Hezekeli

Isahluko 17

Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
2 “Ndodana yomuntu, yisho imfumbe, ukhulume ngomfanekiso kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli,
3 uthi: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Ukhozi olukhulu olunamaphiko amakhulu noluzimpaphe zalo zinkulu, lugcwele izimpaphe ezinemibala eyahlukeneyo, lweza eLebanoni, lwathatha isihloko somsedari,
4 lwanquma igatsha elisha eliphezulu, lwaliyisa ezweni labahwebi, lwalibeka emzini wabathengi.
5 “ ‘Lwathatha nasembewini yezwe, lwayitshala emhlabathini othelayo, lwayibeka ngasemanzini amaningi, lwayifaka njengomnyezane.
6 Yamila, yaba ngumvini owenabayo, omfushane ngesimo, ukuze amagatsha awo abhekane nalo, nezimpande zawo zibe phansi kwalo; waba ngumvini-ke, waveza amagatsha, wakhipha amahlumela.
7 “ ‘Kepha kwakukhona nolunye ukhozi olukhulu olunamaphiko amakhulu nezimpaphe eziningi; bheka, lo mvini wabhekisa izimpande zawo kulo, waphumisela kulo amagatsha awo ukuba luwunisele kunemisele lapho wawutshalwe khona.
8 Wawusemhlabathini omuhle ngasemanzini amaningi ukuba uveze amagatsha, uthele izithelo, ube ngumvini omuhle.’
9 “Thana: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Uyakuphumelela na? Aluyikusiphula izimpande zawo, lunqume izithelo zawo, ukuze ubune, kubune onke amaqabunga ahlumelelayo, bese kungafuneki amandla amakhulu nabantu abaningi ukuwusiphula ngezimpande zawo, na?
10 Bheka, lapho usutshaliwe, uyakuphumelela na? Awuyikubuna nokubuna, lapho umoya wasempumalanga uwuthinta, ubune emiseleni lapho uhlumele khona, na?’ ”
11 Izwi likaJehova lafika kimi, lathi:
12 “Thana kuyo indlu ehlubukayo: ‘Anazi ukuthi lezi zinto ziyini?’ Yisho ukuthi: ‘Bheka, inkosi yaseBabele yafika eJerusalema, yathatha inkosi yalo nezikhulu zalo, yabayisa kuyo eBabele.
13 Yayisithatha owenzalo yobukhosi, yenza isivumelwano naye, yamngenisa phansi kwesifungo, yasusa abakhulu bezwe,
14 ukuze umbuso uthotshiswe, ungaziphakamisi, kepha ume ngokugcina isivumelwano sakhe.
15 Kepha wahlubuka kuyo ngokuthuma izithunywa zakhe eGibithe ukuba aphiwe amahhashi nabantu abaningi. Uyakuphumelela, uyakubaleka yini owenzayo lokho, uyakusaphula isivumelwano, aphunyuke, na?
16 “ ‘Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, impela endaweni yenkosi eyambeka inkosi, esifungo sayo wasidelela, nesivumelwano sayo wasaphula, uyakufa naye phakathi kweBabele.
17 UFaro akayikumenzela impi enkulu nebandla elikhulu empini, lapho benqwabela iduli, bakhe izinqaba, ukuze banqume abantu abaningi.
18 Ngokuba udelele isifungo ngokusaphula isivumelwano, wakwenza konke lokhu, noma enikile isithembiso sakhe; bheka, kayikuphunyuka.
19 “ ‘Ngalokho isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Kuphila kwami, impela isifungo sami asideleleyo nesivumelwano sami asaphulileyo ngiyakukwehlisela phezu kwekhanda lakhe.
20 Ngiyakweneka inetha lami, abanjwe ogibeni lwami, ngimyise eBabele, ngimahlulele khona ngeseqo sakhe eqe ngaso kimi.
21 Bonke ababalekayo bakhe kuwo onke amaviyo akhe bayakuwa ngenkemba, nabaseleyo bayakuhlakazelwa kuyo imimoya yonke, nazi ukuthi mina Jehova ngikukhulumile.
22 “ ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uJehova, ithi: Nami ngiyakuthatha esihlokweni somsedari omude, ngisitshale, nginqume emagatsheni amasha aphezulu elithambileyo, ngilitshale entabeni ende ephakemeyo,
23 ngilitshale empakameni yentaba yakwa-Israyeli, liveze amagatsha, lithele izithelo, libe ngumsedari omuhle, kuhlale phansi kwamagatsha onke izinyoni zezinhlobo zonke, zihlale ethunzini lamagatsha alo.
24 Yonke imithi yasendle iyakwazi ukuthi mina Jehova ngiwisile umuthi omude, ngiphakamisile umuthi omfushane; ngomisile umuthi oluhlaza, ngihlumisile umuthi owomileyo. “ ‘Mina Jehova ngikukhulumile, ngakwenza.’ ”