Hezekile

18 Laphinda lafika ilizwi likaYehova kum, lisithi: 2 “Sithetha ukuthini esi saci nisisebenzisayo kwilizwe lakwaSirayeli, esithi, ‘Ootata batye iidiliya ezimuncu, kodwa ngamazinyo oonyana babo aba buthelezi’?+

3 iNkosi enguMongami uYehova, ‘Ndiphila nje, anizukuphinda niyithethe loo nto kwaSirayeli. 4 Jonga! Yonke imiphefumlo yeyam.* Umphefumlo katata nomphefumlo wonyana, yeyam yomibini. Umphefumlo* owonayo kuza kufa wona.

5 “‘Masithi umntu lilungisa yaye wenza okusesikweni* nobulungisa. 6 Akazityi izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo ezintabeni;+ amehlo akhe akawaphakamiseli kwizithixo ezenyanyekayo* zendlu kaSirayeli; akamngcolisi umfazi wommelwane wakhe+ okanye alale nomfazi osexesheni;+ 7 akukho mntu amphatha kakubi,+ kodwa uyayibuyisa into ayinikwe njengesibambiso ngumntu omtyalayo;+ akaphangi nabani na,+ kodwa umnika ukutya kwakhe umntu olambileyo+ aze amambathise ohamba ze;+ 8 akabizi nzala okanye afune inzuzo enkulu,+ kodwa uyakuphepha ukwenza izinto ezingalunganga;+ ubagweba ngobulungisa abantu abalwayo;+ 9 uhamba ngemiyalelo yam ibe uyayithobela imithetho yam ukuze athembeke. Loo mntu ulilungisa ibe ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuhlala ephila,’+ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova.

10 “‘Kodwa ukuba uzala unyana ongutsotsi+ okanye ongumbulali*+ okanye owenza nayiphi na kwezi zinto 11 (nangona utata engenzi nanye kwezi zinto), otya izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo ezintabeni, ongcolisa umfazi ­wommelwane wakhe, 12 obaphatha kakubi abasentlungwini namahlwempu,+ otsotsa abantu, ongazibuyisiyo izinto azithathe njengesibambiso, ophakamisela amehlo akhe kwizithixo ezenyanyekayo,+ owenza izinto ezicekisekayo,+ 13 ozifunela inzuzo enkulu aze abize inzala,+ loo nyana akazukuphila. Ngenxa yazo zonke ezi zinto zenyanyekayo azenzileyo, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kubulawa. Igazi lakhe liza kuba phezu kwakhe.

14 “‘Masithi ke utata unonyana ozibonayo zonke izono azenzileyo utata wakhe, kodwa nangona ezibonile, angazenzi. 15 Akazityi izinto ezibingelelwe kwizithixo ezintabeni; amehlo akhe akawaphakamiseli kwizithixo ezenyanyekayo zendlu kaSirayeli; akamngcolisi umfazi wommelwane wakhe; 16 akukho mntu amphatha kakubi; akayithimbi into ayinikwe njengesibambiso; akatsotsi mntu; umnika ukutya kwakhe olambileyo aze amambathise ohamba ze; 17 akawacinezeli amahlwempu; akazifuneli nzuzo inkulu okanye abize inzala; uyayithobela imithetho yam aze ahambe ngemiyalelo yam. Loo mntu akasoze afele isono sikatata wakhe. Ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuhlala ephila. 18 Kodwa ekubeni yena utata wakhe eye wenza ngobuqhophololo, waqhatha umntakwabo, waza wenza izinto ezingalunganga phakathi kwabantu bakowabo, uza kufa ngenxa yesono sakhe.

19 “‘Kodwa niza kuthi: “Kutheni unyana engabekwa tyala ngenxa yesono sikatata wakhe?” Ekubeni unyana enze okusesikweni* nobulungisa, wayithobela imithetho yam, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuhlala ephila.+ 20 Umphefumlo* owonayo kuza kufa wona.+ Unyana akazukuthwala ityala lezono zikatata wakhe, notata akazukuthwala ityala lezono zonyana wakhe. Ilungisa liza kuvuzwa lodwa ngobulungisa balo, nomenzi-bubi uza kuvuzwa yedwa ngobubi abenzileyo.+

21 “‘Ukuba umenzi-bubi uyazishiya zonke izinto ezimbi azenzileyo, athobele imithetho yam, aze enze okusesikweni* nobulungisa, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuhlala ephila. Akazukufa.+ 22 Akukho nasinye kwizono azenzileyo aza kuphenduliswa ngaso.*+ Uza kuhlala ephila ngenxa yobulungisa bakhe.’+

23 “‘Kuyandivuyisa na mna ukufa komenzi-bubi?’+ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova. ‘Andinqweneli na ukuba ashiye iindlela zakhe aze ahlale ephila?’+

24 “‘Kodwa xa ilungisa lishiya ubulungisa balo lize lenze izinto ezimbi,* lenze zonke izinto ezenyanyekayo ezenziwa ngabenzi-bubi, ngaba liza kuphila? Akuzukukhunjulwa nasinye kwizenzo zalo zobulungisa.+ Ngenxa yokungathembeki kwalo nangenxa yesono elisenzileyo, liza kufa.+

25 “‘Kodwa nina niza kuthi: “UYehova akenzi ngobulungisa.”+ Ncedani nimamele, ndlu kaSirayeli! Ngaba ndim ongenzi ngobulungisa?+ Ayinini na abangenzi ngobulungisa?+

26 “‘Xa ilungisa libushiya ubulungisa balo, lenze izinto ezimbi lize life ngenxa yaloo nto, liza kuba lifela ububi elibenzileyo.

27 “‘Naxa umenzi-bubi ezishiya izinto ezimbi azenzileyo aze enze okusesikweni* nobulungisa, uza kubusindisa ubomi bakhe.*+ 28 Xa eziqonda izono zakhe aze azishiye, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kuhlala ephila. Akazukufa.

29 “‘Kodwa indlu kaSirayeli iza kuthi: “UYehova akenzi ngobulungisa.” Ngaba nyhani ndim ongenzi ngobulungisa, ndlu kaSirayeli?+ Ayinini na abangenzi ngobulungisa?’

30 “‘Ngoko ke, ndiza kugweba ngamnye wenu ngokweendlela zakhe,+ ndlu kaSirayeli,’ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova. ‘Zishiyeni, ewe, zishiyeni ngokupheleleyo zonke izono zenu, ukuze zingabi ngumqobo onibangela nibe netyala. 31 Yahlukanani nazo zonke izono eniye nazenza+ nize nibe nentliziyo* entsha nomoya omtsha,+ kuba kutheni nimele nife,+ ndlu kaSirayeli?’

32 “‘Akundivuyisi ukufa komntu,’+ itsho iNkosi enguMongami uYehova. ‘Ngoko guqukani nize niphile.’”+