UHezekeli 4:1-17

“Wena ndodana yomuntu, zithathele isitini, usibeke phambi kwakho, uqophe kuso umuzi iJerusalema. Uyokwakha khona okokuvimbezela, wakhe udonga lokuvimbezela, wenze khona indunduma, umise izinkambu eduze kwawo, ubeke kuyo imigoqo yokubhidliza nxazonke. Zithathele ucwecwe lwensimbi, ulwenze lube ludonga lwensimbi phakathi kwakho nomuzi, ubhekise ubuso bakho kuwo, wona uyakuvinjezelwa, uyakuwuvimbezela. Lokhu kuyakuba yisibonakaliso kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli. “Lala ngohlangothi lwakho lwesokhohlo, ubeke isono sika-Israyeli phezu kwalo; uyakuthwala isono sabo ngazo zonke izinsuku oyobe ulele ngalo. Ngikubekele izinsuku ezingangenani leminyaka yokona kwabo. Wena-ke uyakuthwala isiphambeko sendlu yakwa-Israyeli izinsuku ezingama-390. “Kuyothi lapho usuziqedile lezi, uphinde ulale futhi ngohlangothi lwesokunene, ngokwesibili uyothwala isiphambeko sendlu yakwaJuda. Ngikunqumele izinsuku ezingama-40 kulokhu, yilolo nalolo suku lungunyaka. Uyobhekisa ubuso bakho ekuvinjezelweni kweJerusalema, ingalo yakho ingemboziwe; uphrofethe, umelane nalo. Ngiyakukubopha ngezintambo, awuyukukwazi ukuguqukela kolunye uhlangothi, zize ziphele izinsuku zokuvimbezela kwakho. “Zithathele futhi ukolo, ibhali, ubhontshisi, imbumba, unyaluthi nesiphelithe, ukufake esitsheni esisodwa, bese uzenzela ngakho isinkwa. Uyakusidla ngokwenani lezinsuku oyozilala ngohlangothi, izinsuku ezingama-390. Ukudla oyakukudla ngosuku kuyakuba yisilinganiso esingamashekeli angama-20, uyakukudla ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo. Uyakuphuza amanzi akalwe aba yingxenye yesithupha yehini, uyakuwaphuza ngezikhathi ezimisiweyo. Uyakudla iqebelengwane lebhali, ulibhake phambi kwabo ngendle ephuma kumuntu.” USimakade wathi: “Kanjalo abantu bakwa-Israyeli bayakusidla isinkwa sabo esingcolile phakathi kwezizwe, lapho ngiyobaxoshela khona.” Ngase ngithi: “Phinde, Nkosi Simakade; umphefumulo wami awukaze ungcoliswe, ngokuba kwasebusheni bami kuze kube manje angikaze ngiyidle ingcuba, okudweshuliweyo, nenyama engcolileyo ayikaze ingene emlonyeni wami.” Wathi kimi: “Uyabona-ke, ngizokunika idaka lenkomo esikhundleni sendle yomuntu; isinkwa sakho uyakusenzela phezu kwalo.” Wabuye wathi, kimi: “Ndodana yomuntu, ngiyakwaphula uzime lwesinkwa eJerusulema. Bayakudla isinkwa esikaliwe, bekhathazekile, baphuze amanzi akaliweyo, bethuthumela. Ngokweswela kwabo isinkwa namanzi, bayobhekana bemangele, bashabalale ekoneni kwabo.”