Ezekiel 31
1 Kwathi ngonyaka we-11, ngenyanga yesithathu, ngosuku lokuqala enyangeni izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi:
2 “Ndodana yomuntu, khuluma kuFaro, inkosi yaseGibhithe nasesixukwini sakhe, uthi: “ ‘Ngubani ongalinganiswa nawe ngobukhulu na?
3 Cabanga nje i-Asiriya, elalingumsedari waseLebhanoni; unamagatsha amahle, namaqabunga anomthunzi, nesiqu esiphakemeyo; isihloko sawo sifinyelela emafini.
4 Amanzi awukhulisa, izinzulu zemithombo zawuphakamisa. Imifula yawo yayigeleza nxazonke lapho utshalwe khona; yayisithumela imifudlana yayo kuzo zonke izihlahla zasendle.
5 Ngalokho-ke isiqu sawo sasiphakeme kunayo yonke imithi yasendle; amagatsha awo aba makhulu, namagatsha awo enaba ngenxa yamanzi amaningi.
6 Zonke izinyoni zezulu zakha izidleke zazo emagatsheni awo, izilwane zonke zasendle zazalela phansi kwamagatsha awo; zonke izizwe ezinkulu zahlala phansi komthunzi wawo.
7 Wawumuhle ngobukhulu bawo, nangobude bamagatsha awo, ngokuba izimpande zawo zazilapho kunamanzi amaningi khona.
8 Imisedari esensimini kaNkulunkulu yayingenakuwusitha; imisayiphuresi ingafani namagatsha awo, nemiphelathani ingenjengamagatsha awo, kungekho nowodwa umuthi ensimini kaNkulunkulu ofana nawo ngobuhle.
9 Ngawenza waba muhle ngobuningi bamagatsha awo, yonke imithi yase-Edene eyayisensimini kaNkulunkulu, yaba nomhawu ngawo.
10 “ ‘Ngakho-ke isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Njengoba ubuphakeme ngobude, wafinyelelisa isihloko sawo phakathi kwamafu, nenhliziyo yawo yazikhukhumeza ngenxa yokuphakama kwawo,
11 ngiyakuwunikela esandleni somholi wezizwe, impela yena uyakwenza okufanele kuwo ngangokukhohlakala kwawo, bese ngiwuxosha.
12 Abafokazi bezizwe ezinonya, bawunqumile, base bewushiya. Amagatsha awo awele ezintabeni nasezigodini, kwathi amagatsha awo aphukela kuyo yonke imifudlana yezwe, futhi bonke abantu basukile emthunzini wawo, bawushiya kanjalo.
13 Kuyakuhlala zonke izinyoni zezulu esiqwini sawo, zonke izilwane zasendle zibe semagatsheni awo,
14 ukuba kungabi bikho muthi ongasemanzini, oyakuba mude ngokuphakama kwawo, ungasifinyelelisi isihloko sawo emafini, futhi kungabi bikho mithi eyophuza amanzi, ikhule ibe mide ngangawo, ngokuba yonke inikelwe ekufeni phansi komhlaba, ebantwaneni babantu, labo abehlela egodini.” ’
15 “ ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Ngosuku owehlela ngalo endaweni yabafileyo, ngenza ukuba izinzulu ziwulilele, ngawusibekela, ngavimba imifula yalo, namanzi amaningi awangageleza. ILebhanoni ngalifaka inzilo ngenxa yawo; imithi yonke yasendle yadangala ngawo.
16 Izizwe ngazithuthumelisa ngomsindo wokuwa kwawo, lapho ngiwehlisela endaweni yabafileyo, nalabo abehlela egodini. Yaduduzwa phansi komhlaba yonke imithi yase-Edene ekhethekileyo neyaseLebhanoni emihle, nayo yonke eniseliweyo.
17 Labo ababehlala emthunzini wawo, nezizwe ezazingumfelandawonye nawo, nabo behlela nawo endaweni yabafileyo, baya kulabo ababebulawe ngenkemba.
18 “ ‘ “Pho yimuphi umuthi wase-Edene ongalinganiswa nawe ngodumo nangobukhulu na? Nokho uyakwehliselwa phansi komhlaba nemithi yase-Edene, ulale nabangasokile nababulawe ngenkemba. Lowo-ke nguFaro, naso sonke isixuku sakhe,” ’ ” kusho iNkosi uSimakade.