesikhathi.
Measure out a sixth of a hin of water to drink, and you are to drink it at regular times.
12 Njalo uzakudla iqebelengwana lebhali, ulipheke emehlweni abo ngamalongwe aphuma emuntwini.
You are to eat the bread as you would a barley loaf. You are to bake it over a fire burning dried human excrement as everyone watches.”
13 INkosi yasisithi: Ngokunjalo abantwana bakoIsrayeli bazakudla isinkwa sabo esingcolileyo phakathi kwezizwe engizabaxotshela kuzo.
Then the Lord said, “This is the way the Israelites will eat their unclean bread among the nations where I'll exile them.”
14 Ngasengisithi: Hawu Nkosi Jehova! Khangela, umphefumulo wami kawuzanga ungcoliswe; ngoba kwasebutsheni bami kuze kube lakhathesi kangizanga ngidle okuzifeleyo kumbe okudatshuliweyo, njalo kakulanyama enengekayo eseyake yangena emlonyeni wami.
“Please no, Lord God!” I answered. “I have never made myself unclean. I haven't eaten anything found dead or killed by wild animals from the time I was young until now. I've never put unclean meat in my mouth.”
15 Yasisithi kimi: Bona, ngikunike amalongwe enkomo esikhundleni samalongwe omuntu, njalo uzalungisa isinkwa sakho ngawo.
“All right,” he said. “I'll let you use cow manure instead of human excrement You can bake your bread over a fire using that.”
16 Yathi futhi kimi: Ndodana yomuntu, khangela, ngizakwephula udondolo lwesinkwa eJerusalema; njalo bazakudla isinkwa ngesisindo langokunqineka, banathe amanzi ngesilinganiso langovalo;
Then he went on, “Son of man, watch! I am going to put a stop to Jerusalem's food supply. Worried sick, they will eat bread rationed by weight. Despairing at what's happening, they will drink water measured in small amounts.
17 ukuze baswele isinkwa lamanzi, bethuke omunye lomunye, bacikizeke ngobubi babo.
Running out of food and water, they will be horrified as they look at one another wasting away because of their sins.”
