Ezekiel 15

1 The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi:

2 “Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

“Ndodana yomuntu, isigodo sevini silwedlula ngani ugatsha lwaloba yisiphi sezihlahla eziseguswini na?

3 Will wood be taken of it to make anything? Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

Isigodo siyake sithathwe kulo ukuba kwenziwe ulutho olusizayo na? Bayazenza izikhonkwane ngalo ukuba kulengiswe izinto kuzo na?

4 Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burned. Is it profitable for any work?

Njalo emva kokuba sesiphoselwe emlilweni njengokhuni, umlilo usitshise izihloko zombili lomzaca waphakathi uhaqazeke, siselosizo ekwenzeni olunye ulutho na?

5 Behold, when it was whole, it was suitable for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it has been burned, will it yet be suitable for any work?”

Nxa sasingelasizo ekwenzeni ulutho sisaphelele, kuncane kangakanani okungenziwa ukuthi sibe yilutho olusizayo lapho umlilo ususitshisile njalo sesililahle na?

6 Therefore the Lord GOD says: “As the vine wood among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Njengoba nginike isigodo sevini phakathi kwezihlahla zegusu njengokhuni lomlilo, ngizabaphatha kanjalo abantu abahlala eJerusalema.

7 I will set my face against them. They will go out from the fire, but the fire will still devour them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

Ngizamelana labo ngobuso bami. Lanxa sebephumile phakathi komlilo, umlilo usezabaqeda. Njalo lapho sengimelane labo ngobuso bami, lizakwazi ukuthi nginguThixo.

8 I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.

Ngizakwenza ilizwe libe lugwadule ngoba bebengathembekanga, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.”