UHezekeli

20 Kwathi ngonyaka wesikhombisa, ngenyanga yesihlanu, ngosuku lweshumi lwenyanga, kwafika amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli ahlala phambi kwami ezobuza kuJehova. 2 Khona-ke izwi likaJehova lafika kimi lithi: 3 “Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma namadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli, uthi kuwo, ‘Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Ingabe nizele ukuzobuza kimi? ‘Ngiyafunga ngithi, ngeke nginiphendule,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.” ’

4 “Ingabe ukulungele ukuwahlulela?* Ukulungele yini ukuwahlulela, ndodana yomuntu? Watshele izinto ezinengekayo ezenziwa okhokho bawo. + 5 Yithi kuwo, ‘Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Ngosuku engakhetha ngalo u-Israyeli, + ngafunga enzalweni yendlu kaJakobe, ngazenza ngaziwa ezweni laseGibhithe. + Yebo, ngafunga* kuyo, ngathi, ‘NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’ 6 Ngalolo suku ngafunga ukuthi ngizobakhipha ezweni laseGibhithe ngibayise ezweni engangibafunele* lona, eligeleza ubisi noju. + Lalilihle kunawo wonke amazwe. 7 Ngabe sengithi kubo, ‘Yilowo nalowo kini kumele alahle izinto ezinengekayo eziphambi kwenu; ningazingcolisi ngezithixo zaseGibhithe + ezinyanyisayo.* NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’ +

8 “ ‘ “Kodwa badlubulunda kimi, babengafuni ukungilalela. Abazilahlanga izinto ezinengekayo ezaziphambi kwabo, abazishiyanga nezithixo zaseGibhithe + ezinyanyisayo. Ngakho ngathi ngizothululela ulaka lwami kubo, ngiyidedele yonke intukuthelo yami kubo ezweni laseGibhithe. 9 Kodwa ngathatha isinyathelo ngenxa yegama lami ukuze lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe ababehlala phakathi kwazo. + Ngoba ngazazisa kubo* phambi kwalezi zizwe lapho ngibakhipha* ezweni laseGibhithe. + 10 Ngakho ngabakhipha ezweni laseGibhithe ngabayisa ehlane. +

11 “ ‘ “Ngabe sengibanika imithetho yami, ngabazisa izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, + ukuze umuntu ozigcinayo aphile ngenxa yazo. + 12 Ngabanika namasabatha ami + aba isibonakaliso phakathi kwami nabo, + ukuze bazi ukuthi mina Jehova yimina obangcwelisayo.

13 “ ‘ “Kodwa indlu ka-Israyeli yadlubulunda kimi ehlane. + Abahambanga ngemithetho yami, bazenqaba izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, lezo okungathi uma umuntu ezilandela, aphile ngenxa yazo. Bawangcolisa ngokuphelele amasabatha ami. Ngakho ngathi ngizothululela ulaka lwami kubo ehlane ukuze ngibaqothule. + 14 Ngathatha isinyathelo ngenxa yegama lami ukuze lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe, engangibakhiphe* phambi kwazo. + 15 Ngafunga kubo ehlane ukuthi ngeke ngibalethe ezweni engangibanike lona +—izwe eligeleza ubisi noju, + elihle kunawo wonke— 16 ngenxa yokuthi bazenqaba izinqumo zami zokwahlulela, abahambanga ngemithetho yami, bangcolisa amasabatha ami, ngoba inhliziyo yabo yayilandela izithixo zabo ezinyanyisayo. +

17 “ ‘ “Kodwa ngabahawukela* ngangababhubhisa; angizange ngibaqothule ehlane. 18 Ngathi emadodaneni abo ehlane, + ‘Ningahambi ngeziqondiso zokhokho benu + noma nigcine izahlulelo zabo noma nizingcolise ngezithixo zabo ezinyanyisayo. 19 NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu. Hambani ngemithetho yami, nigcine izinqumo zami zokwahlulela nenze ngokuvumelana nazo. + 20 Ngcwelisani amasabatha ami, + ayoba isibonakaliso phakathi kwami nani, ukuze nazi ukuthi nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.’ +

21 “ ‘ “Kodwa amadodana aqala ukudlubulunda kimi. + Awahambanga ngemithetho yami, awazigcinanga izinqumo zami zokwahlulela futhi awenzanga ngokuvumelana nazo, lezo okungathi uma umuntu ezilandela, aphile ngenxa yazo. Awangcolisa amasabatha ami. Ngakho ngathi ngizothululela ulaka lwami kuwo, ngiyidedele yonke intukuthelo yami kuwo ehlane. + 22 Kodwa angibange ngisakwenza lokho + ngathatha isinyathelo ngenxa yegama lami, + ukuze lingangcoliswa phambi kwezizwe, lezo engabakhipha* phambi kwazo. 23 Ngafunga kubo ehlane ngathi ngiyobahlakazela phakathi kwezizwe ngibasakazele emazweni, + 24 ngenxa yokuthi abenzanga ngokuvumelana nezinqumo zami zokwahlulela, + bayenqaba imithetho yami, bangcolisa amasabatha ami, balandela izithixo ezinyanyisayo zokhokho babo. + 25 Ngabayeka balandela iziqondiso ezingezinhle nezinqumo zokwahlulela ababengeke bathole ukuphila ngazo. + 26 Ngabayeka bangcoliswa imihlatshelo yabo—lapho beshisa wonke amazibulo emlilweni +—ukuze ngibabhubhise, bazi ukuthi nginguJehova.” ’

27 “Ngakho khuluma nendlu ka-Israyeli, ndodana yomuntu, uthi kuyo, ‘Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Okhokho benu nabo bangihlambalaza ngokungathembeki kwabo kimi. 28 Ngabaletha ezweni engangifunge ukubanika lona. + Lapho bebona wonke amagquma aphakeme nazo zonke izihlahla ezinamaqabunga amaningi, + baqala ukunikela imihlatshelo yabo neminikelo yabo ecasulayo. Baletha imihlatshelo yabo enephunga elimnandi* bathululela lapho iminikelo yabo ephuzwayo. 29 Ngakho ngababuza, ‘Isho ukuthini le ndawo ephakeme eniya kuyo? (Isabizwa ngokuthi iNdawo Ephakeme kuze kube namuhla.)’ ” ’ +

30 “Manje yithi endlini ka-Israyeli, ‘Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Ingabe nizingcolisa ngendlela efanayo okhokho benu abenza ngayo, ngokulandela izithixo zabo ezinyanyisayo ukuze bafebe nazo? + 31 Ingabe nisazingcolisa kuze kube namuhla ngokunikela imihlatshelo kuzo zonke izithixo zenu ezinyanyisayo, nishisa amadodana enu emlilweni? + Ingabe kufanele ngesikhathi esifanayo nginiphendule nina ndlu ka-Israyeli?” ’ +

“ ‘Ngiyafunga,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova, ‘ngeke nginiphendule. + 32 Lokho enikucabangayo lapho nithi: “Masifane nezizwe, sifane nemindeni yakwamanye amazwe ekhonza ukhuni netshe,” + akusoze kwenzeka.’ ”

33 “ ‘Ngiyafunga,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova, ‘ngizobusa njengenkosi phezu kwenu ngesandla esinamandla, ngengalo eyeluliwe nangolaka olukhulu. + 34 Ngiyonikhipha ezizweni nginiqoqe emazweni enihlakazelwe kuwo ngesandla esinamandla, ngengalo eyeluliwe nangolaka olukhulu. + 35 Ngiyoniletha ehlane lezizwe nginahlulele lapho ubuso nobuso. +

36 “ ‘Njengoba nje ngabahlulela okhokho benu ehlane lezwe laseGibhithe, nani ngizonahlulela,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova. 37 ‘Ngiyonidlulisa ngaphansi kwenduku kamalusi + nginilethe esibophweni sesivumelwano. 38 Ngiyosusa kini abangivukelayo nabeqa umthetho wami. + Ngoba ngiyobakhipha ezweni okungelona elabo, kodwa ngeke bangene ezweni lakwa-Israyeli; + niyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova.’

39 “Wena ndlu ka-Israyeli, yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: ‘Ngamunye wenu makahambe ayokhonza izithixo zakhe ezinyanyisayo. + Kodwa ngemva kwalokho uma ningangilaleli, ngeke nisakwazi ukungcolisa igama lami elingcwele ngemihlatshelo yenu nangezithixo zenu ezinyanyisayo.’ +

40 “ ‘Ngoba entabeni yami engcwele, entabeni ephakeme yakwa-Israyeli,’ + kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova, ‘yilapho yonke indlu ka-Israyeli, yonke ngothi lwayo, iyongikhonza khona ezweni. + Lapho ngiyojabula ngayo, ngifune iminikelo yenu nezithelo zokuqala zeminikelo yenu, zonke izinto zenu ezingcwele. + 41 Ngenxa yephunga elimnandi,* ngiyojabula ngani lapho nginikhipha ezizweni nginiqoqa nginikhipha emazweni enihlakazelwe kuwo; + ngiyongcweliswa kini phambi kwezizwe.’ +

42 “ ‘Niyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova + lapho nginiletha ezweni lakwa-Israyeli, + ezweni engafunga ukulinika okhokho benu. 43 Lapho niyokukhumbula ukuziphatha kwenu nazo zonke izenzo zenu enazingcolisa ngazo, + niyozenyanya ngenxa yazo zonke izinto ezimbi enazenza. + 44 Niyokwazi ukuthi nginguJehova lapho ngisebenzelana nani ngenxa yegama lami, + hhayi ngokokuziphatha kabi kwenu noma ngokwezenzo zenu ezonakele, nina ndlu ka-Israyeli,’ kusho iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova.”

45 Izwi likaJehova laphinde lafika kimi, lithi: 46 “Ndodana yomuntu, bhekisa ubuso bakho engxenyeni engaseningizimu ukhulume eningizimu, uprofethe ehlathini lendawo eseningizimu. 47 Yithi ehlathini laseningizimu, ‘Yizwa izwi likaJehova. Yilokhu iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ekushoyo: “Bheka ngokhela umlilo ngokumelene nawe, + uzoshisa zonke izihlahla eziluhlaza nazo zonke izihlahla ezomile kuwe. Ilangabi elivuthayo ngeke licinywe, + liyohangula bonke ubuso kusukela eningizimu kuya enyakatho. 48 Bonke abantu bayobona ukuthi mina Jehova ngiwokhele, kangangokuthi ngeke ucime.” ’ ” +

49 Ngathi: “Maye Nkosi EnguMbusi Jehova! Bathi ngami, ‘Akakhulumi yini iziphicaphicwano?’ ”*