UHezekeli
5 “Wena ndodana yomuntu, zithathele inkemba ebukhali uyenze ibe insingo* yomgundi. Gunda ikhanda lakho nentshebe yakho, uthathe isikali ukale izinwele uzihlukanise zibe izingxenye ezintathu ezilinganayo. 2 Ingxenye yokuqala uzoyishisa ngomlilo ngaphakathi edolobheni lapho seziphelile izinsuku zokulivimbezela. + Uyobe usuthatha enye ingxenye uyishaye ngenkemba nxazonke zedolobha, + kuthi ingxenye yesithathu uyisakaze emoyeni, futhi ngiyohosha inkemba ngibajahe. +
3 “Kumele uthathe ezimbalwa kuzo uzisonge ngemiphetho yengubo yakho. 4 Ezinye zazo uzozithatha uziphonse emlilweni uzishise zibe umlotha. Kuwo kuyophuma umlilo usakazekele kuyo yonke indlu ka-Israyeli. +
5 “Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: ‘Leli yiJerusalema. Ngilibeke maphakathi nezizwe, lazungezwa amazwe. 6 Kodwa lidlubulundile ezinqumweni zami zokwahlulela nasemithethweni yami, lenza okubi ukwedlula izizwe namazwe alizungezile. + Ngoba lizilahlile izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, alihambanga ngemithetho yami.’
7 “Ngakho yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: ‘Ngenxa yokuthi nanihlupha nedlula izizwe ezinizungezile, anihambanga ngemithetho yami futhi anizigcinanga izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, kunalokho, nalandela izinqumo zokwahlulela zezizwe ezinizungezile, + 8 yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Wena dolobha, ngiyisitha sakho, + ngizokhipha isahlulelo phakathi kwakho phambi kwezizwe. + 9 Ngizokwenza kuwe into engingakaze ngiyenze, engingeke ngiphinde ngiyenze efana nayo ngenxa yayo yonke imikhuba yakho enengekayo. +
10 “ ‘ “Ngakho obaba abaphakathi kwakho bayodla amadodana abo, + namadodana adle oyise, ngiyokhipha isahlulelo phakathi kwakho, bonke abasele kuwe ngibahlakazele kuyo yonke indawo.” ’ +
11 “ ‘Ngakho-ke ngiyafunga,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova, ‘ngenxa yokuthi yindlu yami engcwele enayingcolisa ngazo zonke izithixo zenu ezinyanyekayo nangayo yonke imikhuba yenu enengekayo, + nami ngizonilahla; iso lami ngeke libe nesihawu futhi ngeke ngibonise uzwela. + 12 Ingxenye kini iyofa ngesifo esiwumshayabhuqe noma ibulawe yindlala. Enye ingxenye iyowa ngenkemba nxazonke zenu. + Ingxenye yokugcina ngiyoyihlakazela kuyo yonke indawo, ngihoshe inkemba ngibajahe. + 13 Ngemva kwalokho intukuthelo yami iyophela, ngeke ngisababonisa ulaka, ngiyokwaneliseka. + Bayokwazi ukuthi mina, Jehova, ngikhulumile ekuphikeleleni kwami ngifuna abantu bazinikele kimi ngokuphelele, + lapho sengiqedile ukudedela ulaka lwami kubo.
14 “ ‘Ngiyokwenza ube indawo eyincithakalo nesihlamba phakathi kwezizwe ezikuzungezile naphambi kwabo bonke abantu abadlulayo. + 15 Uyoba yinto ehlanjalazwayo neyinhlekisa, + isibonelo esiyisixwayiso nento eyesabekayo ezizweni ezikuzungezile, lapho ngikwahlulela ngentukuthelo nangolaka nangezijeziso ezinzima. Mina Jehova ngikhulumile.
16 “ ‘Ngiyothumela kubo indlala, iyobaqothula njengemicibisholo ehlaselayo ukuze ngibabhubhise. Imicibisholo engiyithumelayo iyonibulala. + Ngiyokwenza indlala ibe yimbi kakhulu ngokunqamula ilungiselelo lenu lokudla. *+ 17 Ngiyothumela kini indlala nezilwane zasendle eziyingozi, + ziyoniphuca abantwana. Isifo esiwumshayabhuqe nokuchitheka kwegazi kuyoba kukhulu kakhulu, futhi ngiyoletha inkemba imelane nani. + Mina Jehova ngikhulumile.’ ”