Kuda kwa She ne kusahwa kwe nthu
1 Mu gole le butendeka, mu mwedzi we bushanu mu zhuba le bugumi le mwedzi, bamwe be sholotjena dze Iziraela bakazha kubhuzwa Yahwe ngono bakagala pasi mbeli kwangu. 2 Ngono dama la Yahwe likazha kundili liti, 3 “Nkololo we nthu, lebeleka ne sholotjena dze Iziraela ubadwe uti, ‘Tjinolebgwa ndi She Yahwe etjetji, apa mazha kuwobhuzwa tjimwe mu ndili kene? Nge malebeswa se nditjila anditowomudumila kundibhuzwa tjimwe. Koleba She Yahwe.’
4 “Apa ungabasumikilisa kene? Ungabasumikilisa kene nkololo we nthu? Ndizo ubalingisanye ne zwakathamiwa ndi botate babo zwinoshimika 5 ube ubadwa uti, ‘Tjinolebgwa ndi She Yahwe ndi etji, Mu zhuba landakashalula Iziraela ndakamilidza luboko gwangu atuna ku ludzi gwa Jakubo ngono ha bazwilakidza mu Egipiti amilidza luboko abadwa ati, “Ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.” 6 Mu zhuba ilelo ndakatuna ku bali nditi ndowobadusa mu Egipiti ndibayisa ku shango yandakabashakila, shango inowunga nkaka ne butji, yakanaka padzimwe shango. 7 Ngono abadwa ati, “Mmwe ne mmwe wenyu ngaalashe zwifano zwakabipa zwamunonamata, musizwitemapadze nge midzimu ye zwifano ye Egipiti. Ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.”
8 “ ‘Koga bakandipandukila ngono bakasitongo nditeedza, bakasitongo lasha midzimu ye zwifano yabanonamata kene kuli kulasha midzimu ye zwifano ye Egipiti. Ndizo ndakati ndowobagwadzila moyo ashingisa bushongola gwangu mu bali mu Egipiti. 9 Koga ndakathama ikoku ngekwe zina langu, ndakathama tjinothama kuti zina langu lisilengudziwe nge njudzi dzabakatjila pakati kwadzo, dzandakazwilakidza mu Baiziraela nge kubadusa mu Egipiti dzakalinga. 10 Ndizo ndakabatungamila kudwa mu Egipiti abayisa ku tjilambanyika. 11 Ndakabapa milayo yangu abazibisa iyo, ngoti nthu unoihwa unowotjila ndiyo. 12 Abapa na bo Sabata bangu kube tjilakidzo pakati kwangu nabo kuti bazibe kuti imi Yahwe ndimi ndakabayengemadza.
13 “ ‘Koga bathu be Iziraela bakandipandukila mu tjilambanyika. Abazolondolodza milayo yangu koga bakayilamba, iyo inowotjidza wailondolodza ngono bakasiyengemadze bo Sabata bangu. Ndizo abe nditi ndowobagwadzila moyo abalobesa mu tjilambanyika. 14 Koga ndakalinga zina langu athama tjakathama kuti lisilengudziwe nge njudzi dzakabe dzakalinga ndibadusa mu Egipiti. 15 Pezhugwi kwaikoku ndakamilidza luboko gwangu atuna ku bali mu tjilambanyika nditi andingabakotose mu shango yandakabapa iyo, shango inowunga nkaka ne butji, yakanaka padzimwe shango dzose. 16 Ndathamisiwa ikoku ngobe bakalamba milayo yangu bakasiyilondolodze kakale bakasiyengemadze bo Sabata bangu. Bakazwipa mu midzimu yabo ye zwifano. 17 Koga ndakabalinga nge ngoni asibalobese mu tjilambanyika.
18 “ ‘Ndakadwa bana babo mu tjilambanyika ati, “Musitongo tobela mipanga ya botate benyu kene kulondolodza milayo yabo kene mukazwitemapadza nge midzimu yabo ye zwifano. 19 Ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu tobelani zila dzangu mulondolodze milayo yangu nge njele. 20 Muyengemadze bo Sabata bangu kuti babe tjilakidzo pakati kwangu namwi, kuita kuti muzibe kuti ndimi Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu.”
21 “ ‘Koga bana bakandipandukila. Abazotongo tobela zila dzangu kene kuli kulondolodza milayo yangu nge njele, iyo inoti unoyilondolodza katjidziwa ndiyo. Abazoyengemadza bo Sabata bangu. Ipapo akumbula kubagwadzila moyo ne kushingisa bushongola gwangu mu bali mu tjilambanyika. 22 Koga ndakazwidziba, ngono ngekwe zina langu ndakathama tjakathama kuti lisilengudziwe mu njudzi dzakabe dzakalinga ndibadusa mu Egipiti. 23 Naikobo amilidza luboko gwangu atuna ku bali mu tjilambanyika ati ndowobapaladza nge njudzi abaandamisa nge shango, 24 nge kuti abazohwa milayo yangu koga bakailamba ngono bakasiyengemadze bo Sabata bangu, ngono bana nyota ye midzimu ya botate babo ye zwifano. 25 Ngono ndakabapa milayo isakalulwama yabasingake bakatjila ndiyo. 26 Ndakabaletja bakatemapadziwa nge zwipo zwabo, tjibhayilo tje mbano imwe ne imwe, kuita kuti ndibazhadze nge kutja kuti ndizo bazibe kuti ndimi Yahwe.’
27 “Ndizo wali nkololo we nthu, lebeleka ne bathu be Iziraela ubadwe uti, ‘Tjinolebgwa ndi She Yahwe ndi etji, Muna ikoku botate benyu bakandituka nge kusagalikabgwe kwabo. 28 Ndakati ndabakotosa mu shango yandakatuna kubapa iyo bebe bebona duthu lefu kene nti una mazhani manjinji, bebe bethamila zwibhayilo zwabo ipapo beisa zwibhayilo zwabo zwinondigwadzisa moyo, bepisa motsha wabo unonuhwilila betebula zwipo zwe zwing'o. 29 Ipapo abadwa ati, Magalo iyawa akatuthumala amunoyenda kuali ngeeni?’ ” Anodang'wa Bhama na ngwenu.
30 “Ndizo idwa bathu be Iziraela uti, ‘Tjinoleba She Yahwe etji, Apa mowozwitemapadza sekwakathama botate benyu kene mutebelela zwifano zwabo zwinoshimika? 31 Mozwitemapadza ngodusa zwipo zwili bana benyu mu bapisa mu moto, mutjazwitemapadza nge midzimu ye zwifano nanasi kose. Apa ndingaduma mundibhuzwa tjimwe kene Baiziraela? Se nditjila andinga mudumile kundibhuzwa tjimwe. Koleba She Yahwe.
32 “ ‘Tjamunozwidwa mu mikumbulo yenyu atjitoshingikala. Mozwidwa muti, “Ngatifananeni ne njudzi dzimwe, ngatifananeni ne bathu be shango dzimwe tinamate midzimu yakabezhiwa ne ye mabgwe.”
Ndzimu unohwila ngoni
33 “ ‘Nge malebeswa se nditjila, ndowomubusa nge masimba ngekwakasima mu kugwadza moyo kwangu. Koleba She Yahwe. 34 Ndowomudusa mu njudzi amukubunganya kudwa mu shango dzamakapaladzigwa mu dzili nge masimba ngekwakasima mu kugwadza moyo kwangu. 35 Ndowomuyisa mu tjilambanyika tje njudzi ngono ndowolingisana namwi ikoko amusumikilisa amubona nlandu. 36 Ndowomusumikilisa sekwa ndakasumikilisa botate benyu mu tjilambanyika tje Egipiti. Koleba She Yahwe. 37 Ndowothama kuti mupinde musena swimbo ndimulonga mu misungo ye tjidumilano. 38 Ndowodusa banondipandukila mu muli naibabo banonditjinyila, ndowobadusa mu shango yabanogala, abatowongina mu shango ye Iziraela. Ngono ipapo mowoziba kuti ndimi Yahwe.
39 “ ‘Ngono ngekwenyu Baiziraela, She Yahwe bakati, yendani munoshingila midzimu yenyu ye zwifano, mmwe ne mmwe wenyu. Koga shule kwe tjibaka nge malebeswa mowondihwilila mukasitjalengudze zina langu lakayengemala nge zwipo zwenyu nenge midzimu yenyu ye zwifano. 40 Nge kuti pezhugwi kwe dombo langu lakayengemala, dombo lakakula le Iziraela, Baiziraela banowondishingilako, bose mu shango, ikweno ndiko kwandinowobaamutjila. Ikweno ndiko kwandinoshaka zwipo zwenyu ne zwinodika ne zwibhayilo zwenyu zose zwakayengemala. Koleba She Yahwe. 41 Ndowomuamutjila se nnuhwo unozipa ha ndimudusa mu njudzi ndimukubunganya kudwa ku shango dzose dzamakabe mapaladzigwa kudzili, ngono ndowozwilakidza ku njudzi kuti ndakayengemala ndili pakati kwenyu. 42 Ngono mowoziba kuti ndimi Yahwe ha ndimuzhisa mu shango ye Iziraela, shango yandakamilidza luboko ndituna kuipa botate benyu. 43 Ipapo mowokumbula mazwiibhato enyu ne mishingo yenyu yose yamakazwitemapadza ndiyo, ngono mowozwishima ngekwe bubi gose gwamakashinga. 44 Mowoziba kuti ndimi Yahwe nge zila yandinomubhata ndiyo ngekwe zina langu, kusingayendidzane nge zila dzenyu mbiimbi nenge mishingo yenyu yakabipa, imwi bathu be Iziraela. Koleba She Yahwe.’ ”
45 Dama la Yahwe likazha kundili liti, 46 “Nkololo we nthu, linga ku burwa, sumikila ngekwe burwa ulebesembeli ngekwe shango ye ishaka mu Negebu. 47 Idwa ishaka tje Negebu uti, ‘Ihwa dama la Yahwe. She Yahwe bakati, Bonani ndabe pejo nge kukulonga moto, ngono unowopisa miti iyo yose, minyolo ne yakawoma. Nthuto unowobe ubilima autowodzimiwa ngono unowobaba buso gumwe ne gumwe kudwa ku burwa kunoti ku bunandzwa. 48 Mmwe ne mmwe unowobona kuti imi Yahwe ndimi ndaubhatidza, autowodzimiwa.’ ” 49 Ipapo abe nditi, “She Yahwe, bathu banoti nge kwangu, ‘Apa aatoleba epesa koga wali kene?’ ”
Israel Keeps On Rebelling
1 Seven years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, some of Israel's leaders came to me on the tenth day of the fifth month. They sat down and asked for a message from the Lord. 2 Just then, the Lord God said:
3 Ezekiel, son of man, these leaders have come to find out what I want them to do. As surely as I live, I will not give them an answer of any kind.
4 Are you willing to warn them, Ezekiel? Then remind them of the disgusting sins of their ancestors.
5 Tell them that long ago I, the Lord God, chose Israel to be my own. I appeared to their ancestors in Egypt and made a solemn promise that I would be their God and the God of their descendants. 6 I swore that I would rescue them from Egypt and lead them to a land I had already chosen. This land was rich with milk and honey and was the most splendid land of all. 7 I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the Lord their God, 8 but they still rebelled against me. They refused to listen and kept on worshiping their idols and foreign gods.
In my anger, I decided to punish the Israelites in Egypt. 9 But that would have made me look like a liar, because I had already promised in front of everyone that I would lead them out of Egypt. 10 So I brought them out and led them into the desert. 11 I gave them my laws and teachings, so they would know how to live right. 12 And I commanded them to respect the Sabbath as a way of showing that they were holy and belonged to me. 13 But the Israelites rebelled against me in the desert. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath like any other day.
Then in my anger, I decided to destroy the Israelites in the desert once and for all. 14 But that would have disgraced me, because many other nations had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. 15 Instead, I told them in the desert that I would not lead them into the beautiful, fertile land I had promised. 16 I said this because they had not only ignored my laws and teachings, but had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped idols.
17 Yet, I felt sorry for them and could not let them die in the desert. 18 So I warned the children not to act like their parents or follow their evil ways or worship their idols. 19 I reminded them that I was the Lord their God and that they should obey my laws and teachings. 20 I told them to respect my Sabbath to show that they were my people and that I was the Lord their God. 21 But the children also rebelled against me. They refused to obey my laws and teachings, and they treated the Sabbath as any other day.
I became angry and decided to punish them in the desert. 22 But I did not. That would have disgraced me in front of the nations that had seen me bring the Israelites out of Egypt. 23 So I solemnly swore that I would scatter the people of Israel across the nations, 24 because they had disobeyed my laws and ignored my teachings; they had disgraced my Sabbath and worshiped the idols their ancestors had made. 25 I gave them laws that bring punishment instead of life, 26 and I let them offer me unacceptable sacrifices, including their first-born sons. I did this to horrify them and to let them know that I, the Lord, was punishing them.
27 Ezekiel, tell the people of Israel that their ancestors also rejected and insulted me 28 by offering sacrifices, incense, and wine to gods on every hill and under every large tree. I was very angry, because they did these things in the land I had given them! 29 I asked them where they went to worship those gods, and they answered, “At the local shrines.” And those places of worship are still called shrines.
30 Then ask the Israelites why they are following the example of their wicked ancestors 31 by worshiping idols and by sacrificing their own children as offerings. They commit these sins and still think they can ask me for a message. As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will give them no answer. 32 They may think they can be like other nations and get away with worshiping idols made of wood and stone. But that will never happen!
The Lord Promises To Restore Israel
The Lord said to the people of Israel:
33 As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will rule over you with my powerful arm. You will feel my fierce anger 34 and my power, when I gather you from the places where you are scattered 35 and lead you into a desert surrounded by nations. I will meet you there face to face. Then I will pass judgment on you 36 and punish you, just as I punished your ancestors in the desert near Egypt. 37 I will force each of you to obey the regulations of our solemn agreement. 38 I will separate the sinful rebels from the rest of you, and even though I will bring them from the nations where they live in exile, they won't be allowed to return to Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
39 Go ahead and worship your idols for now, you Israelites, because soon I will no longer let you dishonor me by offering gifts to them. You will have no choice but to obey me! 40 When that day comes, everyone in Israel will worship me on Mount Zion, my holy mountain in Jerusalem. I will once again call you my own, and I will accept your sacred offerings and sacrifices. 41 When I bring you home from the places where you are now scattered, I will be pleased with you, just as I am pleased with the smell of the smoke from your sacrifices. Every nation on earth will see that I am holy, 42 and you will know that I, the Lord, am the one who brought you back to Israel, the land I promised your ancestors. 43 Then you will remember your wicked sins, and you will hate yourselves for doing such horrible things. They have made you unacceptable to me, 44 so you deserve to be punished. But I will treat you in a way that will bring honor to my name, and you will know that I am the Lord God.
Fire from the South
45 The Lord said, 46 “Ezekiel, son of man, turn toward the south and warn the forests 47 that I, the Lord God, will start a fire that will burn up every tree, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put out the blaze of that fire as it spreads to the north and burns everything in its path. 48 Everyone will know that I started it, and that it cannot be stopped.”
49 But I complained, “Lord God, I don't want to do that! People already say I confuse them with my messages.”