UHezekeli 20

₁Kwathi ngomnyaka wesikhombisa, ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngolweshumi lwenyanga kwafika amadoda athile amalunga akwa-Israyeli ukuba abuze kuJehova; ahlala phambi kwami.

₂Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi: ₃“Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma emalungeni akwa-Israyeli, uthi kuwo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Nifike ukubuza kimi na? Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, angiyikubuzwa yinina.’

₄“Uma ubahlulela, uma ubahlulela, ndodana yomuntu, bazise izinengiso zawoyise, ₅uthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Ngosuku engakhetha ngalo u-Israyeli ngaphakamisela inzalo yendlu yakwaJakobe isandla sami, ngazazisa kubo ezweni laseGibithe, ngabaphakamisela isandla sami, ngathi: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” ₆Ngalolo suku ngabaphakamisela isandla sami ukuba ngibakhiphe ezweni laseGibithe, ngibayise ezweni engangibafunele lona, lichichima ubisi nezinyosi, elihle kunawo onke amazwe. ₇Ngathi kubo: “Lahlani, kube yilowo nalowo okuzondekayo kwamehlo akhe, ningazingcolisi ngezithombe zaseGibithe. NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”

₈“ ‘Kepha bangihlubuka, abangilalelanga, abalahlanga, kwaba yilowo nalowo okuzondekayo kwamehlo akhe, abazishiyanga izithombe zaseGibithe; ngase ngithi ngiyakuthulula ukufutheka kwami phezu kwabo, ngifeze intukuthelo yami kubo phakathi kwezwe laseGibithe. ₉Ngakwenza ngenxa yegama lami ukuba lingangcoliswa emehlweni ezizwe ababephakathi kwazo, nengazazisa emehlweni azo kubo ngokubakhipha ezweni laseGibithe. ₁₀Ngase ngibakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, ngabangenisa ehlane. ₁₁Ngabanika izimiso zami, ngabazisa izahlulelo zami umuntu ayakuphila ngazo uma ezenza. ₁₂Ngabanika futhi amasabatha ami abe yisibonakaliso phakathi kwami nabo, ukuze bazi ukuthi nginguJehova obangcwelisayo.

₁₃“ ‘Kepha indlu yakwa-Israyeli yangihlubuka ehlane; abahambanga ngezimiso zami, balahla izahlulelo zami umuntu ayakuphila ngazo uma ezenza; amasabatha ami bawona kakhulu; ngase ngithi ngiyakuthulula ukufutheka kwami phezu kwabo ehlane ukuba kubaqede. ₁₄Ngakwenza ngenxa yegama lami ukuba lingangcoliswa emehlweni ezizwe engabakhipha emehlweni azo. ₁₅Yebo, ngabaphakamisela isandla sami ehlane ukuba ngingabangenisi ezweni engangibanike lona, lichichima ubisi nezinyosi, elihle kunawo onke amazwe, ₁₆ngokuba balahla izahlulelo zami, abahambanga ngezimiso zami, bawona amasabatha ami, ngokuba izinhliziyo zabo zalandela izithombe zabo. ₁₇Nokho iso lami labahawukela ukuze bangachithwa, angibaqedanga ngokupheleleyo ehlane. ₁₈Ngathi kubantwana babo ehlane: “Ningahambi ngezimiso zawoyihlo, ningagcini izahlulelo zabo, ningazingcolisi ngezithombe zabo. ₁₉NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu: hambani ngezimiso zami, nigcine izahlulelo zami, nizenze, ₂₀ningcwelise amasabatha ami, abe yisibonakaliso phakathi kwami nani, ukuze nazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.”

₂₁“ ‘Kepha abantwana bangihlubuka, abahambanga ngezimiso zami, abagcinanga izahlulelo zami ukuba bazenze, umuntu ayakuphila ngazo uma ezenza; bawona amasabatha ami; ngase ngithi ngiyakuthulula ukufutheka kwami phezu kwabo, ngifeze intukuthelo yami kubo ehlane. ₂₂Nokho ngabuyisa isandla sami, ngakwenza ngenxa yegama lami ukuba lingangcoliswa emehlweni ezizwe engabakhipha emehlweni azo. ₂₃Futhi ngabaphakamisela isandla sami ehlane ukuba ngibahlakazele phakathi kwezizwe, ngibasabalalisele emazweni, ₂₄ngenxa yokuba bengenzanga izahlulelo zami, belahla izimiso zami, bewona amasabatha ami, amehlo abo elandela izithombe zawoyise. ₂₅Nami ngabanika izimiso ezazingezinhle nezahlulelo ababengayikuphila ngazo. ₂₆Ngabangcolisa eminikelweni yabo ngokudabulisa emlilweni konke okuvula izizalo, ukuze ngibachithe, bazi ukuthi nginguJehova.’

₂₇“Ngalokho, ndodana yomuntu, khuluma kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli, uthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, uthi: Kulokho oyihlo bangihlambalazile ngokwenza isiphambeko kimi. ₂₈Lapho ngangibangenise ezweni engaphakamisela isandla sami ukubanika lona, bebona amagquma onke aphakemeyo nayo yonke imithi edumbileyo, bese benikela khona ngemihlatshelo yabo, banika khona isicunulo somnikelo wabo, babeka lapho iphunga labo elimnandi, bathulula khona iminikelo yabo yokuphuzwa. ₂₉Ngase ngithi kubo: Iyini indawo ephakemeyo eniya kuyo na?’ ” Lase libizwa igama layo ngokuthi indawo ephakemeyo kuze kube namuhla.

₃₀“Ngalokho thana kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Niyakuzingcolisa ngendlela yawoyihlo, nilandele ngokuphinga okuzondekayo kwabo, na? ₃₁Ekuletheni iminikelo yenu nasekudabuliseni amadodana enu emlilweni niyazingcolisa ngazo zonke izithombe zenu kuze kube namuhla. Mina ngiyakubuzwa yinina, nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli, na? Qha, kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, angiyikubuzwa yinina.

₃₂“ ‘Okungenayo ezinhliziyweni zenu akuyikuba khona impela, lokhu enikushoyo ukuthi: “Siyakuba njengezizwe, njengemindeni yamazwe, ukuba sikhonze umuthi namatshe.” ₃₃Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, impela ngesandla esinamandla, nangengalo eyeluliweyo, nangokufutheka okuthululiweyo ngiyakuba yinkosi phezu kwenu. ₃₄Ngiyakunikhipha phakathi kwabantu, nginibuthe emazweni lapho nihlakazekele khona ngesandla esinamandla, nangengalo eyeluliweyo, nangokufutheka okuthululiweyo, ₃₅nginiyise ehlane labantu, ngahlulelane nani khona ubuso nobuso. ₃₆Njengalokho ngahlulelana nawoyihlo ehlane lezwe laseGibithe, kanjalo ngiyakwahlulelana nani, isho iNkosi uJehova. ₃₇Ngiyakunidlulisa phansi kwentonga, nginingenise phansi kwesibopho sesivumelwano, ₃₈ngihlunge kini abahlubuki nabeqayo kimi, ngibakhiphe ezweni lapho begogobele khona, bangangeni ezweni lakwa-Israyeli kodwa, nazi ukuthi nginguJehova.

₃₉“ ‘Nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli, isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Hambani nikhonze, kube yilowo isithombe sakhe, kepha impela ngasemuva niyakungilalela, ningabe nisalingcolisa igama lami elingcwele ngeminikelo yenu nangezithombe zenu. ₄₀Ngokuba entabeni yami engcwele, empakameni yentaba yakwa-Israyeli, isho iNkosi uJehova, indlu yonke yakwa-Israyeli, yonke yayo, iyakungikhonza ezweni; ngiyakubamukela khona, ngibize iminikelo yenu, nolibo lweminikelo yenu, nakho konke okungcwele kwenu. ₄₁Ngephunga elimnandi ngiyakunamukela, lapho nginikhipha kubantu, nginibuthe emazweni lapho nihlakazekele khona, ngingcweliswe kini emehlweni ezizwe. ₄₂Niyakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova, lapho nginingenisa ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, izwe engaliphakamisela isandla sami ukuba ngilinike oyihlo. ₄₃Niyakukhumbula khona izindlela zenu, nazo zonke izenzo zenu enizingcolise ngazo, ninengeke emehlweni enu ngakho konke okubi enikwenzileyo. ₄₄Niyakwazi ukuthi nginguJehova, lapho ngisebenza kini ngokwegama lami kungengokwezindlela zenu ezimbi nezenzo zenu ezonakeleyo nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli, isho iNkosi uJehova.’ ”

₄₅Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi: ₄₆“Ndodana yomuntu, bhekisa ubuso bakho ngaseningizimu, izwi liconsele ngenzansi, uprofethe ngehlathi lasendle eningizimu, ₄₇uthi kulo ihlathi laseningizimu: ‘Yizwa izwi likaJehova elithi: Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Bheka, ngiyakuphemba umlilo kuwe, udle yonke imithi eluhlaza kuwe nayo yonke imithi eyomileyo, ilangabi elivuthayo lingacimeki, kuhwamuke ngalo bonke ubuso kusukela eningizimu kuye enyakatho. ₄₈Inyama yonke iyakubona ukuthi mina Jehova ngiwuphembile, awuyikucimeka.’ ”

₄₉Ngathi: “Awu, Nkosi Jehova! Bathi ngami: ‘Asithi uyalinganisa ngezaga na?’ ”