< Ezekiel 33 >

1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, If there be a land over which I bring the sword, and the people of the land take a man from among themselves, and appoint him unto themselves for a watchman;
“Mwanadamu, sema na watu wako uwaambie, ‘Nitakapoleta upanga dhidi ya nchi, nao watu wa nchi wakamchagua mmoja wa watu wao na kumfanya awe mlinzi wao,
3 And if he see the sword coming over the land, and blow the cornet, and warn the people;
naye auonapo upanga unakuja dhidi ya nchi na kupiga tarumbeta kuonya watu,
4 And whosoever heareth the sound of the cornet, and taketh no warning; and the sword cometh, and taketh him away: his blood shall be upon his own head.
kama mtu yeyote asikiapo sauti ya tarumbeta hakukubali kuonywa, basi upanga ujapo na kuutoa uhai wake, damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe.
5 The sound of the cornet hath he heard, and he hath taken no warning; his blood shall be upon him. But had he taken warning he would have delivered his soul.
Kwa kuwa alisikia sauti ya tarumbeta lakini hakukubali maonyo, damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe. Kama angekubali maonyo, angelijiokoa mwenyewe.
6 But if the watchman see the sword coming, and blow not the cornet, so that the people be not warned, and the sword cometh, and taketh away from among them some person: this one is taken away for his iniquity; but his blood will I require from the watchman's hand.
Lakini kama mlinzi akiona upanga unakuja na asipige tarumbeta kuonya watu na upanga ukija na kutoa uhai wa mmoja wao, yule mtu ataondolewa kwa sababu ya dhambi yake, lakini damu yake nitaitaka mkononi mwa mlinzi huyo.’
7 But as for thee, O son of man, I have appointed thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: so that when thou hearest a word from my mouth, thou shalt warn them from me.
“Mwanadamu, nimekufanya wewe kuwa mlinzi kwa ajili ya nyumba ya Israeli, kwa hiyo sikia neno nisemalo na uwape maonyo kutoka kwangu.
8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked one, thou shalt surely die; and thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way: that wicked one shall die for his iniquity; but his blood will I require from thy hand.
Nimwambiapo mtu mwovu, ‘Ewe mtu mwovu, hakika utakufa,’ nawe hukusema neno la kumwonya ili atoke katika njia zake, yule mtu mwovu atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake, mimi nitaitaka damu yake mkononi mwako.
9 Nevertheless, if thou hast indeed warned the wicked of his way to turn away from it, and he do not turn from his way: he shall certainly die for his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Lakini kama utamwonya huyo mtu mwovu aache njia zake mbaya naye hafanyi hivyo, atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake, lakini utakuwa umejiokoa mwenyewe.
10 But thou, O son of man, speak unto the house of Israel, Thus do ye speak, saying, Truly our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and through them do we pine away: how then shall we live?
“Mwanadamu, sema na nyumba ya Israeli uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo mnalosema: “Makosa yetu na dhambi zetu zimetulemea, nasi tunadhoofika kwa sababu ya hayo. Tutawezaje basi kuishi?”’
11 Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Eternal, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but in the return of the wicked from his way that he may live: return ye, return ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Waambie, ‘Hakika kama mimi niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, sifurahii kifo cha watu waovu, bali kwamba wageuke kutoka njia zao mbaya wapate kuishi. Geukeni! Geukeni kutoka njia zenu mbaya! Kwa nini mkafe, ee nyumba ya Israeli?’
12 But thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him on the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not stumble through it on the day that he returneth from his wickedness; nor shall the righteous be able to live through the other on the day that he sinneth.
“Kwa hiyo, mwanadamu, waambie watu wako, ‘Haki ya mtu mwenye haki haitamwokoa wakati anapoacha kutii, wala uovu wa mtu mwovu hautamsababisha yeye kuanguka anapotubu na kuacha uovu. Mtu mwenye haki, kama akitenda dhambi, hataishi kwa sababu ya uadilifu wake wa awali.’
13 When I say of the righteous, that he shall surely live, and he trusteth to his own righteousness, and committeth what is wrong: all his righteous deeds shall not be remembered, and for his wrong that he hath committed, —through this shall he die.
Kama nikimwambia mtu mwenye haki kwamba hakika utaishi, lakini akategemea hiyo haki yake na kutenda uovu, hakuna tendo lolote la haki alilotenda litakalokumbukwa, atakufa kwa ajili ya uovu alioutenda.
14 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and he turneth from his sin, and executeth justice and righteousness;
Nami kama nikimwambia mtu mwovu, ‘Hakika utakufa,’ kisha akageuka kutoka dhambi yake na kufanya lile lililo haki na sawa,
15 If the wicked restore the pledge, make restitution for what he hath robbed, walk in the statutes of life, so as not to do any wrong: he shall surely live, he shall not die.
kama akirudisha kile alichochukua rehani kwa ajili ya deni, akarudisha alichoiba na kufuata amri zile ziletazo uzima, wala hafanyi uovu, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
16 All his sins that he hath committed shall not be remembered unto him: justice and righteousness hath he executed, he shall surely live.
Hakuna dhambi yoyote aliyoitenda itakayokumbukwa juu yake. Ametenda lile lililo haki na sawa, hakika ataishi.
17 Yet say the children of thy people, The way of the Lord is not equitable: while, as to them, their way is not equitable.
“Lakini watu wako wanasema, ‘Njia ya Bwana si sawa.’ Lakini ni njia zao ambazo si sawa.
18 When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and doth what is wrong, he shall even die therefore.
Kama mtu mwenye haki akigeuka kutoka uadilifu wake na kufanya uovu, atakufa kwa ajili ya huo uovu.
19 And when the wicked returneth from his wickedness, and executeth justice and righteousness, he shall surely live therefore.
Naye mtu mwovu kama akigeuka kutoka uovu wake na kufanya lile lililo haki na sawa, kwa kufanya hivyo ataishi.
20 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equitable. Every one after his own ways will I judge you, O house of Israel.
Lakini, ee nyumba ya Israeli, unasema, ‘Njia ya Bwana si sawa.’ Lakini nitamhukumu kila mmoja wenu sawasawa na njia zake mwenyewe.”
21 And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month after our exile, that there came unto me one that had escaped out of Jerusalem, saying, The city hath been smitten.
Mwaka wa kumi na mbili wa uhamisho wetu, mwezi wa kumi, siku ya tano, mtu aliyekuwa ametoroka kutoka Yerusalemu akanijia na kusema, “Mji wa Yerusalemu umeanguka!”
22 Now the inspiration of the Lord was come upon me in the evening, before the coming of the one who had escaped; and he had opened my mouth, before he was come to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened and I was not kept dumb any more.
Basi jioni kabla mtu huyo hajaja, mkono wa Bwana, ulikuwa juu yangu, naye alifungua kinywa changu kabla ya mtu yule aliyenijia asubuhi hajafika. Basi kinywa changu kilifunguliwa na sikuweza tena kunyamaza.
23 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
24 Son of man, they that dwell in these ruins in the land of Israel say as followeth, But one man was Abraham, and he obtained the land as an inheritance; and as we are many, the land must [surely] be given to us for an inheritance.
“Mwanadamu, watu wanaoishi katika magofu hayo katika nchi ya Israeli wanasema hivi, ‘Abrahamu alikuwa mtu mmoja tu, hata hivyo akaimiliki nchi. Lakini sisi ni wengi, hakika tumepewa nchi kuwa milki yetu.’
25 Therefore say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, By the blood do ye eat, and your eyes do you lift up toward your idols, and blood do ye shed: and ye expect to possess the land?
Kwa hiyo waambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Kwa kuwa mnakula nyama pamoja na damu na kuinulia sanamu zenu macho na kumwaga damu, je, mtaimiliki nchi?
26 Ye depend upon your sword, ye commit abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor's wife: and ye expect to possess the land?
Mnategemea panga zenu, mnafanya mambo ya machukizo na kila mmoja wenu humtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake. Je, mtaimiliki nchi?’
27 Thus shalt thou say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, As I live, surely those that are in the ruined places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts that they may devour him, and those that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die through the pestilence.
“Waambie hivi: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Hakika kama niishivyo, wale waliobaki katika magofu wataanguka kwa upanga, wale walio nje mashambani nitawatoa wararuliwe na wanyama pori, nao wale walio katika ngome na kwenye mapango watakufa kwa tauni.
28 And I will render the land desolate and wasted, and the pride of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, with none to pass through them.
Nitaifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa na utupu na kiburi cha nguvu zake zitafikia mwisho, nayo milima ya Israeli itakuwa ukiwa ili mtu yeyote asipite huko.
29 And they shall experience that I am the Lord, when I render the land desolate and wasted, because of all their abominations which they have committed.
Kisha watajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana, nitakapokuwa nimeifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa na utupu kwa sababu ya mambo yote ya machukizo waliyotenda.’
30 And thou, son of man, [there are] the children of thy people, who are talking about thee by the walls and in the entrances of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Do come, and hear what the word is which cometh forth from the Lord.
“Kwa habari yako wewe, mwanadamu, watu wako wanaongea habari zako wakiwa karibu na kuta na kwenye milango ya nyumba, wakiambiana kila mmoja na mwenzake, ‘Njooni msikie ujumbe ule utokao kwa Bwana.’
31 And then they come unto thee as the people come, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but do not execute them; for as merry songs they carry them in their mouth, while their heart goeth after their unlawful gains.
Watu wangu wanakujia, kama wafanyavyo, nao wanaketi mbele yako kama watu wangu na kusikiliza maneno yako, lakini hawayatendi. Kwa maana udanganyifu u katika midomo yao, lakini mioyo yao ina tamaa ya faida isiyo halali.
32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a merry song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well: and [thus] they hear thy words, but execute them not.
Naam, mbele yao umekuwa tu kama yeye aimbaye nyimbo za mapenzi kwa sauti nzuri za kuvutia na kupiga vyombo kwa ustadi, kwa kuwa wanasikia maneno yako lakini hawayatendi.
33 But when it cometh to pass, [lo, it will come, ] then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.
“Wakati mambo haya yote yatakapotimia, kwa kuwa hakika yatatokea, ndipo watakapojua kwamba nabii amekuwepo miongoni mwao.”

< Ezekiel 33 >