UHEZEKIYELI 5

₁“Nje-ke wena ndodana yomuntu thatha isabula ebukhali, uyisebenzise njengotjhefana womgudi, ugude ihlokwakho nesilevu sakho. Yeke thatha isilinganiso sokulinganisa uhlukanise iinhluthu. ₂Lokha amalanga wokuvimbezela sele aphelele, uzakutjhisela ingcenye yesithathu yeenhluthu ngaphakathi kwedorobho. Ingcenye enye yesithathu uzayithatha uyiqobe ngesabula yoke indawo edorobheni mazombe, kuthi enye ingcenye yesithathu uyihlakaze esithubeni ngombana ngirhwatjhe isabula ngemva kwabo. ₃Thatha eenhluthwinezo ikereketjhana uyibophelele emphethweni wephuraphurakho. ₄Uzabese uthatha ezinye zazo godu uzithele emlilweni uzitjhise. Umlilo uzakubhebhedlha kusukela lapho ugcwale yoke indlu yakwa-Israyeli.

₅“Nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uSomandla, ‘Leli liJerusalema engalibeka ekabeni yezizwe, neenarha zilibhode mazombe. ₆Kodwana lihlubuke imithethwami neemiso zami, laba nobukhohlakali ukudlula izizwe neenarha zoke ezilizombelezileko. Iye, ladela imithethwami nokulandela iimiso zami.’ ₇Ngalokho nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uSomadla, ‘Nibe nentanyana ukudlula izizwe ezinizombelezileko, akhange nikhambe ngeemiso zami namkha nilonde imithethwami. Nikhambelele benaphalwa zizizwe zoke ezinizombelezileko.’ ₈Yeke nakhu okutjhiwo nguSomnini uSomandla, ‘Qala, mina ngokwami ngijamelene nawe, Jerusalema! Ngizokwehlisela iingwebo phakathi kwakho pambi kwezizwe. ₉Nangebanga lazo zoke iinyenyiso zakho, ngizokwenza into engingazange khengiyenze nengingasobe ngisayenza godu: ₁₀Ngaphakathi kwakho ababelethi bazakudla abantwababo nabantwana badle ababelethi. Ngizokwehlisela iingwebo phakathi kwakho bekuthi boke abaseleko kuwe ngibahlakazele emikhakheni yoke. ₁₁Ngalokho, ngiyafunga ngokuphila kwami mina Somnini Somandla, ngizokuqoba bengikuphungule wena Jerusalema ngebanga lokobana usilaphaze ithempeli lami ngazo zoke iinyenyiso nangazo zoke iinkghabhudlho zakho. Mina ngokwami ngizokurhurhula koke. Amehlwami angeze ababalela begodu angeze ngaba nezwelo. ₁₂Ingcenye yesithathu yabantu bakho izakufa ngezifo namkha iqedwe yindlala phakathi kwakho. Enye ingcenye yesithathu yabantu bakho izakurhayilwa ngesabula mahlangothi woke wakho, kuthi ingcenye enye yesithathu ngiyihlakazele emikhakheni yoke begodu ngizokurhwatjha isabula ngemva kwayo.

₁₃“ ‘Ukuthukuthela kwami kuzakwehla nelaka lami libohle ebantwini bakho nasele ngizibuyiselele. Nje-ke bazakwazi bonyana mina Somnini, ngikhulume ngisesikhweleni sami lokha nangivuthela ilaka lami phezu kwabo. ₁₄Ngaphezu kwalokho ngizokwenza ube lirubhi nesiphoqo hlangana nezizwe ezikuzombelezileko, iye, emehlweni wabo boke abadlula ngendlela. ₁₅Uzakuba siphoqo nenyazo, isiyeleliso nento ethusako ezizweni ezikuzombelezileko lokha nangehlisela iingwebo zami phezu kwakho ngetukuthelo nangelaka, ngesibetho sokufutheka. Ngikhulumile mina Somnini. ₁₆Lokha nangithumela imisubela yami emimbi yendlala phakathi kwabo izakuba ngeyokubhubhisa. Iye, ngizayithumela bona iniqede nina bantu beJerusalema lokha nangingezelela indlala, ngephule nomphekgho wesikwa senu. ₁₇Ngizakuthumela indlala neembandana zommango ngokujamelana nani.

“ ‘Zizakudlela abantwabakho wena Jerusalema. Iye, izifo nokuthuluka kweengazi kuzakudabula phakathi kwakho ngombana ngizakuletha isabula phezu kwakho. Ngikhulumile mina Somnini.’ ”