UHezekeli 33:21-33

Kwathi ngonyaka we-12 wokuthunjwa kwethu, ngosuku lweshumi enyangeni, kwafika kimi ophunyukileyo eJerusalema, wathi: “Umuzi unqotshiwe.” Kwathi kusihlwa, engakafiki lowo owayekade ephunyuke eJerusalema, isandla sikaSimakade saba phezu kwami, wawuvula umlomo wami engakafiki kimi ekuseni. Wavulwa-ke umlomo wami, angabe ngisaba yisimungulu. Izwi likaSimakade lafika kimi, lathi: “Ndodana yomuntu, izakhamuzi ezindaweni ezichithakele kwa-Israyeli, zithi: ‘U-Abhrahama wayeyedwa, wadla ifa lezwe, kodwa thina sibaningi, siliphiwe lona libe yifa lethu.’ Ngakho-ke batshele lokhu, uthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Nina nidla okunegazi, niphakamisa amehlo enu ezithombeni zenu, nichitha igazi. Pho niyakulidla kanjani izwe libe yifa lenu na? Nethembele enkembeni yenu, nenza izinengiso; ningcolisa, kube yilowo nalowo umkamakhelwane wakhe. Pho-ke niyakulidla kanjani izwe libe yifa lenu na?” ’ “Uyakuthi kubo: ‘Isho kanje iNkosi uSimakade, ithi: “Ngifunga ngiyagomela ngithi, labo abasezindaweni ezichithakele impela bayokufa ngenkemba, osendle ngiyakumnikela ezilwaneni ukuba zimudle, nabasezinqabeni nasemigedeni bayobulawa wubhubhane. Izwe ngiyakulenza libe yincithakalo neze, ukuzidla ngamandla alo kuyakuphela nya; izintaba zakwa-Israyeli ziyakubhujiswa ukuze kungabi bikho odlula kuzo. Kulapho-ke bayakungazi khona ukuthi nginguSimakade, lapho izwe sengilenze laba yincithakalo neze, ngenxa yazo zonke izinengiso zabo abazenzileyo.” ’ “Wena-ke ndodana yomuntu, abantu bakini bakhuluma ngawe ngasezindongeni naseminyango yezindlu, bakhuluma omunye komunye, omunye kumfowabo, bathi: ‘Woza uzokuzwa ukuthi yizwi elithini elivela kuSimakade.’ Bafika kuwe bengabantu, bahlale phambi kwakho njengabantu bami, balalele amazwi akho, nokho abawagcini. Ngomlomo wabo babonakalisa uthando olukhulu, kodwa inhliziyo yabo ibe ilandela inzuzo yabo engafanele. Uyabona-ke, unjengesihlabelelo sothando, unephimbo elimnandi kubo, ulushaya kamnandi ugubhu, bayawezwa amazwi akho, kodwa abenzi lutho ngawo. “Kuyakuthi lapho sekwenzeka lokhu; ngempela kuyeza, bayokwazi lapho ukuthi kwakukhona umphrofethi phakathi kwabo.”