UHezekheli
33 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kimi lathi: 2 “Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma labantu bakini+ uthi kubo,
“‘Ake sithi ngifuna ukuhlasela ilizwe ngenkemba,+ bonke abantu bakulelolizwe besebekhetha umuntu ukuthi abe ngumlindi wabo, 3 umlindi lowo abesebona isitha sizohlasela ilizwe ngenkemba, atshaye uphondo axwayise abantu.+ 4 Nxa umuntu angezwa uphondo lukhala kodwa angalaleli isixwayiso leso,+ isitha sifike simbulale ngenkemba, yena nguye oyabe ezibulalisile*+ 5 ngoba uyabe eluzwile uphondo lukhala kodwa yena wangalaleli exwayiswa. Yikho uyabe ezibulalisile sibili ngoba ubezasinda aluba ubelalele exwayiswa.
6 “‘Nxa umlindi angabona isitha sizohlasela ngenkemba kodwa angalutshayi uphondo+ ukuze axwayise abantu, isitha besesifika sibulale omunye wabo, umuntu lowo uzakufa ngenxa yesono sakhe kodwa igazi lakhe ngizalithonisa kulowo ongumlindi.’+
7 “Wena ndodana yomuntu, sengikubeke ukuthi ube ngumlindi wabantu bako-Israyeli. Nxa ungezwa amazwi aphuma emlonyeni wami kumele ubaxwayise ubatshele engikukhulumileyo.+ 8 Nxa ngingathi emuntwini owenza okubi, ‘Wena muntu omubi uzakufa sibili!’+ kodwa wena uyekele ukukhuluma umxwayise umuntu omubi ukuthi ayekele ukwenza okubi, yena uzakufa ngenxa yesono sakhe+ kodwa igazi lakhe ngizalithonisa kuwe. 9 Nxa wena ungamxwayisa umuntu owenza okubi ukuthi atshiye akwenzayo, kodwa aqhubeke esenza okubi, yena uzakufa ngenxa yesono sakhe+ kodwa wena uyabe uyisindisile impilo yakho.+
10 “Wena ndodana yomuntu, khuluma labantu bako-Israyeli uthi, ‘Lina lithe: “Iziphambeko zethu lezono zethu ziyasisinda, sesicake saphela ngenxa yazo.+ Manje siphile njani?”’+ 11 Batshele uthi, ‘“Ngifunga ngami uqobo,” kutsho iNkosi Enkulu uJehova, “angithokozi nxa umuntu owenza okubi esifa,+ engikufunayo yikuthi umuntu owenza okubi atshiye okubi akwenzayo+ ukuze aqhubeke ephila.+ Yikho phendukani litshiye izenzo zenu ezimbi.+ Kungani kumele life lina bantu bako-Israyeli?”’+
12 “Ndodana yomuntu, tshela abantu bakini uthi, ‘Izenzo ezinhle ezenziwa ngumuntu olungileyo azisoze zimsindise nxa angahlamuka,+ lezenzo ezimbi ezenziwa ngumuntu omubi azisoze zibe yisikhubekiso kuye nxa angatshiya ukwenza okubi.+ Nxa umuntu olungileyo angona, izenzo zakhe ezilungileyo ayezenza azisoze zimenze aqhubeke ephila.+ 13 Nxa ngingathi emuntwini olungileyo: “Uzaqhubeka uphila sibili,” kodwa yena abesethemba ukulunga kwakhe enze okubi,+ akula ngitsho lokukodwa okuhle ayekwenza okuzakhunjulwa, uzakufa ngenxa yokubi akwenzileyo.+
14 “‘Nxa ngingathi emuntwini owenza okubi: “Uzakufa sibili,” kodwa yena abesetshiya okubi akwenzayo enze okulungileyo lokufaneleyo,+ 15 abuyisele isibambiso ayesithethe emuntwini olesikwelede sakhe+ njalo abhadale impahla ayeyithathele abantu,+ ayekele ukwenza okubi abesegcina imilayo yami eyenza umuntu aphile, umuntu lowo kasoze afe, uzaqhubeka ephila.+ 16 Asikho ngitsho lesisodwa isono asenzileyo azasijeziselwa.*+ Uzaqhubeka ephila ngoba wenza okulungileyo lokufaneleyo.’+
17 “Kodwa abantu bakini bathi, ‘Okwenziwa nguJehova akulunganga,’ khona kuyizenzo zabo ezingalunganga.
18 “Nxa umuntu olungileyo angatshiya ukwenza okuhle abesesenza okubi, kumele afe.+ 19 Kodwa nxa umuntu owenza okubi angatshiya ukwenza okubi abesesenza okulungileyo lokufaneleyo, uzaqhubeka ephila.+
20 “Kodwa lina lithi, ‘Okwenziwa nguJehova akulunganga.’+ Bantu bako-Israyeli, ngamunye wenu ngizamahlulela ngokufanele izenzo zakhe.”
21 Ngemva kwesikhathi kwafika kimi indoda eyayiphunyuke eJerusalema,+ yangitshela yathi: “Idolobho selithunjiwe!” Kwakumhlaka 5 ngenyanga yetshumi ngomnyaka wesi-12 sisekuthunjweni.+
22 Ngayizolo ntambama isandla sikaJehova sasibe phezu kwami wavula umlomo wami, indoda eyayiphunyukile yona yazofika ekuseni. Umlomo wami wawusuvuliwe sengisenelisa ukukhuluma.+
23 Ilizwi likaJehova lafika kimi lathi: 24 “Ndodana yomuntu, abantu abahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa+ bakhuluma ngelizwe lako-Israyeli besithi, ‘U-Abrahama wayeyedwa kodwa walithatha ilizwe laba ngelakhe.+ Manje thina sibanengi yikho ilizwe leli sesiliphiwe ukuthi libe ngelethu.’
25 “Ngakho batshele uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova: “Lina lidla inyama elegazi,+ lithembe izithombe zenu ezenyanyekayo* njalo liqhubeka libulala abantu.+ Pho ilizwe lizakuba ngelenu njani? 26 Lithembe inkemba zenu,+ lenza izenzo ezenyanyekayo futhi ngamunye wenu ulala lomfazi* kamakhelwane wakhe.+ Pho ilizwe lizakuba ngelenu njani?”’+
27 “Kumele ubatshele uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova: “Ngifunga ngami uqobo, ngithi labo abahlala emadolobheni angamanxiwa bazabulawa ngenkemba, kuthi labo abaseguswini badliwe zinyamazana zeganga njalo abasezinqabeni lasezimbalwini bazabulawa ngumkhuhlane.+ 28 Ngizakwenza ilizwe libe yinkangala engelalutho+ njalo ukuzigqaja kwalo kuzaphela. Izintaba zako-Israyeli zizabhidlika+ futhi akulamuntu ozaphinda adlule lapho. 29 Bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova nxa sengisenza ilizwe libe yinkangala engelalutho+ ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo ababezenza.”’+
30 “Ndodana yomuntu, abantu bakini bakhuluma ngawe beseceleni kwemiduli laseminyango yezindlu zabo.+ Ngamunye wabo ukhuluma lomfowabo esithi, ‘Asihambe siyekuzwa ilizwi elivela kuJehova.’ 31 Bazabuya ngobunengi bazohlala phambi kwakho angathi bangabantu bami. Amazwi akho bazawezwa kodwa abasoze bakwenze okutshoyo.+ Bakuvala amehlo ngenkulumo zabo kodwa inhliziyo zabo zifuna inzuzo yobuqili. 32 Kubo ufanana lomuntu ohlabela ingoma yothando, eyihlabela ngelizwi elimnandi futhi esitshaya kuhle isiginci. Amazwi akho bazawezwa kodwa akulamuntu ozakwenza okutshoyo. 33 Bazakwazi ukuthi umphrofethi ubekhona phakathi kwabo nxa lokhu sekusenzakala ngoba kuzakwenzakala sibili.”+