Ezekiel 20
1 In the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh, and sat before me.
Ngomnyaka wesikhombisa, ngenyanga yesihlanu ngosuku lwetshumi, abanye babadala bako-Israyeli bafika bezebuza uThixo, bahlala phansi phambi kwami.
2 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
3 “Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Is it to inquire of me that you have come? As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “I will not be inquired of by you.”’
“Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma labadala bako-Israyeli uthi kubo, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Lilande ukuzangibuza na? Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kangiyikulivumela ukuthi lingibuze, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’
4 “Will you judge them, son of man? Will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.
Uzabahlulela na? Uzabahlulela na, ndodana yomuntu? Ngakho batshele ngezenzo zaboyise ezinengayo
5 Tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob, and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, ‘I am Yahweh your God;’
uthi kubo: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ngosuku engakhetha ngalo u-Israyeli, ngafunga kuyo inzalo yendlu kaJakhobe isandla siphakanyisiwe njalo ngiziveza kuyo iGibhithe. Isandla siphakanyisiwe ngathi kubo, “Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
6 in that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.
Ngalolosuku ngafunga kubo ukuthi ngizabakhupha eGibhithe ngibase elizweni engabadingela lona, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, elihle kakhulu kulamazwe wonke.
7 I said to them, ‘Each of you throw away the abominations of his eyes. Don’t defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.’
Njalo ngathi kubo, “Lowo lalowo wenu kalahle izifanekiso ezenyanyekayo elibeke amehlo enu kuzo, njalo lingazingcolisi ngezithombe zaseGibhithe. Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
8 “‘“But they rebelled against me and wouldn’t listen to me. They didn’t all throw away the abominations of their eyes. They also didn’t forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the middle of the land of Egypt.
Kodwa bangihlamukela kabaze bangilalela; kabazilahlanga izithombe zabo ezenyanyekayo ababebeke amehlo abo kuzo, loba balahle izithixo zabo zaseGibhithe. Ngakho ngathi ngizathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ngiqede lokuthukuthela kwami ngimelane labo eGibhithe.
9 But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt.
Kodwa ngenxa yebizo lami, ngenza okwakuzalivikela ekungcolisweni phambi kwezizwe ababehlala phakathi kwazo engiziveze emehlweni azo kwabako-Israyeli ngokubakhupha eGibhithe.
10 So I caused them to go out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness.
Ngakho ngabakhupha eGibhithe ngabasa enkangala.
11 I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, which if a man does, he will live in them.
Ngabanika izimiso zami ngabazisa lemithetho yami, ngoba umuntu oyilalelayo uzaphila ngayo.
12 Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.
Njalo ngabanika lamaSabatha ami njengesibonakaliso phakathi kwami labo, ukuze bakwazi ukuthi mina Thixo ngabenza baba ngcwele.
13 “‘“But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness. They didn’t walk in my statutes and they rejected my ordinances, which if a man keeps, he shall live in them. They greatly profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.
Kodwa abantu bako-Israyeli bangihlamukela enkangala. Kabazilandelanga izimiso zami kodwa bayala imithetho yami, njalo batshaphaza amaSabatha ami kakhulu, ngakho umuntu oyilalelayo uzaphila ngayo. Ngokunjalo ngathi ngizathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ngibaqede du enkangala.
14 But I worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.
Kodwa ngenxa yebizo lami, ngenza okwakuzalivikela ekungcolisweni phambi kwezizwe engabakhupha zikhangele.
15 Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands,
Njalo isandla siphakanyisiwe ngafunga kubo enkangala ukuthi angiyikubafikisa elizweni engangibaphe lona, ilizwe eligeleza uchago loluju, elihle kakhulu kulamazwe wonke,
16 because they rejected my ordinances, and didn’t walk in my statutes, and profaned my Sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols.
ngoba imithetho yami bayala njalo kabalandelanga izimiso zami, batshaphaza lamaSabatha ami futhi. Ngoba inhliziyo zabo zazinamathele ezithombeni zabo.
17 Nevertheless my eye spared them, and I didn’t destroy them. I didn’t make a full end of them in the wilderness.
Ikanti ngabazwela isihawu kangaze ngababhubhisa kumbe ngibaqede enkangala.
18 I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Don’t walk in the statutes of your fathers. Don’t observe their ordinances or defile yourselves with their idols.
Ngatsho ebantwaneni babo enkangala ngathi, “Lingalandeli izimiso zaboyihlo loba ligcine imithetho yabo loba lizingcolise ngezithombe zabo.
19 I am Yahweh your God. Walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and do them.
Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu; landelani izimiso zami linanzelele ukugcina imithetho yami.
20 Make my Sabbaths holy. They shall be a sign between me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.’
Gcinani amaSabatha engcwele, ukuba abe yisibonakaliso phakathi kwami lani. Lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.”
21 “‘“But the children rebelled against me. They didn’t walk in my statutes, and didn’t keep my ordinances to do them, which if a man does, he shall live in them. They profaned my Sabbaths. Then I said I would pour out my wrath on them, to accomplish my anger against them in the wilderness.
Kodwa abantwana bangihlamukela: Kabazilandelanga izimiso zami, kabananzanga ukugcina imithetho yami lanxa umuntu oyilalelayo ezaphila ngayo njalo batshaphaza amaSabatha ami. Ngakho ngathi ngizathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ngiqedele ukuthukuthela kwami kubo enkangala.
22 Nevertheless I withdrew my hand and worked for my name’s sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.
Kodwa ngazithiba, njalo ngenxa yebizo lami ngenza okwakuzalivikela ekungcolisweni phambi kwezizwe engabakhupha zikhangele.
23 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries,
Njalo isandla siphakanyisiwe ngafunga kubo enkangala ukuthi ngangizabahlakazela phakathi kwezizwe ngibachithachithele emazweni,
24 because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes, and had profaned my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols.
ngoba babengayilalelanga imithetho yami kodwa bezalile izimiso zami batshaphaza amaSabatha ami, lamehlo abo alangazela izithombe zaboyise.
25 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they couldn’t live.
Futhi ngabanikela ezimisweni ezazingalunganga kanye lemithetho ababengeke baphile ngayo;
26 I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused all that opens the womb to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.”’
ngabayekela bangcoliswa yizipho zabo, imihlatshelo yamazibulo wonke ukuze ngibenze besabe khona bezakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo.’
27 “Therefore, son of man, speak to the house of Israel, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Moreover, in this your fathers have blasphemed me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.
Ngakho-ke, ndodana yomuntu, khuluma labantu bako-Israyeli uthi kubo, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ngakho lokhu, labokhokho benu bangithuka ngokungilahla.
28 For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices, and there they presented the provocation of their offering. There they also made their pleasant aroma, and there they poured out their drink offerings.
Kwathi lapho sengibangenisile elizweni engangifunge ngathi ngizabapha lona, bathi bebona loba luphi uqaqa oluphakemeyo, loba siphi isihlahla esilamahlamvu amanengi, khonapho banikelela khona imihlatshelo yabo, banikela iminikelo eyangithukuthelisayo, banikela impepha yabo elephunga elimnandi, bathulula leminikelo yabo yokunathwayo.
29 Then I said to them, ‘What does the high place where you go mean?’ So its name is called Bamah to this day.”’
Ngasengisithi kubo: Iyini indawo le ephakemeyo eliya kuyo?’” (Ithiwa yiBhama lalamhlanje.)
30 “Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? Do you play the prostitute after their abominations?
“Ngakho tshono endlini ka-Israyeli uthi: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Lizazingcolisa yini njengabokhokho benu njalo lilangazele izithombe zabo ezenyanyekayo na?
31 When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? Should I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you!
Lapho linikela izipho zenu, imihlatshelo yamadodana enu emlilweni, liyaqhubeka lizingcolisa ngazozonke izithombe zenu kuze kube lamhla. Kumele ngivume na ukuba ungibuze, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli? Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, kangiyikuvuma ukuba lingibuze.
32 “‘“That which comes into your mind will not be at all, in that you say, ‘We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.’
Lina lithi, “Sifuna ukuba njengezizwe, njengabantu basemhlabeni, abakhonza izigodo lamatshe.” Kodwa lokho elilakho engqondweni akusoze kwenzakale.
33 As I live,” says the Lord Yahweh, “surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you.
Ngeqiniso elinjengoba ngikhona, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, ngizalibusa ngesandla esilamandla langengalo eyeluliweyo kanye lolaka oluphuphumayo.
34 I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.
Ngizalithatha ezizweni ngiliqoqe emazweni elalihlakazelwe kuwo ngesandla esilamandla langengalo eyeluliweyo kanye lolaka oluphuphumayo.
35 I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgment with you face to face.
Ngizalisa enkangala yezizwe, kuthi khonapho sikhangelene ubuso ngobuso, ngizaletha ukwahlulela kwami phezu kwenu.
36 Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you,” says the Lord Yahweh.
Njengoba ngahlulela okhokho benu enkangala yelizwe laseGibhithe, lani ngizalahlulela kanjalo, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
37 “I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
Ngizalinanzelela lapho lisedlula ngaphansi kwentonga yami, ngenze lani isibopho sesivumelwano.
38 I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who disobey me. I will bring them out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.”
Ngizabakhupha phakathi kwenu labo abahlamukayo bangivukele. Lanxa ngizabakhupha elizweni abahlala kulo, kodwa kabayikungena elizweni lako-Israyeli. Lapho-ke lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo.
39 “‘As for you, house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says: “Go, everyone serve his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to me; but you shall no more profane my holy name with your gifts and with your idols.
Kuwe-ke, wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Hambani liyekhonza izithombe zenu, lonke! Kodwa emva kwalokho ngeqiniso lizangilalela lingalingcolisi futhi ibizo lami ngezipho zenu langezithombe.
40 For in my holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh, “there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your offerings and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.
Ngoba entabeni yami engcwele, intaba ephakemeyo yako-Israyeli, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi, khonapho phakathi kwelizwe, yonke indlu ka-Israyeli izangikhonza, njalo khonapho ngizabamukela. Khonapho ngizafuna iminikelo yenu lezipho zenu zekhethelo ndawonye lemihlatshelo yenu yonke engcwele.
41 I will accept you as a pleasant aroma when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered. I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.
Ngizalamukela njengempepha elephunga elimnandi lapho sengilikhupha ezizweni njalo sengiliqoqa emazweni elalihlakazelwe kuwo, njalo ngizazibonakalisa ngingongcwele phakathi kwenu phambi kwezizwe.
42 You will know that I am Yahweh when I bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.
Lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo lapho sengilingenisa elizweni lako-Israyeli, ilizwe engafunga ngesandla esiphakanyisiweyo ukuthi ngizalipha okhokho benu.
43 There you will remember your ways, and all your deeds in which you have polluted yourselves. Then you will loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.
Khonapho-ke lizakhumbula ukuziphatha kwenu lazozonke izenzo elizingcolise ngazo, njalo lizazenyanya ngenxa yobubi bonke elibenzileyo.
44 You will know that I am Yahweh, when I have dealt with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”
Lizakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo lapho sengilijezisa ngenxa yebizo lami kodwa kungayisikho mayelana lezindlela zenu ezimbi kanye lezenzo zenu ezixhwalileyo, lina ndlu ka-Israyeli, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’”
45 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:
46 “Son of man, set your face toward the south, and preach toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the south.
“Ndodana yomuntu, khangela ngaseningizimu; tshumayela okubi ngeningizimu uphrofithe okubi ngelizwe laseningizimu.
47 Tell the forest of the south, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word: The Lord Yahweh says, “Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it will devour every green tree in you, and every dry tree. The burning flame will not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north will be burned by it.
Tshono ehlathini laseningizimu uthi: ‘Zwana ilizwi likaThixo. Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Sekuseduze ukuthi ngilithungele ngomlilo njalo uzaziqeda zonke izihlahla zenu, ezimanzi lezomileyo. Ilangabi elivuthayo kaliyikucitshwa, njalo ubuso bonke kusukela eningizimu kusiya enyakatho buzatshiswa yiwo.
48 All flesh will see that I, Yahweh, have kindled it. It will not be quenched.”’”
Umuntu wonke uzabona ukuthi mina Thixo yimi engiwuthungeleyo; kawuyikucitsha.’”
49 Then I said, “Ah Lord Yahweh! They say of me, ‘Isn’t he a speaker of parables?’”
Ngasengisithi, “Awu Thixo Wobukhosi! Bathi kimi, ‘Kakhulumi imifanekiso kuphela nje na?’”
