Ezekiel 24
1 On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Neno la Yahwe likanijia katika mwaka wa nane mwezi wa kumi na siku ya kumi ya mwezi, 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, andika kwa ajili yako jina la hii siku, siku hii sahihi mfalme wa Babeli ameizingira Yerusalimu.
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.
Basi nena mithali juu ya hii nyumba ya kuasi, fumbo moja. Waambie, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: weka sufuria ya kupikia. Iweke na weka maji kwenye hiyo.
4 Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
Vikusanye vipande vya chakula ndani yake, kila kipande kizuri-paja na bega-na ijaze kwa mifupa bora.
5 Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.
Chukua kundi bora na jaza mifupa chini yake. Ilete kuchemsha na ipike 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 hiyo, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Ole kwa mji wa damu. Nitakiongeza chungu cha mbao. Weka kuni nyingi na washa moto. Pika nyama vizuri na changanya katika viungo na iacha mifupa iteketee.
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 iko kati yake. Ameiweka juu ya jiwe laini; hakuimwaga juu ya nchi kuifunika kwa mavumbi,
8 In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.
hivyo inaleta hasira ya kulipa kisasi. Nimeweka damu yake juu ya jiwe laini 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, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Ole kwa mji wa damu. Nitakiongeza chungu cha mbao.
10 Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
Weka kuni nyingi na washa moto. Pika nyama vizuri na changanya katika viungo na acha mifupa iteketee.
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 weka chungu kitupu juu ya mkaa, ili kuchemsha na kuchoma shaba yake, hivyo uchafu wake ndani yake itayeyushwa, kutu yake imekula.'
12 So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
Amechoka kwa sababu ya kazi ya taabu, lakini kutu yake haitoki kweke 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.
Tabia yako ya aibu iko ndani ya uchafu wako, kwa sababu nimekusafisha, lakini bado hutaweza kuwa msafi. Bado hutakuwa huru kutoka uchafu wako hadi hasira yako itakapotulia kutoka kwako.
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, Yahwe, nimesema hili, na nitalifanya. Sintotulia wala kupumzika kwa ajili ya hili. Kama njia zako zilivyokuwa, na kama matendo yako, yatakuhukumu! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.”
15 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
Kisha neno la Yahwe 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! Tazama, ninachukua tamaa ya macho yako kutoka kwako pamoja na tauni, lakini hutaomboleza wala kulia, na machozi yako hayatatoka.
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.”
Utagugumia bila kusikika. Usiendeshe mazishi kwa ajili ya aliyekufa. Funga kilemba chako juu yako na vaa makubazi miguuni pako, lakini usivalishe shela nywele zako au kula mkate wa watu waombolezao kwa ajili ya kuwapoteza wake zao.”
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 nimeongea na watu asubuhi, na mke wangu amekufa asubuhi. Asubuhi nimefanya kile nilichokuwa nimeambiwa kukifanya.
19 The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
Watu wameniuliza, “Ji! hautatuambia haya mambo yanamaana gani, mambo ambayo unayoyafanya?”
20 So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
Hivyo nimewaambia, “Neno la Yahwe likanijia, 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.
'Waambie nyumba ya Israeli, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Tazama! Nitapanajisi patakatifu pangu-fahari ya nguvu yenu, mahali panapopendeza macho yenu, na panapotamaniwa na roho zenu, na wana wenu na binti zenu ambao 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.
Kisha mtafanya hasa kama nilivyofanya: hutafunika nywele za sehemu ya chini za uso, wala kula mkate wa watu wanaoomboleza!
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.
Badala yake, vilemba vyenu vitakuwa juu ya vichwa, na makubadhi yenu miguuni mwenu; hutaomboleza wala kulia, kwa kuwa mtayeyuka katika maovu yenu, na kila mtu atagugumia kwa ya ajili ya ndugu yake.
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.
Hivyo Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, kama kila kitu ambacho alichokifanya mtafanya wakati hili litakapokuja. Kisha mtajua yakwamba mimi ni Bwana Yahwe!”'
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—
“Lakini wewe, mwanadamu, siku ambayo nitachukua hekalu lao, ambalo ni furaha yao, kiburi chao, na kile waonacho na kutamani-na wakati nikiwachukua wana wao na binti-
26 when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.
siku hiyo, mgeni atakuja kwako kukupatia 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.”
Siku hiyo kinywa chako kitafunguliwa kwa huyo mgeni na utaongea-hutakuwa bubu tena. Utakuwa ishara kwao hivyo basi watajua kwamba mimi ni Yahwe.
