The Sinful Sisters
1 The Lord spoke to me. 2 “Mortal man,” he said, “there were once two sisters. 3 When they were young, living in Egypt, they lost their virginity and became prostitutes. 4 The older one was named Oholah (she represents Samaria), and the younger one was named Oholibah (she represents Jerusalem). I married both of them, and they bore me children. 5 Although she was mine, Oholah continued to be a prostitute and was full of lust for her lovers from Assyria. 6 They were soldiers in uniforms of purple, noblemen and high-ranking officers; all of them were handsome young cavalry officers. 7 She was the whore for all the Assyrian officers, and her lust led her to defile herself by worshiping Assyrian idols. 8 She continued what she had begun as a prostitute in Egypt, where she lost her virginity. From the time she was a young woman, men slept with her and treated her like a prostitute. 9 So I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers whom she wanted so much. 10 They stripped her naked, seized her sons and daughters, and then killed her with a sword. Women everywhere gossiped about her fate.
11 “Even though her sister Oholibah saw this, she was wilder and more of a prostitute than Oholah had ever been. 12 She too was full of lust for the Assyrian noblemen and officers—soldiers in bright uniforms—and for the cavalry officers, all of those handsome young men. 13 I saw that she was completely immoral, that the second sister was as bad as the first.
14-15 “She sank deeper and deeper in her immorality. She was attracted by the images of high Babylonian officials carved into the wall and painted bright red, with sashes around their waists and fancy turbans on their heads. 16 As soon as she saw them, she was filled with lust and sent messengers to them in Babylonia. 17 The Babylonians came to have sex with her. They used her and defiled her so much that finally she became disgusted with them. 18 She exposed herself publicly and let everyone know she was a whore. I was as disgusted with her as I had been with her sister. 19 She became more of a prostitute than ever, acting the way she did as a young woman, when she was a prostitute in Egypt. 20 She was filled with lust for oversexed men who had all the lustfulness of donkeys or stallions.” ( 21 Oholibah, you wanted to repeat the immorality you were guilty of as a young woman in Egypt, where men played with your breasts and you lost your virginity.)
God's Judgment on the Younger Sister
22 “Now then, Oholibah, this is what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to you. You are tired of those lovers, but I will make them angry with you and bring them to surround you. 23 I will bring all the Babylonians and Chaldeans, men from Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians. I will gather all those handsome young noblemen and officers, all those important officials and high-ranking cavalry officers. 24 They will attack you from the north, bringing a large army with chariots and supply wagons. Protected by shields and helmets, they will surround you. I will hand you over to them, and they will judge you by their own laws. 25 Because I am angry with you, I will let them deal with you in their anger. They will cut off your nose and your ears and kill your children. Yes, they will take your sons and daughters from you and burn them alive. 26 They will tear off your clothes and take your jewels. 27 I will put a stop to your lust and to the obscenities you have committed ever since you were in Egypt. You won't look at any more idols or think about Egypt any more.”
28 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “I will hand you over to people you hate and are disgusted with. 29 And because they hate you, they will take away everything you have worked for and leave you stripped naked, exposed like a prostitute. Your lust and your prostitution 30 have brought this on you. You were a prostitute for the nations and defiled yourself with their idols. 31 You followed in your sister's footsteps, and so I will give you the same cup of punishment to drink.”
32 The Sovereign Lord says,
“You will drink from your sister's cup;
it is large and deep.
Everyone will scorn and mock you;
the cup is full.
33 It will make you miserable and drunk,
that cup of fear and ruin,
your sister Samaria's cup.
34 You will drink and drain it dry,
and with its broken pieces
tear your breast.
I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.”
35 Now this is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “Because you forgot me and turned your back on me, you will suffer for your lust and your prostitution.”
God's Judgment on Both Sisters
36 The Lord said to me, “Mortal man, are you ready to judge Oholah and Oholibah? Accuse them of the disgusting things they have done. 37 They have committed adultery and murder—adultery with idols and murder of the children they bore me. They sacrificed my children to their idols. 38 And that is not all they did. They profaned my Temple and broke the Sabbath, which I had established. 39 The very day that they killed my children as sacrifices to idols, they came to my Temple and profaned it!
40 “Again and again they sent messengers to invite men to come from a great distance, and the men came. The two sisters would bathe and put on eye shadow and jewelry. 41 They would sit on a beautiful couch, and in front of them they would have a table covered with good things, including the incense and the olive oil that I had given them. 42 The sound of a carefree crowd could be heard, a group of men brought in from the desert. They put bracelets on the women's arms and beautiful crowns on their heads. 43 And I said to myself that they were using as a prostitute a woman worn out by adultery. 44 They went back to these prostitutes again and again. They went back to Oholah and Oholibah, those immoral women. 45 Righteous men will condemn them on the charge of adultery and murder, because they practice adultery and their hands are stained with blood.”
46 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Bring a mob to terrorize them and rob them. 47 Let the mob stone them and attack them with swords, kill their children, and burn down their houses. 48 Throughout the land I will put a stop to immorality, as a warning to every woman not to commit adultery as they did. 49 And you two sisters—I will punish you for your immorality and your sin of worshiping idols. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”
Ovakazona oomuangu nerumbi ovanauvi
1 Muhona wa hungira ku ami a tja: 2 “Muatje womundu, otjikando tjimwe pa ri ovakazona vevari oomuangu nerumbi vaina imwe. 3 Tji va ri omitanda ngunda ava tura mOengipte, otji va zunḓa oukazona wawo nu ave rire ovakorondu. 4 Erumbi wa rukirwe Ohola, eye ongwa ri Samaria, nu ingwi omuangu wa rukirwe Oholiba, eye ongwa ri Jerusalem. Ami mbe ve kupa aveyevari, nowo ve ndji pandukira ovanatje. 5 Nandarire kutja Ohola wa ri omukazendu wandje eye wa panḓera poukorondu nu wa ri nozonḓuma tjinene kozombarise ze nḓaa ze zu kOasirie. 6 Ozombarise nḓa za ri ovarwe wovita ozombangaṋe nḓaa ze zara ozombanda ozoserarovazu, nu wina za ri ovahongore wokombanda novarumendu ovaingona; azehe za ri ovarumendu omitanda ovawa ovamanise mbaa ve kavire oukambe. 7 Ohola aa tjiti oukorondu puna ovahongore avehe vOvaasirie, nozonḓuma ze mu yambururisa mokurikotamena koomukuru avehe vovisenginina vOvaasur. 8 Eye wa panḓera pokutjita imbi mbya tjiti tja ri omukorondu mOengipte, ma zunḓira oukazona we. Okuza komayuva, nga ri omukazona, ovarumendu ave rara pu ye nokumuvara otja omukorondu. 9 Ami otji mbe mu yandja momake wozombarise ze zOvaasirie nḓa hurire. 10 Ozo ze mu hukura aze mu esa muzu, aze kambura ovanatje ve ovazandu novakazona naze mu zepa nengaruvyo. Ovakazendu koṋa akuhe ave mu yambere oumba mbwa tjitwa ku ye.
11 “Nangarire kutja Oholiba, omuangu wa Ohola, wa muna otjiṋa hi, Oholiba wa riririra ko omunazonḓuma nomukorondu tjinene perumbi re Ohola 12 Eye wina aa nanukire ovarumendu ovaingona novahongore wokombanda vOvaasirie, ovarwe wovita mbaa ve zara ozombanda ozoserarovazu, novahongore mbaa ve kavire oukambe, okutja ovarumendu mba avehe ovawa ovamanise omitanda. 13 Ami mba muna kutja Oholiba we rizunḓa omuini okumana; eye wa tjita ourunde tjimuna imbwi werumbi re.
14-15 “Oholiba wa riririra ko omukorondu tjinene. Eye aa nanukire oviserekarera vyovahongore wokombanda vOvababilon mbya kororerwe mekuma rorumbo nu mbya hwirwe otjivara otjiserandu; ovyo vya ri nomakwamo pomahuri, nozombeta nḓaa ze rekareka koviuru, avihe aavi munika tjimuna ovarwe ozombangaṋe. 16 Kamanga Oholiba tje vi muna wa ṱozonḓuma tjinene, notja hinda ovatumwa kovahongore oveni kehi ra Babilon. 17 Ovababilon ve ya okuyekurara pu ye. Owo va tjita ozondjito zoukorondu ku ye nave mu yamburura tjinene nai nga korusenina eye tja yaukisiwa i wo. 18 Oholiba aa kara muzu morupanda nu ee ritjiukisa ku ngamwa auhe kutja eye omukorondu. Ami mba yaruka okumuyara otja indu tji mba yarere erumbi re. 19 Eye wa riririra ko omukorondu tjinene ama tjiti imbi mbya tjiti indu tja ri omukazona mOengipte. 20 Eye aa nanukire tjinene ovarumendu mba ri nozonḓuma tjinene zokurara povakazendu, nu mba ri notutu twourumendu otunene tjinene tjimuna twousino, nu wina mba ri nozonḓuma tjinene otja inḓa zoukambe outwezu.” 21 Oholiba, ove iyo vanga okutjita ouhakohoke mbwe ku tjita omunandjo moukazona woye mOengipte, indu ovarumendu tjaave nyandisa omavere woye, nove wa zunḓa oukazona woye.
Ombanguriro ya Ndjambi komusuko ingwi omuangu
22 “Nambano, Oholiba, imbi ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi, ombi me hungire kove. Ove wa yara ozombarise ndo, nungwari me tjiti kutja ze pindike na ove, nu me ze eta okuza kominda avihe. 23 Ami me eta Ovababilon nOvakaldea avehe, imba ovarumendu mbu mave zu kOpekod na Soa na Koa, nOvaasirie avehe. Me woronganisa ovarumendu mba avehe omitanda ovawa ovamanise, avehe ovaingona novahongore ovatjiukwa wokombanda mbe kavira oukambe. 24 Owo mave ku rwisire okuza komukuma wokokunene kweyuva, nu mave ya notjimbumba otjinene tjovita nomatemba wovita na inga womitwaro. Owo mave ku kovere okuza kominda avihe, ave notuvao otunene notuṱiṱi nomakori wovita. Ami me ku yandja ku wo, nowo mave ku pangura otja kondyero yawo oveni. 25 Mena rokutja mbi ku ṱira oukoze, ami meve yandjere kutja ve ku tjite otja komazenge wawo. Owo mave kondo eyuru roye nomatwi woye nu ave zepa ovanatje voye. Ii, mave ku yeka ovanatje voye ovazandu novakazona nu ave ve nyosa nomuinyo. 26 Owo mave nyondorora ozombanda zoye okuisa ko, nu ave ku yeka oviwerawere vyoye. 27 Ami otji me yandisa ozonḓuma zoye nozondjito zoye ozondjaukise nḓuyo tjiti aruhe tji wa ri mOengipte. Komoo tara ko koviserekarera vyovahongore rukwao, nu komoo ripura na Engipte rukwao.”
28 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Me ku yandja momake wovandu mbu wa tonda nu mbe ku yaukisa. 29 Nu tjinga ave ku tonda mave ku yeka oviṋa avihe, mbi wa ungurira, nu ave ku esa muzu amo munika otja omukorondu. Ozonḓuma zoye noukorondu woye 30 ombye ku etera oviṋa mbi. Ove wa ri omukorondu koviwaṋa, nu we rizunḓa omuini noviserekarera vyovisenginina vyawo. 31 Ove wa wondja mozondambo zerumbi roye, nami otji me ku pe otjinwino tjingetjo tjomberero okunwa.”
32 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai:
“Mo nu otjinwino tjerumbi roye,
otjo otjinene nu tji nomurya.
Auhe me ku hembe ne ku nyekerere.
Otjinwino tje ura.
33 Otjo matji ku yumanisa nokukupurukisa;
otjo otjinwino tjomburuma notjomanyoneno,
ihi otjinwino tjerumbi roye Samaria.
34 Ove mo tji nu notji nyenḓurura
ngandu tji tja kaha;
notjo matji nyondorora omavere
woye notutau twatjo.
Ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi, ongu mba hungire nai.”
35 Nambano Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Mena rokutja we ndji zemba nu we ndji pa etambo, opu mo zu okuhihamisirwa ozonḓuma zoye noukorondu woye.”
Ombanguriro ya Ndjambi kovakazona aveyevari
36 Muhona wa tja nai ku ami: “Muatje womundu, hapo we rirongerere okupangura Ohola na Oholiba are? Ve zemburukisa ozondjito ozondjaukise ndu va tjita. 37 Owo va katuka orukupo nu va tirahi ombinḓu, orukupo va katuka noomukuru vovisenginina, nomatirahiro wombinḓu va tjita kovazandu mbu ve ndji kwatera. Owo va punguhira oomukuru vovisenginina ovanatje vawo ovazandu. 38 Imbi kambi ri oviṋa porwavyo mbi va tjita. Owo va yamburura ondjuwo yandje nave ha ṱakamisa esabata, ndi mba zikamisa. 39 Meyuva tjingero ndo mu va zepa ovanatje vandje okurira ozombunguhiro koomukuru vovisenginina, omu ve ya kondjuwo yandje nu ave i yamburura!
40 “Owo aruhe ave hindi ovatumwa okukaṋanga ovarumendu okuza kokure tjinene, novarumendu mba ve ya. Ovakazona mba vevari oomuangu nerumbi aave rikoho motutu nokurivava nokuzara oviwerawere. 41 Aave haama kovihavero vyomasuviro oviwa ovimanise, nu momurungu wawo ave kara notjiriro kuya ku ura oviṋa oviwa pekepeke, puna ovyomoro omuwa nomaze womiṋinga mbi mbe ve pere. 42 Otjindjowe tjotjimbumba tji tji ri mombyarero aatji zuvaka motjira hi tjovarumendu, mba kaetwa mokuti orunguza. Owo va twa ozongoho pomaoko wovakazona nomakori omamanise koviuru vyawo. 43 Nami mbe rihungirira omuini kutja owo ave tamuna ko omukazendu ngwi motjiṋa tjoukorondu ngwa pungarisiwa i okukatuka orukupo. 44 Owo aave yaruka kovakorondu mba povikando ovingi tjinene. Va yaruka ku Ohola na Oholiba, imba ovakazendu ovayamburuke. 45 Ovarumendu ovasemba mave ve pangura motjiposa tjokukatuka orukupo notjokuzepa ovandu, orondu owo va katuka orukupo, nomake wawo ya zunḓaka nombinḓu.”
46 Muhona Ndjambi ma tja nai: “Hangeye ekuzeze kutja ri ve urumise nokuvepunda oviṋa vyawo. 47 Ombongarero ndji ngai ve zepe nomawe nu i ve kepure nomangaruvyo; ngai zepe ovanatje vawo nu i nyose ozondjuwo zawo. 48 Ami otji me yandisa ouhakohoke woukorondu mehi arihe otja omaronga komukazendu auhe wokutja a ha katuka ko orukupo otja Ohola na Oholiba tjaave tjiti. 49 Neṋe, vasuko amuyevari, ami me mu verere ouhakohoke woukorondu weṋu nouvi weṋu wokurikotamena koomukuru vovisenginina. Notji mamu tjiwa kutja owami ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi.”
