UHezekheli
26 Ngelanga lokuqala lenyanga, ngomnyaka wesi-11, ilizwi likaJehova lafika kimi lathi: 2 “Ndodana yomuntu, ngenxa yokuthi iThire ihleke iJerusalema+ isithi, ‘Igedi lezizwe selidilikile!+ Konke sekuzabuya kimi futhi ngizanotha ngoba iJerusalema isitshabalele,’ 3 nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova: ‘Ngizakulwa lawe wena Thire. Ngizaletha izizwe ezinengi zikuhlasele njengolwandle luphosa amagagasi alo. 4 Zizadiliza imiduli yakho kanye lemiphotshongo yakho.+ Ngizahugula yonke inhlabathi ngikutshiye ulidwala elicazimulayo. 5 Uzakuba yindawo yokuchayela amanethi elwandle.’+
“‘Mina sengikhulumile,’ kutsho iNkosi Enkulu uJehova. ‘Izizwe zizathumba impahla yakho 6 njalo abahlala emadolobheni akho bazabulawa ngenkemba. Abantu bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguJehova.’
7 “Nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova: ‘Ngizaletha uNebhukhadinezari* inkosi yeBhabhiloni azohlasela iThire evelela enyakatho.+ Uyinkosi yamakhosi+ futhi ulamabhiza,+ lezinqola zempi,+ lamasotsha agada amabhiza kanye lebutho elikhulu. 8 Uzababulala ngenkemba bonke abantu abahlala emadolobheni aphakathi kwelizwe. Uzakwakha umduli wokuvimbezela idolobho, akhe ledundulu lokuhlasela njalo uzakuphakamisela ihawu elikhulu. 9 Uzadiliza imiduli yakho ngezigodo ezinkulu, awisele phansi imiphotshongo yakho ngamahloka.* 10 Uthuli luzabamba nki ngenxa yobunengi bamabhiza akhe. Umsindo wamabhiza lowamaviri ezinqola zempi uzanyikinya imiduli yakho nxa yena esengena emagedini akho njengabantu abahlaselayo befohla emdulini odilikileyo. 11 Amasondo amabhiza akhe azanyathela kuyo yonke imigwaqo yakho.+ Uzabulala abantu bakho ngenkemba, adilizele phansi insika zakho eziqinileyo. 12 Bazabutha inotho yakho, bathathe lempahla yakho ethengiswayo+ njalo badilize imiduli yakho kanye lezindlu zakho ezinhle. Ngemva kwalokho bazaphosela amatshe akho lezigodo zakho kanye lenhlabathi yakho emanzini.’
13 “‘Ngizawuqeda umsindo wezingoma zakho, lomsindo wamahabhu* akho awusoze uphinde uzwakale.+ 14 Ngizakwenza ube lidwala elicazimulayo futhi uzakuba yindawo yokuchayela amanethi.+ Awusoze uphinde wakhiwe ngoba mina Jehova sengikhulumile,’ kutsho iNkosi Enkulu uJehova.
15 “Nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova kuyo iThire: ‘Nxa sekubulawa abantu phakathi kwakho, izihlenge zizazamazama zisizwa umsindo wokuwa kwakho lokububula kwalabo asebesifa.+ 16 Zonke izinduna zaselwandle zizatshaywa luvalo, zehle ezihlalweni zazo zobukhosi zikhiphe amajazi azo, zihlubule lezembatho zazo ezicecisiweyo. Zizahlala emhlabathini ziqhaqhazele okungapheliyo, zikukhangele zimangele.+ 17 Zizakuhlabelela ingoma yokulila+ zithi kuwe:
“Usutshabalele+ wena dolobho elidumileyo elalihlala abantu baselwandle;
Wena labantu bakho lalilamandla elwandle,+
Lalisenza bonke abantu bomhlaba balesabe!
18 Izihlenge zizanyikinyeka ngosuku lokuwa kwakho,
Izihlenge zolwandle zizaphazamiseka nxa ungasekho.”’+
19 “Nanku okutshiwo yiNkosi Enkulu uJehova: ‘Nxa sengikutshabalalisa njengamadolobho angahlalwa muntu, ngikusibekela ngamanzi agubhazelayo futhi impophoma zamanzi sezikugubuzele,+ 20 ngizakuthatha wena lalabo ozakwehlela labo egodini* ngilise ebantwini bakudala. Ngizakuhlalisa endaweni ephansi efana lezindawo zakudala ezatshabalalayo, ulalabo abehlela egodini+ ukuze abantu bangaphindi bahlale kuwe. Ngemva kwalokho ngizakwenza ilizwe labaphilayo libe lihle kakhulu.
21 “‘Ngizakuhlasela ulibele futhi awusoze uphinde ubekhona.+ Bazakudinga kodwa awusoze uphinde utholakale,’ kutsho iNkosi Enkulu uJehova.”