Ezekiel 18
1 The LORD’s word came to me again, saying,
Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi lisithi:
2 “What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
Litshoni, ukuthi lisebenzise lesisaga ngelizwe lakoIsrayeli, lisithi: Oyise badlile izithelo zevini ezimunyu, lamazinyo abantwana asetshelela?
3 “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, isibili kakusayikuba kini ukusebenzisa lesisaga koIsrayeli.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
Khangela, yonke imiphefumulo ngeyami; njengomphefumulo kayise, unjalo lomphefumulo wendodana, kungokwami. Umphefumulo owonayo, wona uzakufa.
5 “But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
Kodwa uba umuntu elungile, enze ukwahlulela lokulunga,
6 and has not eaten on the mountains, has not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife, has not come near a woman in her impurity,
engadleli phezu kwezintaba, engaphakamiseli amehlo akhe ezithombeni zendlu yakoIsrayeli, engangcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe, engasondeli kowesifazana osemfuleni,
7 and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
engacindezeli muntu, ebuyisela kowebolekayo isibambiso sakhe, engaphangi impango, enika olambileyo isinkwa sakhe, esembesa oze ngesembatho,
8 he who has not lent to them with interest, has not taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
enganiki ngenzuzo, engathathi okwengezelelweyo, ebuyisa isandla sakhe esiphambekweni, esenza isahlulelo esiqinisileyo phakathi komuntu lomuntu,
9 has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord GOD.
ehamba ngezimiso zami, egcina izahlulelo zami, ukwenza iqiniso; yena uqondile, uzaphila isibili, itsho iNkosi uJehova.
10 “If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
Uba ezala indodana engumphangi, umchithi wegazi, lowenza okufanana lokunye kwalezizinto,
11 or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbor’s wife,
longenzi zonke lezozinto, kodwa ngitsho edlela phezu kwezintaba, engcolisa umfazi womakhelwane wakhe,
12 has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
ecindezela umyanga loswelayo, ephanga impango, engabuyiselanga isibambiso, ephakamisele amehlo akhe ezithombeni, enze okunengekayo,
13 has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
enika ngenzuzo, athathe ngokwengezelelweyo, uzaphila yini? Kayikuphila; wenze zonke lezizinengiso; uzakufa lokufa, amacala akhe egazi azakuba phezu kwakhe.
14 “Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and does not do likewise,
Khangela-ke, uzala indodana ebona zonke izono zikayise azenzileyo, ibona, ingenzi njengalezizinto,
15 who has not eaten on the mountains, has not lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife,
ingadleli phezu kwezintaba, ingaphakamiseli amehlo ayo ezithombeni zendlu yakoIsrayeli, ingangcolisi umfazi womakhelwane wayo,
16 has not wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, has not taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
ingacindezeli muntu, ingagodli isibambiso, ingaphangi impango, isipha olambileyo isinkwa sayo, yembese oze ngesembatho,
17 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
isuse isandla sayo kongumyanga, ingemukeli inzuzo lokwengezelelweyo, isenza izahlulelo zami, ihambe ngezimiso zami, yona kayiyikufela isiphambeko sikayise, izaphila isibili.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
Uyise, ngoba ecindezele ngocindezelo, waphanga impango kumfowabo, wenza okungalunganga phakathi kwabantu bakibo, khangela-ke, uzafela ebubini bakhe.
19 “Yet you say, ‘Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
Kanti lithi: Kungani indodana ingathwali isiphambeko sikayise? Nxa indodana yenzile isahlulelo lokulunga, igcinile zonke izimiso zami, yazenza, izaphila isibili.
20 The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
Umphefumulo owonayo, wona uzakufa. Indodana kayiyikuthwala isiphambeko sikayise, loyise kayikuthwala isiphambeko sendodana. Ukulunga kolungileyo kuzakuba phezu kwakhe, lenkohlakalo yokhohlakeleyo izakuba phezu kwakhe.
21 “But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
Kodwa uba omubi ephenduka ezonweni zakhe zonke azenzileyo, agcine zonke izimiso zami, enze isahlulelo lokulunga, uzaphila isibili, kayikufa.
22 None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
Iziphambeko zakhe zonke azenzileyo kaziyikukhunjulelwa kuye; ekulungeni kwakhe akwenzileyo, uzaphila.
23 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord GOD, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
Ngiyathokoza lokuthokoza ngokufa kokhohlakeleyo yini? itsho iNkosi uJehova; kakusikuthi aphenduke ezindleleni zakhe, aphile yini?
24 “But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
Kodwa nxa olungileyo ephenduka ekulungeni kwakhe, esenza isiphambeko, enze njengokwezinengiso zonke azenzayo omubi, uzaphila yini? Ukulunga kwakhe konke akwenzileyo kakuyikukhunjulwa; esiphambekweni sakhe aphambeke ngaso, lesonweni sakhe asonileyo, uzafela kikho.
25 “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Are not your ways unequal?
Kanti lithi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani. Zwanini-ke, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli; indlela yami kayilingani yini? Kayisizo yini izindlela zenu ezingalinganiyo?
26 When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.
Lapho olungileyo ephenduka ekulungeni kwakhe, enze iziphambeko, afele kuzo, eziphambekweni azenzileyo uzakufa.
27 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
Futhi nxa omubi ephenduka ebubini bakhe abenzileyo, enze isahlulelo lokulunga, yena uzagcina umphefumulo wakhe uphila.
28 Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
Ngoba ebona, ephenduka kuzo zonke iziphambeko zakhe azenzileyo, uzaphila isibili, kayikufa.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, are not my ways fair? Are not your ways unfair?
Kanti indlu kaIsrayeli ithi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani. Wena ndlu kaIsrayeli, indlela zami kazilingani yini? Kayisizo yini indlela zenu ezingalinganiyo?
30 “Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.
Ngakho ngizalahlulela, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngulowo lalowo njengokwendlela zakhe, itsho iNkosi uJehova. Phendukani, libuye lisuke eziphambekweni zenu zonke; ukuze ububi bungabi yisikhubekiso kini.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel?
Lahlani lisuse kini zonke iziphambeko zenu eliphambeke ngazo, lizenzele inhliziyo entsha lomoya omutsha; ngoba lizafelani, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
Ngoba kangithokozi ngokufa kofayo, itsho iNkosi uJehova; ngakho phendukani liphile.
