3. nalapho yena esebona inkemba yehla phezu kwezwe, abethe icilongo, axwayise abantu,
4. okuzwayo ukukhala kwecilongo angaxwayi kodwa, bese yehla inkemba, imsuse, igazi lakhe liyakuba sekhanda lakhe.
5. Ukukhala kwecilongo wakuzwa, kepha akaxwayanga; igazi lakhe liyakuba kuye; uma exwayile, nga ezophulile.
6. Kepha uma umlindi ebona inkemba yehla, angabethi icilongo, abantu bangaxwayi, bese yehla inkemba, isuse umuntu kubo, uyasuswa ngenxa yobubi bakhe kepha igazi lakhe ngiyakulibiza esandleni somlindi.’
7. “Wena-ke, ndodana yomuntu, ngikubeke umlindi kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli; yizwa izwi lomlomo wami, ubaxwayise, kuvela kimi.
8. Lapho ngithi komubi: ‘Muntu omubi, uyakufa nokufa,’ bese wungakhulumi ukuba uxwayise omubi ashiye indlela yakhe, lowo muntu omubi uyakufa ngenxa yobubi bakhe, kepha igazi lakhe ngiyakulibiza esandleni sakho.
9. Kepha uma umxwayisa omubi ukuba ashiye indlela yakhe, abuye kuyo, angabuyi kodwa endleleni yakhe, uyakufa ngenxa yobubi bakhe, kepha wena uzikhululile.
10. “Wena ndodana yomuntu, yisho kuyo indlu yakwa-Israyeli, uthi: ‘Nisho kanje, nithi: “Impela iziphambeko zethu nezono zethu ziphezu kwethu, siyonda ngenxa yazo; pho, siyakuphila kanjani na?” ’
11. Yisho kubo, uthi: ‘Kuphila kwami, isho iNkosi uJehova, angithokozi ngokufa komubi, kuphela ngokubuya komubi endleleni yakhe aze aphile. Buyani, buyani ezindleleni zenu ezimbi; niyakufelani nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli na?’
12. “Kepha wena ndodana yomuntu, yisho kubantwana babantu bakho, uthi: ‘Ukulunga kolungileyo akuyikumophula ngosuku lwesiphambeko sakhe, nobubi-ke bomubi akayikuwa ngabo ngosuku lokubuya kwakhe ebubini bakhe, nolungileyo akanakuphila ngakho ngosuku lokona kwakhe.’
13. Lapho ngisho kolungileyo ukuthi uyakuphila nokuphila, yena abesethemba ekulungeni kwakhe kodwa, enze okubi, akuyikukhunjulwa nesisodwa sezenzo zakhe ezilungileyo, kepha uyakufela kokubi akwenzileyo.
14. Lapho ngithi komubi: ‘Uyakufa nokufa,’ yena abesephenduka kodwa esonweni sakhe, enze okufaneleyo nokulungileyo,
15. yena lo mubi abuyise isibambiso, akhokhe ayekuthathile, ahambe ngezimiso zokuphila, angenzi okubi, uyakuphila nokuphila, angafi.
16. Akayikukhunjulelwa nesisodwa sezono zakhe azenzileyo; wenzile okufaneleyo nokulungileyo; uyakuphila nokuphila.
17. “Kodwa abantwana babantu bakho bathi: ‘Indlela yeNkosi ayilingani.’ Kepha ngeyabo indlela engalingani.
18. Lapho olungileyo ebuya ekulungeni kwakhe, enze okubi, uyakufa ngakho.
19. Nalapho omubi ebuya ebubini bakhe, enze okufaneleyo nokulungileyo, uyakuphila ngakho.
20. Nokho nisho nithi: ‘Indlela yeNkosi ayilingani.’ Ngiyakunahlulela nina ndlu yakwa-Israyeli, kube yilowo nalowo ngendlela yakhe.”