Ezekiel 21

IBhabhiloni, Inkemba KaNkulunkulu Yokwahlulela

1Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi: 2“Ndodana yomuntu, khangelisa ubuso bakho eJerusalema utshumayele okubi ngendawo engcwele. Phrofetha okubi ngelizwe lako-Israyeli 3uthi kulo: ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Ngixabane lani. Ngizahwatsha inkemba yami emxhakeni wayo ngisuse kuwe abalungileyo lababi. 4Ngoba ngizasusa abalungileyo lababi, inkemba yami izahwatshelwa ukumelana labo bonke abavela eningizimu kanye lasenyakatho. 5Lapho-ke abantu bonke bazakwazi ukuthi mina nginguThixo sengihwatshe inkemba yami emxhakeni wayo, kayiyikubuyela futhi.’

6Ngakho-ke bubula ndodana yomuntu! Bubula phambi kwabo ngenhliziyo edabukileyo kanye losizi olukhulu. 7Nxa bekubuza besithi, ‘Kungani na ububula?’ uzakuthi, ‘Ngenxa yezindaba ezifikayo. Zonke inhliziyo zizenyela lezandla zonke zibe buthakathaka, imimoya yonke izaphela amandla lamadolo wonke abe buthakathaka njengamanzi.’ Kuyeza! Ngempela kuzakwenzakala, kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.”

8Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi: 9“Ndodana yomuntu, phrofetha uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo:

Umhedla, umhedla,
ilolwe njalo yalolongwa,
10Ilolelwe ukubulala,
ilolongelwe ukuphazima njengombane.
Kambe sizathokoza na ngentonga yobukhosi yendodana yami uJuda? Inkemba iyazeyisa zonke izigodo ezinjalo.

11Inkemba ibekelwe ukuba ilolongwe,
ukuba iphathwe ngesandla;
iyalolwa ilolongwe,
yenziwe ilungele isandla sombulali.
12Hlaba umkhosi ulile, ndodana yomuntu,
ngoba imelane labantu bami;
imelane lamakhosana wonke ako-Israyeli.
Aphoselwa kuyo inkemba
ndawonye labantu bami.
Ngakho-ke bamba isihlathi sakho.
13Ukuhlolwa kuyeza impela. Njalo kuzakuba njani nxa intonga kaJuda yobukhosi, edelelwa yinkemba, ingasaqhubeki? kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.’

14Ngakho-ke, ndodana yomuntu,
phrofetha uqakeze izandla zakho.
Inkemba kayigadle kabili,
lanxa kungaba kathathu.
Yinkemba yokubulala,
inkemba yokubulala kakhulu,
ebahanqayo ivela macele wonke.
15Ukuze inhliziyo zibe buthakathaka
labawileyo babebanengi,
sengibeke inkemba yokubulala
kuwo wonke amasango abo.
Bheka! Yenzelwe ukuphazima njengombane,
iphathelwe ukubulala.
16Wena nkemba, geca kwesokudla,
uphinde kwesenxele,
loba kungaphi ubukhali bakho obuphendukela khona.
17Lami futhi ngizaqakeza izandla zami,
njalo ulaka lwami luzadeda.
Mina Thixo sengikhulumile.”
18Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kimi lisithi: 19“Ndodana yomuntu, canda imigwaqo emibili yenkemba yenkosi yaseBhabhiloni ukuba ihambe kuyo, yomibili iqalise elizweni linye. Yenza insika yesiqondiso lapho okuphambuka khona umgwaqo oya edolobheni. 20Canda omunye umgwaqo wenkemba ukuba izemelana leRabha yama-Amoni, lomunye ukumelana loJuda kanye leJerusalema elivikelweyo. 21Ngoba inkosi yaseBhabhiloni izakuma lapho imigwaqo eyehlukana khona, lapho okuhlangana khona imigwaqo emibili, ukuba ifune ibika: Izaphosa inkatho ngemitshoko, izabuza izithombe zayo, izahlola isibindi. 22Esandleni sayo sokudla kuzakuza inkatho yeJerusalema, lapho ezamisa khona imigqala yokudiliza, lokunika umlayo wokubulala, lokuhlaba umkhosi wempi, lokumisa imigqala yokudiliza amasango, lokwakha amadundulu kanye lokumisa izindawo zokuvimbezela. 23Kuzakhanya angathi libika amanga kulabo asebefungele ukuthobeka kuyo, kodwa yona izabakhumbuza icala labo ibathumbe.

24Ngakho nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: ‘Njengoba lina bantu lingikhumbuze icala lenu ngokuhlamuka kwenu okusobala, libonakalisa izono zenu kukho konke elikwenzayo njengoba lenze lokhu, lizathunjwa.

25Wena nkosana yako-Israyeli exhwalileyo njalo embi, usuku lwakho selufikile, lesikhathi sokujeziswa kwakho sesifike emaphethelweni, 26nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi: Khupha iqhiye, yethula umqhele. Akuyikuba njengoba kwakunjalo: Abaphansi bazaphakanyiswa kuthi abaphakemeyo behliselwe phansi. 27Unxiwa! Unxiwa! Ngizawenza ube lunxiwa! Kawuyikubuyiselwa kuze kufike lowo ongowakhe ngokuqondileyo, onguye engizamnika wona.’

28Njalo wena, ndodana yomuntu, phrofetha uthi, ‘Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi ngama-Amoni kanye lezithuko zawo:

Inkemba, inkemba,
ihwatshelwe ukubulala,
ilolongelwe ukuqothula
lokuphazima njengombane!
29Langaphezu kwemibono yamanga ngawe,
lokuhlahlula okungamanga ngawe,
izabekwa entanyeni zababi
okumele babulawe,
abasuku lwabo selufikile,
abasikhathi sokujeziswa kwabo sesifike emaphethelweni aso.

30Buyisela inkemba emxhakeni wayo.
Endaweni owadalelwa kuyo,
elizweni labokhokho bakho,
ngizakwahlulela khona.
31Ngizathululela ulaka lwami phezu kwakho
ngiphefumlele lentukuthelo yami etshisayo kuwe;
ngizakunikela ebantwini abalesihluku,
abantu abakwaziyo ukuqothula.
32Uzakuba zinkuni zomlilo,
igazi lakho lizachithelwa elizweni lakini,
kawuyikukhunjulwa futhi;
ngoba mina Thixo sengikhulumile.’ ”