EZEKIEL'S SECOND VISION OF GOD (8.1—10.22)
Idolatry in Jerusalem
1 On the fifth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of our exile, the leaders of the exiles from Judah were sitting in my house with me. Suddenly the power of the Sovereign Lord came on me. 2 I looked up and saw a vision of a fiery human form. From the waist down his body looked like fire, and from the waist up he was shining like polished bronze. 3 He reached out what seemed to be a hand and grabbed me by the hair. Then in this vision God's spirit lifted me high in the air and took me to Jerusalem. He took me to the inner entrance of the north gate of the Temple, where there was an idol that was an outrage to God.
4 There I saw the dazzling light that shows the presence of Israel's God, just as I had seen it when I was by the Chebar River. 5 God said to me, “Mortal man, look toward the north.” I looked, and there near the altar by the entrance of the gateway I saw the idol that was an outrage to God.
6 God said to me, “Mortal man, do you see what is happening? Look at the disgusting things the people of Israel are doing here, driving me farther and farther away from my holy place. You will see even more disgraceful things than this.”
7 He took me to the entrance of the outer courtyard and showed me a hole in the wall. 8 He said, “Mortal man, break through the wall here.” I broke through it and found a door. 9 He told me, “Go in and look at the evil, disgusting things they are doing there.” 10 So I went in and looked. The walls were covered with drawings of snakes and other unclean animals, and of the other things which the Israelites were worshiping. 11 Seventy Israelite leaders were there, including Jaazaniah son of Shaphan. Each one was holding an incense burner, and smoke was rising from the incense. 12 God asked me, “Mortal man, do you see what the Israelite leaders are doing in secret? They are all worshiping in a room full of images. Their excuse is: ‘The Lord doesn't see us! He has abandoned the country.’”
13 Then the Lord said to me, “You are going to see them do even more disgusting things than that.” 14 So he took me to the north gate of the Temple and showed me women weeping over the death of the god Tammuz.
15 He asked, “Mortal man, do you see that? You will see even more disgusting things.” 16 So he took me to the inner courtyard of the Temple. There near the entrance of the sanctuary, between the altar and the porch, were about twenty-five men. They had turned their backs to the sanctuary and were bowing low toward the east, worshiping the rising sun.
17 The Lord said to me, “Mortal man, do you see that? These people of Judah are not satisfied with merely doing all the disgusting things you have seen here and with spreading violence throughout the country. No, they must come and do them right here in the Temple and make me even more angry. Look how they insult me in the most offensive way possible! 18 They will feel all the force of my anger. I will not spare them or show them any mercy. They will shout prayers to me as loud as they can, but I will not listen to them.”
OTJIRIMUNIKISE OTJITJAVARI TJA NDJAMBI KU ESEKIEL
Okukarera ovisenginina mOjerusalem
1 Meyuva oritjatano komueze outjahamboumwe wombura oitjahamboumwe womahuuriro wetu, ovanane, mba zire kOjuda, va haamene mondjuwo yandje puna ami. Mokamanga omasa wOmbepo ya Muhona Ndjambi otji ye ya ku ami. 2 Ami mba yera omeho kombanda ne munu otjirimunikise tjombunikiro yomundu. Okuza pomavango nokuyaruka kehi aa munika otja omuriro, nokuza pomavango nokuyenda kombanda aa werawera tjimuna ongoporo ndja serurwa nawa. 3 Eye wa roporora otjiṋa tjaa tji munika otja eke ne ndji kambura ozondjise. Motjirimunikise hi Ombepo ya Ndjambi ye ndji yera kombanda meyuru nai ndji twara kOjerusalem. Oyo ye ndji twara komahitiro womuvero womoukoto wokomukuma wokeyuva kokunene kwondjuwo ya Muhona mu mwa ri otjiserekarera tji tja sekamisa eruru ra Ndjambi.
4 Imbo mba muna po ondjerera ndjaa i keṋakeṋa nu ndjaa i raisa kutja Ndjambi wa Israel ope ri, tjimuna indu tji mbe i munine tji mba ri ponḓonḓu Kebar. 5 Ndjambi wa tja nai ku ami: “Muatje womundu, tara komukuma wokeyuva kokunene!” Ami mba tara, nu imbo meṋe yotjipunguhiro pomahitiro womuvero ami mba muna po otjiserekarera tji tja ri ondjambu ku Ndjambi.
6 Ndjambi wa tja nai ku ami: “Muatje womundu, mo munu imbi mbi mave tjiti are? Tara oviṋa oviyaukise tjinene Ovaisrael mbi ve tjita muno nga tji ve ndji humburura kokure tjinene nondjuwo yandje. Nungwari mo munu oviṋa oviyaukise tjinene pu imbi.”
7 Eye we ndji twara komahitiro worupanda rwopendje, nu tara, mwa ri ondovi mekuma rorumbo. 8 Eye wa tja nai: “Muatje womundu, tuurungira mba mekuma!” Ami mba tuurungira mu ro; nu ape rire omuvero. 9 Eye wa tja nai ku ami: “Hita mo, nu u tare ouvi noviṋa oviyaukise mbi mave tjiti mo.” 10 Ami opu mba hitira mo nu e tara. Kekuma kwa kororerwe ovisanekero vyozonyoka novipuka ovihakohoke, novisanekero vyovisenginina avihe vyOvaisrael. 11 Pa kuramene ovanane vOvaisrael omirongo hambombari puna Jaasanja, omuzandu wa Safan, momurungu wovisanekero mbi. Auhe wa ri notjikangero tjomatwimisiro meke, nomuise wovyomoro omuwa aa u twimine kombanda. 12 Ndjambi we ndji pura a tja: “Muatje womundu, mo munu imbi ovanane vOvaisrael mbi ve tjita mongumumu are? Auhe u rikotamenena metuwo re nde ura noviserekarera vyovisenginina. Owo ve tja: ‘Muhona ke nokutumuna. Eye wa za mo mehi.’ ”
13 Muhona wa tja nai ku ami: “Ove mo kevemuna amave tjiti nangarire oviṋa oviyaukise ovingi pu imbi.” 14 Muhona otje ndji twara komuvero wokomukuma wokeyuva kokunene kwondjuwo ya Muhona nu e ndji raisire ovakazendu mbaa ve riri onḓiro yomukuru wotjisenginina Tamus.
15 Eye we ndji pura a tja: “Muatje womundu, mo munu oviṋa mbi are? Nungwari mo munu oviṋa oviyaukise ovingi pu imbi.” 16 Eye otje ndji twara korupanda rwomoukoto rwondjuwo ya Muhona. Imbo popezu nopomahitiro wotjouyapuke, pokati kotjipunguhiro notjouyapuke, pa ri ovarumendu mangara omirongo vivari na vetano. Owo va yandjere omatambo wawo kotjouyapuke nave ripetere komukuma wokomuhuka amave rikotamene keyuva ndaari piti.
17 Muhona wa tja nai ku ami: “Muatje womundu, mo munu oviṋa mbi are? Ovajuda mba ingee kaveya kowa okutjita oviṋa avihe oviyaukise porwavyo mbi wa munu mba, nokuhandjaura ozondjito zoutwe mehi arihe. Ayee kako! Owo ve vanga okuyekuvitjitira nangarire mwi mondjuwo yandje oini, kokutja ve ndji pindikisire ko tjinene. Tara, tji mave ndji yamburura momihingo omivi tjinene nai! 18 Owo mave munu omasa aehe womazenge wandje pu ye ṱeki. Ami himee ve hupisa nu himee ve ṱire otjari. Owo mave ravaere ozongumbiro ku ami nomasa otja pu mave sora, nungwari ami hi nokupuratena ko ku wo.”
