Hezekiyeli
31 Ngomnyaka we-11, ngenyanga yesithathu, ngelanga lokuthoma lenyanga, ilizwi lakaJehova lafika kimi godu, lathi: 2 “Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma noFaro ikosi yeGibhide nesiqubuthu sakhe,+ uthi,
‘Ngubani omkhulu njengawe?
3 Qala bekunomAsiriya, umsedari eLibhanoni,
Oneempande ezihle eziminyeneko, ezinjengomthunzi omkhulu;
Bewuphakeme, umude begodu ubude bawo bebufika emafini.
4 Amanzi awenze wakhula waba mkhulu, imithombo edephileko yamanzi iyenze wakhula waba mude.
Imilanjana beyibhode koke lapha utjalwe khona;
Imiselayo beyithelelela yoke imithi.
5 Kungebangelo wakhula waba mude khulu ukudlula eminye imithi yesimini.
Iimpande zanda, zakhula zaba zide
Ngebanga lamanzi amanengi emilanjanenayo.
6 Zoke iinyoni zomkayi zakha iindleke eempandeni zawo,
Zoke iimbandana zazalela ngaphasi kweempande zawo,
Zoke iintjhaba ezinabantu abanengi bezihlala emthunzinawo.
7 Waba mkhulu, waba muhle, waba neempande ezide,
Ngombana imirabhu yakhona beyikhamba ngaphasi kwamanzi amanengi.
8 Beyingekho eminye imithi yemisedari esesimini kaZimu+ ebeyifana nawo.
Beyingekho nemithi yemijunipha eneempande ebeyifana nayo,
Beyingekho nemithi yepalatani ebeyifana neempande zayo,
Beyingekho eminye imithi esimini kaZimu engaphalisana nobuhle bawo.
9 Ngawenza waba muhle, waba namakari amanengi,
Begodu yoke eminye imithi ye-Edeni esimini kaZimu weqiniso yaba nomona ngawo.’
10 “Nje-ke nakhu iKosi ePhakemeko uJehova ekutjhoko: ‘Ngebanga lokuthi waba mude khulu, wafika emafini, ihliziywawo yathoma ukuzikhakhazisa ngebanga lobude bawo, 11 ngizowunikela ezandleni zababusi abanamandla beentjhaba.+ Nakanjani uzokujamelana nawo, ngizowulahla ngebanga lokukhohlakala kwawo. 12 Abantu abavela kwezinye iinarha, abantu abanelunya khulu eentjhabeni, bazowugawula, bazowutjhiya eentabeni begodu amakari wakhona azokuwela kiyo yoke imirhoba neempande zawo zizokuphukela kiyo yoke imilanjana yenarha.+ Zoke iintjhaba zephasi zizokusuka emthunzinawo ziwutjhiye. 13 Zoke iinyoni zomkayi zizokuhlala esidindini sawo esiwileko, nazo zoke iimbandana zemmangweni zizokuhlala eempandeni zawo.+ 14 Bona kungasaba nemithi ehlanu kwamanzi ekhula ibe mide khulu namkha ikhule ibe mide ifike emafini begodu kungasaba nomuthi othelelelwa kuhle ozokuphakama njengawo. Ngombana yoke izokufa, iye enarheni ephasi, kuhlanganise namadodana wabantu, azokuya ethuneni.
15 “Nakhu iKosi ePhakemeko uJehova ekutjhoko: ‘Ngelanga ozokuya ngalo eThuneni,* ngizokubangela ukulila. Nje-ke ngizokugubuzesa amanzi adephileko, ngivimbe imilambawo bona amanzi amanengi avimbezeleke. Ngebanga lawo, iLibhanoni lizokuba mnyama, nemithi yakhona izokutjhwaba. 16 Nakuzwakala itjhada lokuwa kwawo, ngizokubangela iintjhaba zihlengezele nangiwehlisela eThuneni,* nabo boke abaya emgodini, nayo yoke imithi ye-Edeni,+ ekhethekileko nephuma phambili yeLibhanoni, yoke ethelelelwe kuhle, izokududuzwa enarheni ephasi. 17 Baye eThuneni* nawo,* labo abarhayile ngesabula,+ nabasekeli bawo ebebahlala emthunzinawo hlangana neentjhaba.’+
18 “‘Ngimiphi imithi ye-Edeni ebeyifana nawe ngokuphazimula nobukhulu?+ Kodwana wena nakanjani uzokwehliselwa phasi nemithi ye-Edeni bese uye enarheni ephasi. Uzokulala phasi hlangana nabangakasokwa, nalabo abarhayilwe yisabula. Lokhu kuzokwenzeka kuFaro nakiso soke isiqubuthu sakhe,’ kutjho iKosi ePhakemeko uJehova.”