A Prophecy of Hope for the Mountains of Israel
1“Son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel. Tell them, ‘Mountains of Israel, listen to the Lord’s message. 2The Lord and King says, “Your enemies made fun of you. They bragged, ‘The hills you lived in for a long time belong to us now.’ ” ’ 3Ezekiel, prophesy. Say, ‘The Lord and King says, “Your enemies destroyed you. They crushed you from every side. So the rest of the nations took over your land. People talked about you. They told lies about you.” ’ ” 4Mountains of Israel, listen to the message of the Lord and King. He speaks to you mountains, hills, canyons and valleys. He speaks to you destroyed cities and deserted towns. The rest of the nations around you took away from you everything of value. They made fun of you. 5So the Lord and King says, “I am very angry with those nations. I have spoken against them and the whole land of Edom. They were very happy when they took over my land. Deep down inside them, they hated Israel. They wanted to take its grasslands. 6Ezekiel, prophesy about the land of Israel. Speak to the mountains, hills, canyons and valleys. Tell them, ‘The Lord and King says, “I have a jealous anger against the nations. They have laughed at you.” 7So the Lord and King says, “I raise my hand and make a promise. I promise that the nations around you will also be laughed at.
8“ ‘ “Mountains of Israel, you will produce branches and bear fruit for my people Israel. They will come home soon. 9I am concerned about you. I will do good things for you. Farmers will plow your ground. They will plant seeds in it. 10I will cause many people to live in Israel. The towns will no longer be empty. Their broken-down houses will be rebuilt. 11I will cause many people and animals to live in you, Israel. They will have many babies. I will cause people to make their homes in your towns, just as I did in the past. I will help you succeed more than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 12I will let my people Israel live there again. They will possess you. They will receive you as their own. You will never take their children away from them again.” ’ ”
13The Lord and King says, “People say to you mountains, ‘You destroy people. You let your nation’s children be taken away.’ 14But I will not let you destroy people anymore. I will no longer let your nation’s children be taken away,” announces the Lord and King. 15“You will not have to listen to the nations laughing at you anymore. People will no longer make fun of you. You will not let your nation fall,” announces the Lord and King.
Israel Will Surely Be Rebuilt
16Another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 17“Son of man, the people of Israel used to live in their own land. But they made it ‘unclean’ because of how they acted and the way they lived. To me they were ‘unclean’ like a woman having her monthly period. 18They spilled people’s blood in the land. They made the land ‘unclean’ by worshiping other gods. So I poured out my great anger on them. 19I scattered them among the nations. I sent them to other countries. I judged them based on how they acted and on how they lived. 20They treated my name as if it were not holy. They did it everywhere they went among the nations. People said about them, ‘They are the Lord’s people. But they were forced to leave his land.’ 21I was concerned about my holy name. The people of Israel treated it as if it were not holy. They did it everywhere they went among the nations.
22“So tell the Israelites, ‘The Lord and King speaks. He says, “People of Israel, I will not take action for your benefit. Instead, I will act for the honor of my holy name. You have treated it as if it were not holy. You did it everywhere you went among the nations. 23But I will show everyone how holy my great name is. You have treated it as if it were not holy. So I will use you to prove to the nations how holy I am. Then they will know that I am the Lord,” announces the Lord and King.
24“ ‘ “I will take you out of the nations. I will gather you together from all the countries. I will bring you back into your own land. 25I will sprinkle pure water on you. Then you will be ‘clean.’ I will make you completely pure and ‘clean.’ I will take all the statues of your gods away from you. 26I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey me. 27I will put my Spirit in you. I will make you want to obey my rules. I want you to be careful to keep my laws. 28Then you will live in the land I gave your people of long ago. You will be my people. And I will be your God. 29I will save you from all your ‘uncleanness.’ I will give you plenty of grain. You will have more than enough. So you will never be hungry again. 30I will multiply the fruit on your trees. I will increase the crops in your fields. Then the nations will no longer make fun of you because you are hungry. 31You will remember your evil ways and the sinful things you have done. You will hate yourselves because you have sinned so much. I also hate your evil practices. 32I want you to know that I am not doing those things for your benefit,” announces the Lord and King. “People of Israel, you should be ashamed of yourselves! Your conduct has brought dishonor to you.” ’ ”
33The Lord and King says, “I will make you pure from all your sins. On that day I will give you homes in your towns again. Your broken-down houses will be rebuilt. 34The dry and empty land will be farmed again. Everyone who passes through it will see that it is no longer empty. 35They will say, ‘This land was completely destroyed. But now it’s like the Garden of Eden. The cities were full of broken-down buildings. They were destroyed and empty. But now they have high walls around them. And people live in them.’ 36Then the nations that remain around you will know that I have rebuilt what was once destroyed. I have planted again the fields that were once empty. I have spoken. And I will do this. I am the Lord.”
37The Lord and King says, “Once again I will answer Israel’s prayer. Here is what I will do for them. I will multiply them as if they were sheep. 38Large flocks of animals are sacrificed at Jerusalem during the appointed feasts there. In the same way, the destroyed cities will be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
Kubwezeretsedwa kwa Israeli
1“Iwe mwana wa munthu, yankhula kwa mapiri a Israeli ndipo unene kuti, ‘Inu mapiri a Israeli, imvani mawu a Yehova.’ 2Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Mdani wanu ankanena kuti, ‘Aa! Dziko lamapiri lakalekale lija lasanduka lathu.’ 3Choncho nenera ndipo uwawuze kuti, ‘Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Popeza anakusakazani ndi kukuponderezani ku mbali zonse motero kuti munakhala mʼmanja mwa anthu a mitundu ina yonse ndipo anthu ankakunenani ndi kukunyozani, 4choncho, inu mapiri a Israeli, imvani zimene Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuwuza mapiri ndi magomo, zigwembe ndi zigwa, mabwinja ndi mizinda yosiyidwa imene yakhala ikufunkhidwa komanso kunyozedwa ndi anthu a mitundu ina okuzungulirani. 5Tsono Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Mu mkwiyo wanga woopsa ndinayankhula kuyimba mlandu mitundu ina yonse ya anthu makamaka a ku Edomu. Iwowa mwa chimwemwe chodzaza tsaya ndi mwa nkhwidzi analanda dziko langa ndi kulisandutsa lawo ndi kutengeratu dziko la msipu kukhala lawo.’ 6Nʼchifukwa chake, lengeza ku dziko la Israeli, ndipo uwuze mapiri ndi magomo, zigwembe ndi zigwa kuti, ‘Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Ine ndikuyankhula ndi mtima wokwiya kwambiri chifukwa inu munalandira chitonzo cha anthu a mitundu ina.’ 7Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Ndikulumbira nditakweza dzanja langa kuti mitundu ya anthu idzatozedwanso.
8“Koma Inu mapiri a Israeli mudzaphukanso nthambi ndipo mudzawabalira zipatso anthu anga a Israeli, pakuti ali pafupi kubwerera kwawo. 9Taonani, Ine ndili mbali yanu ndipo ndidzakukomerani mtima. Mudzalimidwa ndi kudzalidwa. 10Ndidzachulukitsa chiwerengero cha anthu anu, nyumba yonse ya Israeli. Mʼmizinda mudzakhalanso anthu ndipo mabwinja adzamangidwanso. 11Ndidzachulukitsa chiwerengero cha amuna pamodzi ndi ziweto zomwe, ndipo adzachuluka kwambiri ndi kubereka ana ambiri. Ndidzakhazika anthu mʼdzikomo monga analili kale, ndi kukulemeretsani kuposa kale. Pamenepo inu mudzadziwa kuti Ine ndine Yehova. 12Ndidzachititsa anthu kuyenda pa inu, ndiye kuti inu anthu anga Aisraeli. Iwowo adzakhazikika pa inu, ndipo inu mudzakhala cholowa chawo. Simudzalandanso ana awo.
13“Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Popeza anthu amanena kuti, ndiwe dziko limene limadya anthu ake ‘kulanda ana a mtundu wake,’ 14nʼchifukwa chake, simudzadyanso anthu kapena kulanda ana a mtundu wako. Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikutero. 15Sindidzakulolaninso kumva mnyozo wa anthu a mitundu ina, kapena kupirira kunyogodola kwawo kapenanso kupunthwitsanso anthu a mʼdziko lako. Ndikutero Ine Ambuye Yehova.”
16Yehova anandiyankhulanso kuti: 17“Iwe mwana wa munthu, pamene anthu a Israeli ankakhala mʼdziko lawolawo, analiyipitsa ndi makhalidwe awo ndiponso zochita zawo. Machitidwe awo pamaso panga anali onyansa pa zachipembedzo ngati msambo wa mkazi amene ali pa nthawi yake. 18Tsono ndinawalanga chifukwa cha magazi amene anakhetsa mʼdzikomo, ndiponso chifukwa anayipitsa dziko ndi mafano awo. 19Ndinawamwaza pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina ndipo anabalalikira mʼmayiko onse. Ndinawalanga molingana ndi makhalidwe awo ndi zochita zawo. 20Atafika kwa anthu a mitundu ina, kulikonse kumene anapitako, anayipitsa dzina langa loyera. Zinatero popeza anthu ponena za iwo ankanena kuti, ‘Awa ndi anthu a Yehova, komatu anachotsedwa ku dziko lake.’ 21Koma Ine ndinkadera nkhawa dzina langa loyera, limene Aisraeli analiyipitsa pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina kumene anapitako.
22“Nʼchifukwa chake awuze Aisraeliwo kuti Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Ine ndidzachita zimene ndidzachitezo osati chifukwa cha inuyo Aisraelinu ayi, koma chifukwa cha dzina langa, limene mwaliyipitsa pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina kumene munapitako. 23Ndidzaonetsa chiyero cha dzina langa lotchuka, limene layipitsidwa pakati pawo. Anthu a mitundu inayo atadzazindikira kuti ndaonetsa kudzera mwa inu kuti dzina langa ndi loyera, iwo adzadziwanso kuti Ine ndine Yehova. Ndikutero Ine Ambuye Yehova.
24“Pakuti Ine ndidzakuchotsani pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina. Ndidzakusonkhanitsani kuchoka ku mayiko onse ndi kukubwezerani ku dziko lanulanu. 25Ndidzakuwazani madzi oyera, ndipo mudzakhala oyera mtima. Zonse zimene zimakuyipitsani zidzachoka. Ndidzakuyeretsani pochotsa mafano anu onse. 26Ndidzakupatsani mtima watsopano ndi kulowetsa mzimu watsopano mwa inu. Ndidzachotsa mwa inu mtima wanu wowuma ngati mwala ndi kukupatsani mtima wofewa ngati mnofu. 27Ndipo ndidzayika Mzimu wanga mwa inu ndipo ndidzakuthandizani kutsatira malangizo anga ndi kukusungitsani mosamala kwambiri malamulo anga. 28Mudzakhala mʼdziko limene ndinapatsa makolo anu. Mudzakhala anthu anga, ndipo Ine ndidzakhala Mulungu wanu. 29Ndidzakupulumutsani ku zonse zokuyipitsani. Ndidzakuchulukitsirani tirigu ndipo sindidzakugwetseraninso njala. 30Ndidzachulukitsa zipatso za mʼmitengo yanu ndi zokolola za mʼmunda mwanu, kotero kuti simudzanyozedwanso pakati pa anthu a mitundu ina chifukwa cha njala. 31Pamenepo mudzakumbukira makhalidwe anu oyipa ndi ntchito zanu zoyipa. Machimo anu ndi ntchito zanu zonyansa zidzakuchititsa nokha manyazi. 32Tsono dziwani kuti Ine sindidzachita zimenezi chifukwa cha inuyo ayi, ndikutero Ine Ambuye Wamphamvuzonse. Ndiyetu chitani manyazi ndipo mugwetse nkhope zanu, inu Aisraeli chifukwa cha makhalidwe anu!
33“Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Pa tsiku limene ndidzayeretse machimo anu onse, ndidzayikamonso anthu mʼmizinda yanu, ndipo ndidzamanganso nyumba pa mabwinja. 34Dziko limene linasanduka chipululu lizidzalimidwanso. Mʼmalo moti aliyense wopitamo alione dzikolo ngati chipululu tsopano adzaliona lolimidwa. 35Iwo adzati, ‘Dziko ili, limene linali chipululu, lasanduka munda wa Edeni. Mizinda imene inali mabwinja osiyidwa ndi owonongedwa, tsopano ndi yotetezedwa ndi yokhalamo anthu. 36Ndipo anthu a mitundu ina okhala pafupi nanu amene anatsala adzadziwa kuti Ine Yehova ndine amene ndinamanganso mizinda yowonongeka ndi kudzalanso zinthu zatsopano mʼmalo mʼmene munali chipululu. Ine Yehova ndayankhula ndipo ndidzazichitadi.’
37“Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: Ndidzalolanso Aisraeli kuti andipemphe zoti ndiwachitire: Ndidzachulukitsa anthu awo ngati nkhosa. 38Adzachulukadi ngati nkhosa zomwe ankapereka ngati nsembe ku Yerusalemu pa nthawi za chikondwerero. Choncho mizinda ya mabwinja idzadzaza ndi anthu. Zikadzatero adzadziwa kuti Ine ndine Yehova.”
