UHezekheli 9
1 Wasememeza ezindlebeni zami ngelizwi elikhulu esithi: Yenza ababonisi bomuzi basondele, ngitsho wonke umuntu elesikhali sakhe sokuchitha esandleni sakhe.
And he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying: The visitations of the city are at hand, and every one hath a destroying weapon in his hand.
2 Khangela-ke, amadoda ayisithupha eza evela ngendlela yesango eliphezulu elikhangele ngasenyakatho; njalo wonke umuntu elesikhali sakhe sokuphahlaza esandleni sakhe; njalo umuntu oyedwa phakathi kwawo wayegqoke ilembu elicolekileyo, elophondo lweyinki lombhali ngasokhalweni lwakhe; asengena, ema duze kwelathi lethusi.
And behold six men came from the way of the upper gate, which looketh to the north: and each one had his weapon of destruction in his hand: and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn at his reins: and they went in, and stood by the brazen altar.
3 Lenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli yenyuka isuka ngaphezu kwekherubhi eyayiphezu kwalo, yaya embundwini wendlu; wasememeza umuntu owayegqoke ilembu elicolekileyo owayelophondo lweyinki lombhali okhalweni lwakhe.
And the glory of the Lord of Israel went up from the cherub, upon which he was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man that was clothed with linen, and had a writer’s inkhorn at his loins.
4 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Dabula phakathi komuzi, phakathi kweJerusalema, ufake uphawu emabunzini abantu ababubulayo labakhalayo ngenxa yazo zonke izinengiso ezenziwa phakathi kwawo.
And the Lord said to him: Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem: and mark Thau upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and mourn for all the abominations that are committed in the midst thereof.
5 Lakwabanye yathi endlebeni yami: Dabulani phakathi komuzi emva kwakhe, litshaye, ilihlo lenu lingahawukeli, njalo lingayekeli.
And to the others he said in my hearing: Go ye after him through the city, and strike: let not your eyes spare, nor be ye moved with pity.
6 Bulalani ngokuchitha abadala, abatsha, lezintombi, labantwana abancinyane, labesifazana; kodwa lingasondeli lakuwuphi umuntu okulophawu phezu kwakhe, liqalise endaweni yami engcwele. Basebeqalisa emadodeni amadala ayephambi kwendlu.
Utterly destroy old and young, maidens, children and women: but upon whomsoever you shall see Thau, kill him not, and begin ye at my sanctuary. So they began at the ancient men who mere before the house.
7 Yasisithi kubo: Ngcolisani indlu, ligcwalise amaguma ngababuleweyo. Phumani. Basebephuma, babulala emzini.
And he said to them: Defile the house, and ill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew them that were in the city.
8 Kwasekusithi besababulala, mina-ke ngasala, ngathi mbo ngobuso bami, ngakhala ngathi: Hawu, Nkosi Jehova! Uzachitha yini yonke insali yakoIsrayeli ekuthululeni kwakho intukuthelo yakho phezu kweJerusalema?
And the slaughter being ended I was left: and I fell upon my face, and crying, I said: Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God, wilt thou then destroy all the remnant of Israel, by pouring out thy fury upon Jerusalem?
9 Khona yathi kimi: Ububi bendlu yakoIsrayeli loJuda bukhulu kakhulukazi, lelizwe ligcwele amacala egazi, lomuzi ugcwele ukuphambuka, ngoba bathi: INkosi ilidelile ilizwe, njalo iNkosi kayiboni.
And he said to me: The iniquity of the house of Israel, and of Juda, is exceeding great, and the land is filled with blood, and the city is filled with perverseness: for they have said: The Lord hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not.
10 Lami-ke ilihlo lami kaliyikuhawukela, njalo kangiyikuyekela; ngizakwehlisela indlela yabo ekhanda labo.
Therefore neither shall my eye spare, nor will I have pity: I will requite their way upon their head.
11 Khangela-ke, lowomuntu owayegqoke ilembu elicolekileyo, owayelophondo lweyinki okhalweni lwakhe, wabuyisela ilizwi esithi: Ngenzile njengoba ungilayile.
And behold the man that was clothed with linen, that had the inkhorn at his back, returned the word, saying: I have done as thou hast commanded me.
