UHezekeli 20

₁Kwathi ngonyaka wesikhombisa, ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngosuku lweshumi lwenyanga, kwafika amadoda angamalunga akwa-Israyeli ukuzobuza kuSimakade; ahlala phambi kwami.

₂Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi: ₃“Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma namalunga akwa-Israyeli, uthi kuwo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Nize ukuzobuza kimi na? Ngifunga ngiyagomela, angiyukubuzwa yinina,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.

₄“Ndodana yomuntu uzakubehlulela yini, uzakubehlulela na? Bazise izinengiso zokhokho babo, ₅uthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Ngosuku engamkhetha ngalo u-Israyeli ngafunga ozalweni lwendlu kaJakobe, ngazambula kubo eGibhithe, ngafunga ngathi: NginguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.

₆“ ‘ “Ngalolo lusuku ngafunga kubo ukuba ngibakhiphe eGibhithe, ngibayise ezweni engangibakhethele lona, izwe elichichima ubisi noju, futhi elihle kunawo wonke amazwe. ₇Ngathi kubo: Makube yilowo nalowo alahle okwenyanyekayo emehlweni akhe, ningazingcolisi ngezithombe zaseGibhithe; nginguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.”

₈“ ‘Kepha bangihlubuka, abafunanga ukungilalela, kwaba yilowo nalowo akaze azilahla izinto ezenyanyekayo ezaziphambi kwakhe; abazishiyanga izithombe zaseGibhithe, ngase ngithi ngiyakuthululela ulaka lwami phezu kwabo; intukuthelo yami ephelele ngiyithululele kubo eGibhithe. ₉Ngakwenza lokho ngenxa yegama lami ukuba lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe ababephakathi kwazo, engazazisa kuzo bebuka, ngokubakhipha eGibhithe. ₁₀Ngase ngibakhipha eGibhithe, ngabayisa ehlane. ₁₁Ngabanika izimiso zami, ngabazisa izehlulelo zami umuntu ayakuphila ngazo uma ezenza. ₁₂Ngabanika futhi amasabatha ami ukuba abe yisibonakaliso phakathi kwami nabo, ukuze bazi ukuthi nginguSimakade obangcwelisayo.

₁₃“ ‘Kepha indlu yakwa-Israyeli yangihlubuka ehlane; ayihambanga ngezimiso zami, yazilahla izehlulelo zami umuntu ayakuphila ngazo uma ezenza; amasabatha ami yawangcolisa kakhulu; ngase ngithi ngiyakuthulula ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ehlane, ngibaqothule. ₁₄Ngakwenza lokho ngenxa yegama lami, ukuba lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe engabakhipha zizibonela ngawazo. ₁₅Phezu kwalokho ngafunga kubo ehlane ukuthi angiyukubangenisa ezweni engangibanike lona, elichichima ubisi noju, elihle kunawo wonke amazwe, ₁₆ngokuba bazilahla izehlulelo zami, abahambanga ngezimiso zami, bawangcolisa amasabatha ami, ngokuba izinhliziyo zabo zalandela izithombe zabo. ₁₇Nokho iso lami lababheka ngesihawu ukuba ngingababhubhisi, ngingabaqedi nya ehlane. ₁₈Ngathi kubantwana babo ehlane: “Ningahambi ngezimiso zoyihlo, ningazigcini izehlulelo zabo, ningazingcolisi ngezithombe zabo. ₁₉NginguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu: hambani ngezimiso zami, nizigcine izehlulelo zami, nizenze, ₂₀angcweliswe amasabatha ami, abe yisibonakaliso phakathi kwami nani, ukuze nazi ukuthi nginguSimakade uNkulunkulu wenu.”

₂₁“ ‘Kepha nabantwana bangihlubuka, abahambanga ngezimiso zami, abazigcinanga izehlulelo zami ukuba bazenze ukuze umuntu aphile ngazo; bawangcolisa amasabatha ami, ngase ngithi ngizakuthululela intukuthelo yami kubo, ngiphelelise ulaka lwami phezu kwabo ehlane. ₂₂Nokho ngayeka ukukwenza lokho ngenxa yegama lami, ukuba lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe engabakhipha zizibonela ngawazo. ₂₃Ngaphakamisela isandla sami ehlane ukuba ngibahlakazele ezizweni, ngibasabalalisele emazweni. ₂₄Ngokuba abazenzanga izehlulelo zami, bazilahla izimiso zami, bawangcolisa amasabatha ami, amehlo abo alangazelela izithombe zoyise. ₂₅Nami ngabanika izimiso ezazingezinhle nezehlulelo ababengayukuphila ngazo. ₂₆Ngabangcolisa ngeminikelo yabo ngokudabulisa emlilweni wonke amazibulo, ukuze ngibesabise, yikhona bezokwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade.’

₂₇“Ngakho-ke ndodana yomuntu, khuluma kwabendlu yakwa-Israyeli, uthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Kulokhu futhi, oyihlo bangihlambalaza, benza isiphambeko, ₂₈ngesikhathi sengibangenise ezweni engangifungile ukuthi ngiyobanika lona. Kwathi lapho bebona amagquma aphakemeyo nazo zonke izihlahla ezinamacembe, base benikela lapho ngemihlatshelo yabo, bangichukuluza ngeminikelo yabo, benza lapho kwaba nephunga elimnandi, bathululela lapho iminikelo yokuphuzwayo. ₂₉Ngase ngithi kubo: iyini indawo ephakemeyo eniya kuyo na?” ’ ”

Lase libizwa igama layo ngokuthi indawo ephakemeyo, kuze kube namuhla.

₃₀“Ngakho yisho kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Niyakuzingcolisa yini nani ngendlela okhokho benu abaziphatha ngayo, nilandele ekuphingeni kwabo okunyanyekayo na? ₃₁Lapho niletha iminikelo yenu, nidabulisa amadodana enu emlilweni, niyazingcolisa ngazo zonke izithombe kuze kube namuhla. Niyakubuza kimi yini, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli na? Qha, ngifunga ngiyagomela, ngeke ngibuzwe yini,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.

₃₂“ ‘ “Lokhu okusengqondweni yenu, impela akusoze kwenzeka, enicabanga, nithi: Siyakufana nezizwe, sifane nabantu bezwe, nathi sikhonze ukhuni netshe.

₃₃“ ‘ “Ngifunga ngiyagomela; impela ngesandla esinamandla, nangengalo eluliweyo, nangolaka olutheliweyo; ngiyakubusa phezu kwenu,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.

₃₄“ ‘ “Ngiyakunikhipha phakathi kwabantu, nginiqoqe emazweni enihlakazelwe kuwo, ngesandla esinamandla, ngengalo eyeluliweyo, nangolaka olutheliweyo. ₃₅Ngiyakuniyisa ehlane labantu, nginehlulele lapho sibhekene ubuso nobuso. ₃₆Njengalokhu ngehlulelana nokhokho benu ehlane eGibhithe, ngiyakwehlulelana nani kanjalo-ke,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.

₃₇“ ‘ “Ngiyakunidlulisa phansi kwentonga, nginingenise phansi kwesibopho sesivumelwano, ₃₈ngihlunge kini abahlubuki nabaphambukayo kimi, ngibakhiphe ezweni lapho begogobele khona, kepha abayukungena kwelakwa-Israyeli, niyokwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade.

₃₉“ ‘ “Nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade, “ ‘ “hambani; kube yilowo nalowo ayokhonza isithombe sakhe, kodwa kamuva niyakungilalela, ningabe nisalingcolisa igama lami elingcwele ngeminikelo yenu nangezithombe zenu. ₄₀Ngokuba entabeni yami engcwele, esicongweni sentaba yakwa-Israyeli, yonke indlu yakwa-Israyeli iyakungikhonza kuyo ezweni; ngiyakubemukela khona, ngifune iminikelo yenu, okwekhethelo kwenu nakho konke okungcwele okungokwenu,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade. ₄₁“ ‘ “Ngiyakunemukela ngephunga elimnandi, lapho nginikhipha ezizweni, nginiqoqe emazweni lapho nihlakazekele khona, ngizibonakalise ukuthi ngingcwele phakathi kwenu, emehlweni ezizwe. ₄₂Niyokwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade, lapho nginingenisa ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, izwe engalifungela ukulinika okhokho benu. ₄₃Niyakukhumbula izindlela zenu nazo zonke izenzo zenu enizingcolise ngazo, nenyanye ubuso benu ngakho konke okubi enikwenzileyo. ₄₄Niyakukwazi ukuthi nginguSimakade lapho ngenza lokho kini ngenxa yegama lami, hhayi ngokwezindlela zenu ezimbi nezenzo zenu zenkohlakalo; nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.

₄₅Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi: ₄₆“Ndodana yomuntu, bhekisa ubuso bakho ngaseningizimu, ukhulume umelene nenyakatho, uphrofethe ngehlathi elisendle eningizimu, ₄₇uthi kulelo hlathi laseningizimu: ‘Lalela izwi likaSimakade: isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Ngizothungela umlilo kuwe, udle yonke imithi eluhlaza nayo yonke imithi eyomileyo, ilangabi liyobhebhetheka lingacimeki, kushe kungqongqe konke okulapho, kusuka eningizimu kuya enyakatho. ₄₈Abantu bonke bayobona lapho-ke ukuthi Mina uSimakade ngiwuthungele, awuyukucinywa.” ’ ”

₄₉Ngathi: “Maye, Nkosi Simakade! Bathi ngami: ‘Akakhulumi ngezaga nje na?’ ”