Ezekiel 18
1 The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying:
Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge”?
“Je, ninyi watu mna maana gani kutumia mithali hii inayohusu nchi ya Israeli: “‘Baba wamekula zabibu zenye chachu, nayo meno ya watoto yametiwa ganzi’?
3 As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
“Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hamtatumia tena mithali hii katika Israeli.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Kwa kuwa kila roho ni mali yangu, kama vile ilivyo roho ya baba, vivyo hivyo roho ya mtoto ni mali yangu. Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right;
“Mtu aweza kuwa ni mwenye haki atendaye yaliyo haki na sawa.
6 if he eat not upon the mountains, and lift not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defile not his neighbor's wife, and come not near a woman during her uncleanness;
Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima wala hakuziinulia macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake, wala hakukutana kimwili na mwanamke wakati wa siku zake za hedhi.
7 if he oppress not any, if he restore to the debtor his pledge, spoil none by violence, give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment;
Hamwonei mtu yeyote, bali hurudisha kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
8 if he give not forth upon usury, and take not increase; if he withdraw his hand from iniquity, and give true judgment between man and man;
Hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huuzuia mkono wake usifanye mabaya, naye huhukumu kwa haki kati ya mtu na mtu.
9 if he walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, to deal uprightly, —he is just; he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Huzifuata amri zangu na kuzishika sheria zangu kwa uaminifu. Huyo mtu ni mwenye haki; hakika ataishi, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
10 But if he have a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth to his brother any of these things,
“Aweza kuwa ana mwana jeuri, amwagaye damu au atendaye mojawapo ya mambo haya
11 and doeth not all those duties, but eateth upon the mountains, and defileth his neighbor's wife,
(ingawa baba yake hakufanya mojawapo ya haya): “Hula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima. Humtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
12 oppresseth the poor and needy, spoileth by violence, restoreth not the pledge, lifteth up his eyes to idols, and committeth abomination,
Huwaonea maskini na wahitaji. Hunyangʼanyana. Harudishi kile kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Huziinulia sanamu macho. Hufanya mambo ya machukizo.
13 giveth forth upon usury, and taketh increase, shall he live? No! he shall not live. He hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
Hukopesha kwa riba na kutafuta faida ya ziada. Je, mtu wa namna hii ataishi? Hapana, hataishi! Kwa sababu amefanya mambo haya yote ya machukizo, hakika atauawa na damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe.
14 Yet lo, if he have a son that seeth all the sins which his father committed, that seeth them and doeth not such like,
“Lakini yawezekana mwana huyo ana mwana aonaye dhambi hizi zote anazofanya baba yake, naye ingawa anaziona, yeye hafanyi mabaya kama haya:
15 that eateth not upon the mountains, nor lifteth up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defileth his neighbor's wife,
“Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima, wala hainulii macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
16 nor oppresseth any, nor taketh a pledge, nor spoileth by violence, but giveth his food to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment,
Hakumwonea mtu yeyote wala hakutaka rehani kwa ajili ya mkopo. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
17 keepeth back his hand from the poor, and taketh no usury or increase, keepeth my commandments, and walketh in my statutes, he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.
Huuzuia mkono wake usitende dhambi, hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huzishika amri zangu na kuzifuata sheria zangu. Hatakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi za baba yake; hakika ataishi.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, he shall die for his iniquity.
Lakini baba yake atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake mwenyewe, kwa sababu alitoza bei isiyo halali kwa nguvu, akamnyangʼanya ndugu yake na kufanya yaliyo mabaya miongoni mwa watu wake.
19 Yet say ye, “Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?” When the son doeth that which is lawful and right, keepeth all my statutes and doeth them, he shall surely live.
“Lakini mnauliza, ‘Kwa nini mwana asiadhibiwe kwa uovu wa baba yake?’ Kwa vile mwana ametenda yaliyo haki na sawa na amekuwa mwangalifu kuzishika amri zangu zote, hakika ataishi.
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa. Mwana hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya baba yake, wala baba hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya mwanawe. Haki ya mtu mwenye haki itahesabiwa juu yake na uovu wa mtu mwovu utalipizwa juu yake.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
“Lakini mtu mwovu akiacha dhambi zake zote alizozitenda na kushika amri zangu zote na kufanya lililo haki na sawa, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
22 None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered unto him; for his righteousness, which he hath done, he shall live.
Hakuna kosa lolote alilotenda litakalokumbukwa juu yake. Kwa ajili ya mambo ya haki aliyoyatenda, ataishi.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn from his ways and live?
Je, mimi ninafurahia kifo cha mtu mwovu? Asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Je, si mimi ninafurahi wanapogeuka kutoka njia zao mbaya na kuishi?
24 But when the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; for his trespass which he hath trespassed, and for his sin which he hath sinned, for them shall he die.
“Lakini kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi na kufanya mambo ya machukizo ambayo mtu mwovu hufanya, Je, ataishi? Hakuna hata mojawapo ya matendo ya haki aliyotenda litakalokumbukwa. Kwa sababu ya kukosa uaminifu kwake anayo hatia na kwa sababu ya dhambi alizozitenda, atakufa.
25 Yet ye say, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel! “Is not my way right?” Is it not your ways that are not right?
“Lakini mnasema, ‘Njia ya Bwana si ya haki.’ Sikia, ee nyumba ya Israeli: Njia yangu siyo iliyo ya haki? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?
26 When a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and on this account dieth, for his iniquity which he hath done doth he die.
Kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi, atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake, kwa sababu ya dhambi alizotenda, atakufa.
27 And when the wicked man turneth from his iniquity which he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Lakini mtu mwovu akigeuka kutoka maovu aliyoyatenda na kufanya yaliyo haki na sawa, ataokoa maisha yake.
28 Because he considereth and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Kwa kuwa anayafikiria na kugeuka kutoka makosa yake yote aliyoyatenda na kuyaacha, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, “The way of the Lord is not right.” O house of Israel, are not my ways right? Is it not your ways that are not right?
Lakini nyumba ya Israeli inasema, ‘Njia za Bwana si haki.’ Je, njia zangu si za haki, ee nyumba ya Israeli? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?”
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Turn ye, turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not be your ruin.
“Kwa hiyo, ee nyumba ya Israeli, nitawahukumu, kila mmoja sawasawa na njia zake, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni! Geukeni kutoka makosa yenu yote, ndipo dhambi haitakuwa anguko lenu.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions which ye have committed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit! For why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Tupilieni mbali makosa yenu yote mliyoyatenda, nanyi mpate moyo mpya na roho mpya. Kwa nini mfe, ee nyumba ya Israeli?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah. Wherefore turn yourselves and live!
Kwa maana sifurahii kifo cha mtu awaye yote afaye katika uovu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni basi, mkaishi!
