UHezekeli

18 Izwi likaJehova laphinde lafika kimi, lithi: 2 “Sisho ukuthini lesi saga enisisho ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, nithi, ‘Obaba badle amagilebhisi amuncu, kodwa yimilomo yabantwana emuncu’? +

3 “ ‘Ngiyafunga,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova, ‘ngeke nisaqhubeka nisho lesi saga kwa-Israyeli. 4 Lalela! Yonke imiphefumulo* ingeyami. Njengoba nje umphefumulo kayise ungowami, umphefumulo womntwana nawo ungowami. Umphefumulo* owonayo yiwo oyokufa.

5 “ ‘Ake sithi umuntu ulungile futhi wenza ubulungisa nokulunga; 6 akadli imihlatshelo enikelwe ezithombeni ezintabeni; + akazikhonzi izithixo ezinyanyisayo* zendlu ka-Israyeli; akamngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wakhe + futhi akalali nowesifazane osesikhathini; + 7 akahlukumezi muntu, + kodwa uyasibuyisela isibambiso asithathe kumuntu omkweletayo; + akaphambi muntu, + kodwa upha olambile ukudla kwakhe, + amboze ohamba-ze ngengubo; + 8 akayibizi inzalo noma inzuzo eyeqile, + kodwa uyakugwema ukungabi nabulungisa; + wahlulela umuntu ngamunye ngobulungisa beqiniso; + 9 uqhubeka ehamba ngemithetho yami, egcina izinqumo zami zokwahlulela ukuze enze ngokwethembeka. Umuntu onjalo ulungile futhi nakanjani uyoqhubeka ephila,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.

10 “ ‘Kodwa ake sithi uzale indodana engumphangi + noma engumbulali *+ noma eyenza noma iyiphi kulezi ezinye izinto 11 (nakuba uyise engazenzanga lezi zinto)—idla imihlatshelo enikelwe ezithombeni ezintabeni, ingcolisa umfazi kamakhelwane wayo, 12 ihlukumeza ohluphekayo nompofu, + iphamba abantu, ayiyibuyisi into eyisibambiso, ikhonza izithixo ezinyanyisayo, + yenza imikhuba enengekayo, + 13 ibiza inzuzo eyeqile ifune nenzalo +—indodana ngeke iqhubeke iphila. Ngenxa yazo zonke lezi zinto ezinengekayo ezenzile, nakanjani iyobulawa. Igazi layo liyoba phezu kwayo.

14 “ ‘Kodwa ake sithi ubaba unendodana ebona zonke izono zikayise azenzile, nakuba izibona, ayizenzi. 15 Ayiyidleli ezintabeni imihlatshelo enikelwe ezithombeni; ayizikhonzi izithixo ezinyanyisayo zendlu ka-Israyeli; ayimngcolisi umfazi kamakhelwane wayo; 16 ayihlukumezi muntu, ayiyithathi into eyisibambiso; ayiphambi muntu; inika olambile ukudla kwayo, imboze ohamba-ze ngengubo; 17 ayibacindezeli abahluphekayo; ayiyibizi inzuzo eyeqile noma ifune inzalo; igcina izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, ihambe ngemithetho yami. Umuntu onjalo ngeke afe ngenxa yesiphambeko sikayise. Nakanjani uyoqhubeka ephila. 18 Kodwa ngenxa yokuthi uyise wayekhwabanisa, waphamba umfowabo, wenza izinto ezimbi kubantu bakubo, uyofa ngenxa yesiphambeko sakhe.

19 “ ‘Kodwa niyothi: “Kungani indodana ingenacala ngenxa yesiphambeko sikayise?” Njengoba indodana yenze ubulungisa nokulunga, igcine yonke imithetho yami futhi yayenza, nakanjani iyoqhubeka iphila. + 20 Umphefumulo* owonayo yiwo oyokufa. + Indodana ngeke ibe necala ngenxa yesiphambeko sikayise, noyise ngeke abe necala ngenxa yesiphambeko sendodana. Olungile uyokwahlulelwa ngokuvumelana nokulunga kwakhe nomubi uyokwahlulelwa ngokuvumelana nobubi bakhe. +

21 “ ‘Uma omubi ephenduka ashiye zonke izono azenzile, agcine imithetho yami, enze ubulungisa nokulunga, nakanjani uyoqhubeka ephila. Ngeke afe. + 22 Asikho nesisodwa isono ayobanjelwa sona* ezonweni azenzile. + Uyoqhubeka ephila ngenxa yokwenza okulungile.’ +

23 “ ‘Kukhona yini okungijabulisayo ngokufa komuntu omubi?’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova. ‘Angithandi yini ukuba aphenduke ezindleleni zakhe aqhubeke ephila?’ +

24 “ ‘Kodwa lapho olungile eshiya ukulunga kwakhe enze okubi,* enze zonke izinto ezinengekayo ezenziwa abantu ababi, ingabe uyophila? Asikho nesisodwa isenzo sakhe esilungile esiyokhunjulwa. + Ngenxa yokungathembeki kwakhe nesono asenzile, uyofa. +

25 “ ‘Kodwa niyothi: “Indlela kaJehova ayinabo ubulungisa.” + Ngicela nilalele nina ndlu ka-Israyeli! Yindlela yami yini engenabo ubulungisa? + Akuzona yini izindlela zenu ezingenabo ubulungisa? +

26 “ ‘Lapho olungile eshiya ukulunga kwakhe enze okubi bese efa ngenxa yako, uyofa ngenxa yobubi abenzile.

27 “ ‘Lapho omubi ephenduka ebubini abenzile bese enza ubulungisa nokulunga, uyokulonda ukuphila kwakhe. + 28 Lapho ebona ukuthi izinto azenzayo zimbi bese eziyeka, nakanjani uyoqhubeka ephila. Ngeke afe.

29 “ ‘Kodwa indlu ka-Israyeli iyothi: “Indlela kaJehova ayinabo ubulungisa.” Ingabe ngempela yizindlela zami ezingenabo ubulungisa, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli? + Akuzona yini izindlela zenu ezingenabo ubulungisa?’

30 “ ‘Ngakho, ngizokwahlulela ngamunye wenu ngokwezindlela zakhe, + nina ndlu ka-Israyeli,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova. ‘Phendukani, yebo, phendukani ngokuphelele kuzo zonke izono zenu, ukuze zingabi isikhubekiso esinilethela icala. 31 Dedani kuzo zonke iziphambeko enizenzile + nithole inhliziyo entsha nomoya omusha, + ngoba kungani kufanele nife + nina ndlu ka-Israyeli?’

32 “ ‘Ayikho injabulo engiyitholayo ngokufa komuntu,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova. ‘Ngakho phendukani, niphile.’ ” +