Israel's Leaders Are Worthless Shepherds
1 The Lord God said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, Israel's leaders are like shepherds taking care of my sheep, the people of Israel. But I want you to condemn these leaders and tell them:
I, the Lord God, say you shepherds of Israel are doomed! You take care of yourselves while ignoring my sheep. 3 You drink their milk and use their wool to make your clothes. Then you butcher the best ones for food. But you don't take care of the flock! 4 You have never protected the weak ones or healed the sick ones or bandaged those that get hurt. You let them wander off and never look for those that get lost. You are cruel and mean to my sheep. 5 They strayed in every direction, and because there was no shepherd to watch them, they were attacked and eaten by wild animals. 6 So my sheep were scattered across the earth. They roamed on hills and mountains, without anyone even bothering to look for them.
7-8 Now listen to what I, the living Lord God, am saying to you shepherds. My sheep have been attacked and eaten by wild animals, because you refused to watch them. You never went looking for the lost ones, and you fed yourselves without feeding my sheep. 9-10 So I, the Lord, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Is the Good Shepherd
11 The Lord God then said:
I will look for my sheep and take care of them myself, 12 just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep. My sheep have been lost since that dark and miserable day when they were scattered throughout the nations. But I will rescue them 13 and bring them back from the foreign nations where they now live. I will be their shepherd and will let them graze on Israel's mountains and in the valleys and fertile fields. 14 They will be safe as they feed on grassy meadows and green hills. 15 I promise to take care of them and keep them safe, 16 to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.
Judgment on the Strong Sheep
17 The Lord God said to his sheep, the people of Israel:
I will carefully watch each one of you to decide which ones are the strong sheep and which ones are weak. 18 Some of you eat the greenest grass, then trample down what's left when you finish. Others drink clean water, then step in the water to make the rest of it muddy. 19 That means my other sheep have nothing fit to eat or drink.
20 So I, the Lord God, will separate you strong sheep from the weak. 21 You strong ones have used your powerful horns to chase off those that are weak, 22 but I will rescue them and no longer let them be mistreated. I will separate the good from the bad.
23 After that, I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David. All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you. 24 He will be your leader, and I will be your God. I, the Lord, have spoken.
A Bright Future for the Lord's Sheep
The Lord God said:
25 The people of Israel are my sheep, and I solemnly promise that they will live in peace. I will chase away every wild animal from the desert and the forest, so my sheep will not be afraid. 26 They will live around my holy mountain, and I will bless them by sending more than enough rain 27 to make their trees produce fruit and their crops to grow. I will set them free from slavery and let them live safely in their own land. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 28 Foreign nations will never again rob them, and wild animals will no longer kill and eat them. They will have nothing to fear. 29 I will make their fields produce large amounts of crops, so they will never again go hungry or be laughed at by foreigners. 30 Then everyone will know that I protect my people Israel. I, the Lord, make this promise. 31 They are my sheep; I am their God, and I take care of them.
Omufita muwa nomufita mwii
1 Ndele ondjovo yOmwene ye uya kwaame ndele tai ti: 2 “Kaana komunhu, xunganeka u vele ovafita vaIsrael eembedi. Xunganeka u tye kuvo, ovafita: Omwene Kalunga ta ti ngaha: Woo ovafita vaIsrael, vo have lilifa vovene! Ovafita ve nokulifa eedi, ndishi? 3 Nye otamu li omaadi ndele tamu djala olududi. Nye otamu dipaa edi da ondoka, ndelenee inamu lifa eedi. 4 Nye itamu pameke edi da utama naadi tadi vele, itamu di velula, naadi da teka, itamu di mange, naadi da halakanifwa, itamu di alula naadi da kana, itamu di kongo. Ndelenee tamu di pangele moudjuu noukukutu. 5 Osho hano do oda halakanifwa shaashi inapa kala omufita. Ndele do da ninga eendja doilyani aishe yomofuka, do oda halakanifwa. 6 Eedi dange tadi elaela keemhunda adishe nokoikulundudu aishe ile. Heeno, kombada yedu alishe eedi dange da halakanifwa, kakwa li nande umwe te di pula note di kongo.
7 “Onghee hano akutu nye ovafita! Udeni ondjovo yOmwene: 8 Oshili, ngaashi ndi nomwenyo, Omwene Kalunga ta ti, oshilielela, eedi dange eshi da ninga oshihakanwa naashi eedi dange da ninga eendja doilyani aishe yomofuka, shaashi inapa kala nande omufita, novafita vange inava yavala eedi dange. Novafita otave lilifa voovene, ndelenee itava lifa eedi dange. 9 Onghee hano, akutu ovafita nye, udeni ondjovo yOmwene. 10 Omwene Kalunga ta ti ngaha: Tala, Ame ohandi vele ovafita eembedi! Ame ohandi ka pula eedi dange momake avo ndele handi ka ninga, vo itava ka lifa vali eedi, opo ovafita itava dulu vali okulilifa. Ndele Ame ohandi ka kufa mo mokanya kavo eedi dange, diha ninge vali eendja davo.
Omwene Ye mwene a hala okulifa eedi daye
11 “Osheshi Omwene Kalunga ta ti ngaha: Tala, Ame mwene opo ndi li, Ame ohandi ka konga eedi dange noku di kalela noshisho. 12 Ngaashi omufita ta kalele oufita waye weedi noshisho mefiku olo ye e li mokati keedi daye da halakanifwa, osho yo Ame ohandi ka kalela eedi dange noshisho. Ndele Ame ohandi ke di xupifa mo meenhele adishe mudo da halakanifilwa mefiku lomudimbi noloshiwiwili.Ohandi ka kolela edi dange noshisho, ndee Ame ohandi ke di xupifa… 13 Ndele Ame ohandi ke di pitifa mo moiwana noku di ongela moilongo ndele handi ke di eta medu lado. Ndele handi ke di lifa keemhunda daIsrael nomomakololo nomeenhele adishe domoshilongo kwa kala ovanhu. 14 Ame ohandi ke di lifa moulifilo muwa, nokeemhunda dile daIsrael tadi ka mona oulifilo. Oko tadi ka omba monhele iwa nokwaandjalala moulifilo muwa keemhunda daIsrael. 15 Ame mwene ohandi ka lifa eedi dange, naame mwene handi ke di twala ketulumuko, Omwene Kalunga ta ti. 16 Odo da kana, ohandi ke di konga, naado da halakanifwa, Ame ohandi ke di alula ko, naado da teka, ohandi ke di manga, naado da utama, ohandi ke di pameka. Ndelenee edi da ondoka noda pama, Ame ohandi ke di komba po: Ame ohandi ke di lifa ngaashi sha wapala.
17 “Ndelenee nye, eedi dange, Omwene Kalunga ta ti ngaha, Ame ohandi ka tokola pokati kodi nodi, pokati kodi omhedi noshikombo oshitwedi. 18 Inashi mu wanena, nye eshi tamu li oulifilo munyenye, eshi tamu lyataula nomakondo eni oulifilo wa xupa po? Ndele tamu nu omeva mayela, ndele tamu dongele nomakondo eni omeva a xupa po? 19 Ndele eedi dange odi nokwaandjalala apa nye mwa lyataula nomakondo eni nokunwa omeva aa a dongelwa komakondo eni? 20 Onghee hano, Omwene Kalunga ta ti ngaha kunye: Taleni, Ame opo ndi li, ndele ohandi ka tokola pokati kodi ya ondoka nodi ya utama. 21 Odo da utama eshi mwe di undwila po adishe neemhati nomapepe eni, ndele tamu di tu neembinga deni fiyo mwe di taataa mo noku di halakanifa. 22 Onghee hano, Ame ohandi ka xupifa eedi dange, diha ninge vali oshihakanwa. Naame ohandi ka tokola pokati kodi nodi.”
Epangelo lonale tali ka alulilwa Israel
23 “Ndele Ame ohandi ke va pendulila omufita umwe, ndele ye ote ke va lifa, nokutya omupiya wange David. Ye ote ke va lifa, ndele ta ka ninga omufita wavo. 24 Ndele Aame, Omwene, Ame ohandi ka ninga Kalunga kavo, ndele omupiya wange David ye ta ningi ohamba mokati kavo. Aame Omwene, onde shi popya. 25 Ndele Ame ohandi ka ninga ehangano lombili navo, noilyani ohandi ke i taataa mo moshilongo, ndele vo otava ka kala mofuka vehe na mbudi nokunangala momufitu. 26 Ndele voovene neenhele tadi dingilile oshikulundu shange, ohandi ke va ninga enangeko noupuna. Nohandi ka lokifa odula mefimbo layo, heeno, eedula denangeko noupuna. 27 Nomiti domofuka otadi ka ima oiimati, nedu tali ka eta eendja dalo, naavo otava ka kala vehe na mbudi medu lavo. Ndele vo otava ka shiiva nokutya, Aame Omwene, ngeenge handi teyaula po eendjoko deni ndele handi mu xupifa momake aava ve mu pika. 28 Ndele vo itava ka ninga vali oshihakanwa shoshiwana, noilyani yomoshilongo itai va li po vali, ndele vo otava ka kala vehe na mbudi, nokape na ou te va halwifa. 29 Ndele Ame ohandi ke va tutuminifila oshitutumine shoku va fimanekifa, vaha kufwe po vali moshilongo shavo kondjala noitava ka humbata vali elengwa loiwana. 30 Ndelenee vo otava ka shiiva nokutya, Aame Omwene Kalunga kavo, ndele vo, eumbo laIsrael, oshiwana shange, Omwene Kalunga ta ti. 31 Ndele nye eedi dange, eedi doulifilo wange, nye ovanhu. Aame Kalunga keni, Omwene Kalunga ta ti.”
