UHezekheli 33

1 Ilizwi leNkosi lafika kimi futhi, lisithi:

Again the word of Jehovah came to me, saying:

2 Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma kubantwana babantu bakho, uthi kubo: Ilizwe, lapho ngiletha inkemba phezu kwalo, labantu belizwe bathathe umuntu emingceleni yakibo, bambeke abe ngumlindi wabo,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say to them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man out of their whole number, and set him for their watchman,

3 lapho ebona inkemba isiza phezu kwelizwe, avuthele uphondo, axwayise abantu,

and he seeth the sword coming on the land, and bloweth the trumpet, and warneth the people,

4 kuzakuthi loba ngubani ozwa umsindo wophondo, kodwa angaxwayi, lapho inkemba ifika, imsuse, igazi lakhe lizakuba phezu kwekhanda lakhe.

then whoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning, and the sword cometh and taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

5 Uzwile ukukhala kophondo, kodwa angaxwayi; igazi lakhe lizakuba phezu kwakhe. Kodwa oxwayayo uzawophula umphefumulo wakhe.

He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning. His blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall save his life.

6 Kodwa nxa umlindi ebona inkemba isiza, angavutheli uphondo, abantu bengaxwayiswa, aluba inkemba ifika, isuse umuntu phakathi kwabo, yena ususwa esesonweni sakhe, kodwa igazi lakhe ngizalibiza esandleni somlindi.

But if the watchman see the sword coming, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, and the sword come and take away any person from among them, he is taken away for his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

7 Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, ngikubeke waba ngumlindi endlini kaIsrayeli; ngakho uzakuzwa ilizwi elivela emlonyeni wami, ubaxwayise ngokuvela kimi.

So thou, son of man, I have set thee a watchman to the house of Israel, that thou shouldst hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.

8 Uba ngisithi komubi: Mubi, uzakufa lokufa; uba wena ungakhulumi ukuxwayisa omubi atshiye indlela yakhe, lowo omubi uzafela esonweni sakhe, kodwa igazi lakhe ngizalibiza esandleni sakho.

When I say to the wicked, “O wicked man, thou shalt surely die!” and thou speakest not to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die for his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.

9 Kodwa wena uba umxwayisa omubi ngendlela yakhe ukuthi aphenduke kuyo; uba engaphenduki endleleni yakhe, yena uzafela ebubini bakhe, kodwa wena usuwophule umphefumulo wakho.

Yet if thou warn the wicked of his way, to turn from it, and he turneth not from his way, he shall die for his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thyself.

10 Ngakho, wena ndodana yomuntu, tshono kuyo indlu kaIsrayeli: Likhuluma ngokunjalo lisithi: Ngoba iziphambeko zethu lezono zethu ziphezu kwethu, thina sicikizeke sikuzo, pho, sizaphila njani?

Thou, therefore, O son of man, say to the house of Israel: Rightly do ye say, “Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and through them we pine away. How then can we live?”

11 Tshono kubo: Kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi uJehova, isibili kangithokozi ngokufa komubi, kodwa ngokuthi omubi aphenduke endleleni yakhe aphile. Phendukani, phendukani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi; ngoba lizafelani, lina ndlu kaIsrayeli?

Say to them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways! for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

12 Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, tshono ebantwaneni babantu bakiniuthi: Ukulunga kolungileyo kakuyikumophula ngosuku lwesiphambeko sakhe; mayelana lenkohlakalo yokhohlakeleyo, kayikuwa ngayo ngosuku azaphenduka ngalo enkohlakalweni yakhe; lolungileyo kayikuba lakho ukuphila ngokulunga kwakhe ngosuku ona ngalo.

Thou also, son of man, say to the sons of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and through his wickedness shall not the wicked man fall in the day when he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live in the day when he sinneth.

13 Lapho ngizakutsho kolungileyo ukuthi uzaphila isibili; uba yena ethembela ekulungeni kwakhe, enze isiphambeko, konke ukulunga kwakhe kakuyikukhunjulwa; kodwa ngenxa yobubi bakhe abenzileyo, uzabufela.

When I say concerning the righteous, “He shall surely live,” and he trusteth in his righteousness, and doeth iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered, but for his iniquity which he hath committed shall he die.

14 Futhi uba ngisitsho kokhohlakeleyo ukuthi: Uzakufa lokufa; uba ephenduka esonweni sakhe, enze isahlulelo lokulungileyo,

Again, when I say concerning the wicked, “He shall surely die,” and he turneth from his sin, and doeth that which is just and right,

15 okhohlakeleyo ebuyisela isibambiso, abhadale impango, ahambe ngezimiso zempilo, ukuthi angenzi isiphambeko, uzaphila isibili, kayikufa.

and the wicked restoreth the pledge, giveth back that which he hath taken by violence, and walketh in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

16 Kakukho lasinye sezono zakhe azenzileyo esizakhunjulwa kuye; wenzile isahlulelo lokulungileyo; uzaphila isibili.

None of his sins which he hath committed shall be mentioned to him; he hath done that which is just and right; he shall surely live.

17 Kodwa abantwana babantu bakini bathi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani; kanti ngeyabo indlela engalinganiyo.

And yet the sons of thy people say, “The way of the Lord is not right!” But it is their way which is not right.

18 Nxa olungileyo ephenduka ekulungeni kwakhe, enze isiphambeko, uzakufa ngenxa yaso.

When the righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he dieth because of it.

19 Kodwa uba okhohlakeleyo ephenduka kunkohlakalo yakhe, enze isahlulelo lokulungileyo, yena uzaphila ngakho.

And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth that which is just and right, he shall live thereby.

20 Kanti lithi: Indlela yeNkosi kayilingani. Wena ndlu kaIsrayeli, ngizalahlulela, ngulowo lalowo njengendlela zakhe.

And yet ye say, “The way of the Lord is not right!” O house of Israel, I will judge you every one according to his ways!

21 Kwasekusithi ngomnyaka wetshumi lambili wokuthunjwa kwethu, ngenyanga yetshumi, ngolwesihlanu lwenyanga, owayephunyukile eJerusalema wafika kimi esithi: Umuzi usutshayiwe.

And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me, saying, “The city is smitten!”

22 Kwathi isandla seNkosi saba phezu kwami kusihlwa, ophunyukileyo engakafiki, savula umlomo wami, waze wafika kimi ekuseni. Ngokunjalo umlomo wami wavuleka, kangabe ngisaba yisimungulu.

Now the hand of Jehovah had been upon me in the evening before he that had escaped came; and he opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; he opened my mouth, so that I was no longer dumb.

23 Ilizwi leNkosi laselifika kimi, lisithi:

And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying:

24 Ndodana yomuntu, abahlali balawomanxiwa elizwe lakoIsrayeli bakhuluma besithi: UAbrahama wayemunye, wadla ilifa lelizwe; kodwa thina sibanengi; ilizwe silinikiwe ukuba yilifa.

Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes in the land of Israel say, “Abraham was but one, and he inherited the land; but we are many; to us is the land given for an inheritance.”

25 Ngakho tshono kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Lidla okulegazi, liphakamisele amehlo enu ezithombeni zenu, lichithe igazi; kambe lizakudla ilifa lelizwe yini?

Therefore say to them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and life up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood; and shall ye possess the land?

26 Lima phezu kwenkemba yenu, lenze isinengiso, lingcolise, ngulowo lalowo umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe; kambe lizakudla ilifa lelizwe yini?

Ye trust to your swords, ye commit abomination, and ye defile, every one, his neighbor's wife; and shall ye possess the land?

27 Tshono njalo kubo: Itsho njalo iNkosi uJehova: Kuphila kwami, isibili labo abasemanxiweni bazakuwa ngenkemba; lalowo osegcekeni ngizamnikela ezilweni ukuthi zimudle, lalabo abasezinqabeni labasezimbalwini bazakufa ngomatshayabhuqe wesifo.

Say thou thus to them: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open country will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that are in the forts and caves shall fall by the pestilence.

28 Ngoba ngizalenza ilizwe libe lunxiwa lencithakalo, lokuziqhenya kwamandla alo kuzaphela, lezintaba zakoIsrayeli zibe yinkangala, ukuze kungabi khona odlulayo.

And I will make the land an utter desolation; and the pride of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.

29 Khona bazakwazi ukuthi ngiyiNkosi, lapho sengenze ilizwe laba yinkangala lesesabiso ngenxa yawo wonke amanyala abo abawenzileyo.

Then shall they know that I am Jehovah, when I have made the land an utter desolation, on account of all the abominations which they practise.

30 Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, abantwana babantu bakini basakhuluma ngawe ngasemidulwini laseminyango yezindlu, njalo omunye ekhuluma komunye, ngulowo lalowo kumfowabo, besithi: Wozani, ngiyacela, lizwe ukuthi yilizwi bani eliphuma eNkosini.

As for thee, O son of man, the sons of thy people speak concerning thee by the walls, and in the doors of houses; and speak one to another, every man to his neighbor, saying, “Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that goeth forth from Jehovah.”

31 Njalo bayeza kuwe njengokuza kwabantu, bahlale phambi kwakho njengabantu bami, bezwe amazwi akho, kodwa bangawenzi; ngoba ngomlomo wabo babonakalisa uthando olukhulu, kodwa inhliziyo yabo ilandela inzuzo yabo embi.

And they come to thee, as the people assembleth, and they sit before thee, as my people, and they hear thy words: but will not do them; for with their mouth they do what is lovely, but their heart goeth after gain.

32 Khangela-ke, kubo unjengengoma ethandekayo, ilizwi elimnandi, lowazi kuhle ukutshaya ichacho; ngoba besizwa amazwi akho kodwa bengawenzi.

And behold, thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but do them not.

33 Kodwa ekufikeni kwalokhu (khangela, kuzafika), khona bazakwazi ukuthi bekukhona umprofethi phakathi kwabo.

But when this cometh to pass, (and behold, it shall come to pass, ) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.