Ezekiel 24
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Katika mwaka wa tisa, mwezi wa kumi, siku ya kumi, neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
2 “Son of man, write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.
“Mwanadamu, weka kumbukumbu ya tarehe hii, tarehe hii hasa, kwa kuwa mfalme wa Babeli ameuzingira mji wa Yerusalemu kwa jeshi siku hii ya leo.
3 Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some water.
Iambie nyumba hii ya kuasi fumbo, na uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Teleka sufuria jikoni; iteleke na umimine maji ndani yake,
4 Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
Weka vipande vya nyama ndani yake, vipande vyote vizuri, vya paja na vya bega. Ijaze hiyo sufuria kwa mifupa hii mizuri;
5 Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.
chagua yule aliye bora wa kundi la kondoo. Panga kuni chini ya sufuria kwa ajili ya mifupa; chochea mpaka ichemke na uitokose hiyo mifupa ndani yake.
6 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.
“‘Kwa kuwa hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu, ole wa sufuria ambayo sasa ina ukoko ndani yake, ambayo ukoko wake hautoki. Kipakue kipande baada ya kipande, bila kuvipigia kura.
7 For the blood she shed is still inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.
“‘Kwa kuwa damu aliyoimwaga ipo katikati yake: huyo mwanamke aliimwaga juu ya mwamba ulio wazi; hakuimwaga kwenye ardhi, ambako vumbi lingeifunika.
8 In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.
Kuchochea ghadhabu na kulipiza kisasi, nimemwaga damu yake juu ya mwamba ulio wazi, ili isifunikwe.
9 So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.
“‘Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu! Mimi nami nitalundikia kuni nyingi.
10 Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
Kwa hiyo lundika kuni na uwashe moto. Pika hiyo nyama vizuri, changanya viungo ndani yake, na uiache mifupa iungue kwenye moto.
11 Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.
Kisha teleka sufuria tupu kwenye makaa mpaka iwe na moto sana na shaba yake ingʼae, ili uchafu wake upate kuyeyuka na ukoko wake upate kuungua na kuondoka.
12 So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
Imezuia juhudi zote, ukoko wake mwingi haujaondoka, hata ikiwa ni kwa moto.
13 Because of your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.
“‘Sasa uchafu wako ni uasherati wako. Kwa sababu nilijaribu kukutakasa lakini haikuwezekana kutakaswa kutoka kwenye huo uchafu wako, hutatakasika tena mpaka ghadhabu yangu dhidi yako iwe imepungua.
14 I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”
“‘Mimi Bwana nimesema, wakati umewadia wa mimi kutenda. Mimi sitazuia, mimi sitaona huruma wala sitapunguza hasira yangu, Utahukumiwa sawasawa na mwenendo na matendo yako, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’”
15 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
16 “Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.
“Mwanadamu, kwa pigo moja nakaribia kukuondolea kile kilicho furaha ya macho yako. Lakini usiomboleze au kulia wala kudondosha machozi yoyote.
17 Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by mourners.”
Lia kwa uchungu kimya kimya usimwombolezee mtu aliyekufa. Jifunge kilemba chako na uvae viatu vyako miguuni mwako, usifunike sehemu ya chini ya uso wako, wala usile vyakula vya kawaida vya wakati wa matanga.”
18 I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.
Hivyo nikanena na watu asubuhi na jioni mke wangu akafa. Asubuhi yake nilifanya kama nilivyoamriwa.
19 The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
Ndipo watu wakaniuliza, “Je, jambo hili unalofanya linamaanisha nini kwetu?”
20 So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
Kwa hiyo nikawaambia, “Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema:
21 Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed by the sword.
‘Sema na nyumba ya Israeli. Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Ninakaribia kupatia unajisi mahali pangu patakatifu, ngome ambayo ndani yake mnaona fahari, furaha ya macho yenu, kitu mnachokipenda. Wana wenu na binti zenu mliowaacha nyuma wataanguka kwa upanga.
22 Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.
Nanyi mtafanya kama nilivyofanya. Hamtafunika sehemu ya chini ya nyuso zenu wala hamtakula vyakula vya kawaida vya waombolezaji.
23 You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.
Mtajifunga vilemba vichwani mwenu na kuvaa viatu vyenu miguuni mwenu. Hamtaomboleza au kulia, lakini mtadhoofika kwa sababu ya dhambi zenu na kulia kwa uchungu kila mtu na mwenzake.
24 In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then you will know that I am the Lord God.
Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, mtafanya kama yeye alivyofanya. Wakati jambo hili litakapotokea, mtajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana Mwenyezi.’
25 You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—
“Nawe, mwanadamu, siku ile nitakapoondoa ngome yao iliyo furaha yao na utukufu wao, kitu cha kupendeza macho yao, kile kilicho shauku ya mioyo yao, wana wao na binti zao vilevile,
26 when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.
siku hiyo atakayetoroka atakuja kuwapasha habari.
27 On that day you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
Katika siku ile kinywa chako kitamfumbukia yeye aliyenusurika, nawe utaongea wala hutanyamaza tena. Hivyo wewe utakuwa ishara kwao, nao watajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana.”
