Jerusalem Is Unfaithful
1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, remind the people of Jerusalem of their disgusting sins 3 and tell them that I, the Lord God, am saying:
Jerusalem, you were born in the country where Canaanites lived. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. 4 When you were born, no one cut you loose from your mother or washed your body. No one rubbed your skin with salt and olive oil, and wrapped you in warm blankets. 5 Not one person loved you enough to do any of these things, and no one even felt sorry for you. You were despised, thrown into a field, and forgotten.
6 I saw you lying there, rolling around in your own blood, and I couldn't let you die. 7 I took care of you, like someone caring for a tender, young plant. You grew up to be a beautiful young woman with mature breasts and hair, but you were still naked.
8 When I saw you again, you were old enough to have sex. So I covered your naked body with my own robe. Then I solemnly promised that you would belong to me and that I, the Lord God, would take care of you.
9 I washed the blood off you and rubbed your skin with olive oil. 10 I gave you the finest clothes and the most expensive robes, as well as sandals made from the best leather. 11 I gave you bracelets, a necklace, 12 a ring for your nose, some earrings, and a beautiful crown. 13 Your jewelry was gold and silver, and your clothes were made of only the finest material and embroidered linen. Your bread was baked from fine flour, and you ate honey and olive oil. You were as beautiful as a queen, 14 and everyone on earth knew it. I, the Lord God, had helped you become a lovely young woman.
15 You learned that you were attractive enough to have any man you wanted, so you offered yourself to every passerby. 16 You made shrines for yourself and decorated them with some of your clothes. That's where you took your visitors to have sex with them. These things should never have happened! 17 You made idols out of the gold and silver jewelry I gave you, then you sinned by worshiping those idols. 18 You dressed them in the clothes you got from me, and you offered them the olive oil and incense I gave you. 19 I supplied you with fine flour, olive oil, and honey, but you sacrificed it all as offerings to please those idols. I, the Lord God, watched this happen.
20 But you did something even worse than that—you sacrificed your own children to those idols! 21 You slaughtered my children, so you could offer them as sacrifices. 22 You were so busy sinning and being a prostitute that you refused to think about the days when you were young and were rolling around naked in your own blood.
23 Now I, the Lord God, say you are doomed! Not only did you do these evil things, 24 but you also built places on every street corner 25 where you disgraced yourself by having sex with anyone who walked by. And you did that more and more every day! 26 To make me angry, you even offered yourself to Egyptians, who were always ready to sleep with you.
27 So I punished you by letting those greedy Philistine enemies take over some of your territory. But even they were offended by your repulsive behavior.
28 You couldn't get enough sex, so you chased after Assyrians and slept with them. You still weren't satisfied, 29 so you went after Babylonians. But those merchants could not satisfy you either.
30 I, the Lord God, say that you were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted. 31 You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That's worse than being a prostitute! 32 You are nothing but an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. 33 Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. 34 You're not like other prostitutes. Men don't ask you for sex—you offer to pay them!
Jerusalem Must Be Punished
The Lord said:
35 Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to me. 36 You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. 37 So I, the Lord God, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. 38 I will find you guilty of being an unfaithful wife and a murderer, and in my fierce anger I will sentence you to a violent death! 39 Then I will hand you over to your lovers, who will tear down the places where you had sex. They will take your clothes and jewelry, leaving you naked and empty-handed.
40 Your lovers and an angry mob will stone you to death; they will cut your dead body into pieces 41 and burn down your houses. Other women will watch these terrible things happen to you. I promise to stop you from being a prostitute and paying your lovers for sex.
42 Only then will I calm down and stop being angry and jealous. 43 You made me furious by doing all these disgusting things and by forgetting how I took care of you when you were young. Then you made things worse by acting like a prostitute. You must be punished! I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Jerusalem's Two Sisters
The Lord said:
44 People will use this saying about you, Jerusalem: “If the mother is bad, so is her daughter.” 45 You are just like your mother, who hated her husband and her own children. You are also like your sisters, who hated their husbands and children. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. 46 Your older sister was Samaria, that city to your north with her nearby villages. Your younger sister was Sodom, that city to your south with her nearby villages. 47 You followed their way of life and their wicked customs, and soon you were more repulsive than they were.
48 As surely as I am the living Lord God, the people of Sodom and its nearby villages were never as sinful as you. 49 They were arrogant and spoiled; they had everything they needed and still refused to help the poor and needy. 50 They thought they were better than everyone else, and they did things I hate. And so I destroyed them.
51 You people of Jerusalem have sinned twice as much as the people of Samaria. In fact, your evil ways have made both Sodom and Samaria look innocent. 52 So their punishment will seem light compared to yours. You will be disgraced and put to shame because of your disgusting sins.
Jerusalem Will Be Ashamed
The Lord said to Jerusalem:
53 Someday I will bless Sodom and Samaria and their nearby villages. I will also bless you, Jerusalem. 54 Then you will be ashamed of how you've acted, and Sodom and Samaria will be relieved that they weren't as sinful as you. 55 When that day comes, you and Sodom and Samaria will once again be well-off, and all nearby villages will be restored.
56 Jerusalem, you were so arrogant that you sneered at Sodom. 57 But now everyone has learned how wicked you really are. The countries of Syria and Philistia, as well as your other neighbors, hate you and make insulting remarks. 58 You must pay for all the vulgar and disgusting things you have done. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Makes a Promise to Jerusalem
The Lord said:
59 Jerusalem, you deserve to be punished, because you broke your promises and ignored our agreement. 60 But I remember the agreement I made with you when you were young, and so I will make you a promise that will last forever. 61 When you think about how you acted, you will be ashamed, especially when I return your sisters to you as daughters, even though this was not part of our agreement. 62 I will keep this solemn promise, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63 I will forgive you, but you will think about your sins and be too ashamed to say a word. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Jerusalem otjihinauṱakame
1 Muhona wa hungira ku ami rukwao a tja: 2 “Muatje womundu, handjaurira Jerusalem ozondjito zatjo ozondjaukise. 3 Raera Jerusalem kutja Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai ku tjo:
“Ove wa kwaterwa mehi ra Kanaan. Iho wa ri Omuamori, nu nyoko wa ri Omuhetite. 4 Ove tji wa kwatwa, kapa ri umwe ngwe ku kondere ongwa nu ngwe ku kohere nu ngwe ku hwire omongwa nu ngwe ku mangere momarapi. 5 Kape na ngwe ku ṱira ondjenda okukutjitira oviṋa mbi. Meyuva ndi wa kwatwa, kapa ri umwe ngwe ku suverere. Ove wa imbirahiwa mouhaiya wokuti.
6 “Ami mba kapita mbo nu e ku munu amo ṱundaukire mombinḓu yoye. Wa vandekerwe i ombinḓu, nami hi ku esire kutja u koke. 7 Ami mbe ku hapisa tjimuna ongara yokuti. Ove wa hara omasa no rire omure, nu wa rira ombombota. Omavere woye ya zezengerwe nawa, nozondjise zoye za hapere, nungwari ove wa ri mutundu.
8 “Ami tji mba kapita mbo rukwao, mba muna kutja omayuva wokukusuvera ye ya. Ami mba kutjira orutu rwoye ndwa ri mutundu nombanda yandje nu e ku kwizikire orusuvero. Ii, ami mba tjita omerikutiropamwe worukupo na ove, nove wa rira owandje.” Muhona Ndjambi ongwa hungire omambo nga.
9 “Tjazumba ami mba toora omeva ne ku koho ombinḓu. Ami mbe ku vavisa omaze womiṋinga morutu rwoye. 10 Mbe ku zarisa ombanda ndja wozewa nawa, ne ku pe ozongaku zomukova omuwa tjinene, nombata yokotjiuru yerapi, nombanda yorupera oruheze. 11 Ami mbe ku zareka oviwerawere, novingongo vyopomaoko, noundjendje womosengo. 12 Ami mbe ku pa ongoho yomeyuru, nozomburi zomomatwi, nekori ewa emanise okuzara. 13 Ove wa ri nomaurenga wongoldo nowosilveri, nu aruhe iyo zara ozombanda nḓa wozewa zorupera oruwa orumanise. Iyo ri omboroto ndja rungwa poruhere oruwa tjinene, nouitji wozonyutji nomaze womiṋinga wina. Ouwa woye wa ri oumanise, nove wa rira ombara oserekaze. 14 Ove wa rira omutjiukwa momihoko avihe mena rouwa woye nu ami mbe ku tjita kutja u rire omuwa omumanise.” Muhona Ndjambi ongwa hungire omambo nga.
15 “Nungwari ove we riyameka kouwa woye oumanise; nu ondjiukiro yoye ye ku wisira moukorondu pu u rarera puna auhe ngu mwa hakaene. 16 Ove wa hareka poṋa pomerikotameneno woye nomarapi woye, nu we riyandja komurumendu auhe otja omukorondu. 17 Ove wa toora ovihuze vyosilveri novyongoldo mbi mbe ku pere, no riungurire na vyo oviserekarera vyovisenginina vyovarumendu, no tjiti na vyo oruvakiro. 18 Ove wa toora ozombanda zoye zovivara nḓu mbe ku pa, no ze zarisa moviserekarera vyovisenginina, nove we vi punguhira omaze womiṋinga, novyomoro omuwa mbi mbe ku pere. 19 Ami mbe ku pa ovikurya oruhere oruwaruwa, nomaze womiṋinga, nouitji wozonyutji, nungwari ove we vi punguha otja ombunguhiro kutja u mune ondjingonekero kovisenginina.” Muhona Ndjambi ongwa hungire omambo nga.
20 “Ove wa toora ovazandu novakazona mbu we ndji kwatera no ve punguhire oviserekarera vyovisenginina ve rire ovikurya vyavyo. Kakokuvi okukara nokuhinauṱakame ku ami 21 nokutoora ovanatje vandje okukevepunguhira oviserekarera vyovisenginina are? 22 Moure wongarero yoye ondjaukise otja omukorondu ko na pu wa zemburukire indu tji wa ri okanatjona, tji wa ri muzu amo ṱundaukire mombinḓu yoye omuini.”
Ongarero ya Jerusalem youkorondu
23 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Ove wa sengwa! Wa sengwa! Ove wa tjita ouvi auhe mbwi, nu tjazumba 24 meṋe yozondjira azehe ove wa tunga po poṋa pomerikotameneno koviserekarera vyovisenginina nokutjitira po oukorondu. 25 Ove wa ṱundarisa ouwa woye oumanise mokuriyandja omuini ku ngamwa auhe ngwaa kapita mbo, nove otji wa riririra ko omukorondu eyuva arihe. 26 Ove wa yandjera ovararanganda ovanazonḓuma, imba Ovaengipte, kutja ve rare puna ove; notji we ndji pindikisa noukorondu woye.
27 “Nambano ami mba yera eke randje okukuvera nokuisa ko ondaya yandje kove. Ami mbe ku yandja kovasuko Ovafilisti mbe ku tonda nu mbe yaukisiwa i ozondjito zoye ozondjaukise.
28 “Ove tjinga au ha kovererwe, opu wa tjitira oukorondu nOvaasirie; nowo wina kave ku kovisire. 29 Ove wina wa ri omukorondu kOvababilon, imba ovarandise, nowo wina ave he ku kovisa.”
30 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Ove wa tjita oviṋa mbi avihe otja omukorondu ngu hi nohoṋi. 31 Momuvanda ngamwa auhe ove wa tunga mo poṋa pomerikotameneno kovisenginina, nu wa tjita oukorondu. Nungwari ove ko nanukire ovimariva otja omukorondu tje tjita. 32 Ove u ri otja omukazendu ngu katuka orukupo novarumendu vambangu moruveze rwokusuvera omurumendu we. 33 Omukorondu auhe u sutwa, nungwari ove wa wonda ozombarise zoye, nu we ze popa kutja ze ze akuhe okuyekurara puna ove. 34 Ove oove omukorondu womuhingo warwe. Kape na ngwe ku ṋiṋikiza kutja u rire omukorondu. Ove koo sutwa; oove nguyo ve sutu. Ii, ko sanene kovandu ovakweṋu.”
Ombanguriro ya Ndjambi kOjerusalem
35 Nambano, Jerusalem, mukorondu ove! Zuva imbi Muhona mbi ma hungire.
36 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Ove wa hukura ozombanda zoye, nu otja mukorondu ove, we riyandja omuini kozombarise zoye na koviserekarera vyovisenginina vyoye avihe oviyaukise, nu wa zepa ovanatje voye ve rire ozombunguhiro kovisenginina. 37 Mena roviṋa mbi ami me woronganisa ozombarise zoye azehe, oonḓu wa hura na nḓu wa yara. Ami me ze eta kove ze ye okukurama okukukondoroka, nu tjazumba e ku hukura ozombanda, nu e ze esa ze ku mune au ri muzu. 38 Ami me ku pangurire okukatuka orukupo nokuzepa, nu momazenge na moukoze wandje e ku vere nonḓiro. 39 Ami me ku twa mouvara wozombarise nḓa, nozo maze haṋa poṋa puyo tjitire po oukorondu nokurikotamena kovisenginina. Ozo maze nyondorora ozombanda zoye nu aze ku yeka ovihuze vyoye ovikeṋakeṋe naze ku esa muzu oparukaze.
40 “Ozo maze handjisa otjimbumba tjovandu kutja tji ku zepe nomawe, nu aze ku kondo movindimbu nomangaruvyo wazo. 41 Ozo maze nyosa ozondjuwo zoye nu aze isa otjimbumba tjovakazendu ve tarere omberero yoye. Ami otji me yandisa oukorondu woye, nu e ku tjaere okuwonda ozombarise zoye. 42 Nomapindi wandje maye yanda, nami e poro. Hi nokukara nomazenge noukoze rukwao. 43 Ove wa zemba imbi ami mbi mba tjita kove indu tji wa ri omutanda; nove we ndji pindikisa noviṋa avihe mbi wa tjita. Ami opu mbe ku sutisira avihe mbi. Okutjavi tji wa weza ko ongaro yoruvakiro koviṋa avihe ovikwao oviyaukise mbi wa tjita?” Muhona Ndjambi ongwa hungire nai.
Atji hi noihe tji noina
44 Muhona wa tja nai: “Ovandu ve ku hungira omuano mbwi, Jerusalem: ‘Atji hi noihe tji noina.’ 45 Ove, tjiri, oove omuatje omukazona wanyoko. Eye u nyengwa omurumendu we novanatje ve. Ove u ri otja ovangu voye mbe nyengwa ovarumendu novanatje vawo. Ove novihuro ovikweṋu mu na nyoko Omuhetite na iho Omuamori.
46 “Erumbi roye oSamaria tji tji ri komukuma wokeyuva kokunene puna ovirongo vyatjo. Omuangu woye oSodom tji tji ri komukuma wokeyuva kokumuho puna ovirongo vyatjo. 47 Wa ri nohange okukongorera ozondambo zavyo nokuhorera kozongarero zavyo ozondjaukise are? Ayee, kako, mokaruveze okasupi ove we ritjinda navi tjinene pu vyo moviṋa avihe mbi wa tjita.”
48 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Tjimbe tjandje, ami, ngu mbi ri Ndjambi omunamuinyo, omuangu woye Sodom puna ovirongo vyatjo kavina pu vya tjitire ouvi ounene otja imbwi ove novirongo vyoye mbu mwa tjitire. 49 Sodom novasuko vatjo ve ritongamisire, tjinga avya ri novikurya ovingi okurya nu avya ri mohange na moupore, nungwari ovyo kavi ningire ko na tja novasyona novahepe. 50 Ovyo vye ritongamisa nu vya ri ovirangaranga, nu vya tjita oviṋa mbi mbi nyengwa; opu mbe vi nakaurira otja tji mo tjiwa nawa.
51 “Samaria katji katukire nandarire pu pe ṱa ohinga yourunde ove mbu wa tjita. Ove wa tjita oviyaukise povangu voye aveyevari. Ozondjito zoye ozondjaukise za munikisa ovangu voye otja ovehinandjo tji mave sasanekwa na ove. 52 Nu nambano ove mo tjindi ondjambu yoye. Ourunde woye omavi tjinene nai pu inga wovangu voye, nga owo tji mave varwa otja ovehinandjo pendje na ove. Nambano ṱohoṋi, nu u tjinde ohoṋi yoye, orondu oove ngu wa katuka okukapitisa oruveze ovangu voye ve munikire po aayo ovasemba.”
Sodom na Samaria mavi yarurwa koupe
53 Muhona wa tja nai kOjerusalem: “Ami me yarura ko Sodom puna ovirongo vyatjo na Samaria puna ovirongo vyatjo. Ii, ami me vi yarura ko. Ami me yarura ko ove, Jerusalem, wina. 54 Ove mo ṱohoṋi na ove omuini, nomuhingo mbu wa yamburuka mau raisire ovangu voye kutja oove omunauvi tjinene pu wo. 55 Ovyo mavi yarurwa ko, nu ove novirongo vyoye mamu yarurwa ko wina. 56 Ko hembere Sodom momayuva ngena are tjiyo ritongamisa, 57 nomauvi ngu wa tjita ngunda aye hiya horoka? Nambano ove u ri otja Sodom no hembwa i Ovasirie nOvafilisti nowopopezu na ove varwe mbe ku nyengwa. 58 Ove u sokuhihamisirwa oviṋa ovinahoṋi noviyaukise mbi wa tjita!” Muhona ongwa hungire nai.
Omerikutiropamwe nge karerera nga aruhe
59 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Ami me ku vere otja pu wa sokuverwa; ove ko ningire ko na tja nomakwizikiro woye nu wa teya omerikutiropamwe. 60 Nungwari ami me zemburuka omerikutiropamwe ngu mba tjita na ove tji wa ri omutanda, nu me tjiti omerikutiropamwe wandje na ove ngu maye karerere nga aruhe. 61 Ove mo zemburuka ozondjito zoye nu mo ṱohoṋi na zo, tji wa kotorerwa erumbi roye nomuangu woye. Ami me yandjere kutja ve rire otja ovanatje voye ovakazona nandarire kutja ihi katja ri momerikutiropamwe wandje na ove. 62 Ami me yarura ko omerikutiropamwe wandje na ove koupe. Nove otji mo tjiwa kutja owami ngu mbi ri Muhona. 63 Ami me ku isire ozondataiziro zoye azehe nḓu wa tjita, nungwari ove mo ze zemburuka nu mo ṱohoṋi tjinene okupaturura otjinyo tjoye.” Muhona Ndjambi wa hungire nai.
