Hezekiel 17
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 “Ame vi, to adzo, eye nàgblɔ lododo aɖe na Israel ƒe aƒe la.
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel,
3 Gblɔ na wo be, ‘Nya si Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi. Hɔ̃ lolo aɖe si ŋu aʋala sesẽ siwo ŋu fu didiwo le, eye wòto fu amadede vovovowo la, va Lebanon. Esi wòdze ɖe sedati aɖe tame la,
And say: Thus saith the Lord God: A large eagle with great wings, long-limbed, full of feathers, and of variety, came to Libanus, and took away the marrow of the cedar.
4 eŋe eƒe ɖɔme hetsɔ yi asitsalawo ƒe anyigba dzi, eye wòdoe ɖe asitsalawo ƒe du gã aɖe me.
He cropped off the top of the twigs thereof: and carried it away into the land of Chanaan, and he set it in a city of merchants.
5 “‘Etsɔ miaƒe anyigba ƒe ku aɖe, eye wòdoe ɖe anyigba nyui aɖe dzi. Edoe abe amuti ene ɖe afi si tsi sɔ gbɔ ɖo.
And he took of the seed of the land, and put it in the ground for seed, that it might take a firm root over many waters: he planted it on the surface of the earth.
6 Ati la dze, eye wòzu wainti kpehe aɖe si ƒe alɔwo vu. Eƒe alɔwo trɔ ɖo ɖe egbɔ, ke eƒe kewo ya nɔ ete. Ale wòzu wainti toalɔwo, eye aŋugbawo vu ɖe eŋu.
And it sprung up and grew into a spreading vine of low stature, and the branches thereof looked towards him: and the roots thereof were under him. So it became a vine, and grew into branches, and shot forth sprigs.
7 “‘Ke hɔ̃ gã bubu aɖe li, si ŋu aʋala sesẽ nɔ, eye wòto fu kpoyo. Wainka la trɔ eƒe kewo ɖo ɖe egbɔ tso afi si wodoe ɖo, eye wòkeke eƒe aʋalawo hena tsii.
And there was another large eagle, with great wings, and many feathers: and behold this vine, bending as it were her roots towards him, stretched forth her branches to him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
8 Wodoe ɖe anyigba nyui aɖe si dzi tsi bɔ ɖo, ale be wòato alɔ, atse ku, eye wòazu wainti nyui aɖe.’
It was planted in a good ground upon many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and bear fruit, that it might become a large vine.
9 “Gblɔ na wo be, Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Ɖe wòava eme nenema? Ɖe womahoe, eye woagbe eƒe kutsetsewo, ale be wòaku oa? Eƒe alɔ yeyewo katã aku. Menye abɔ sesẽ aɖe alo ame geɖewoe ahoe kple ke o.
Say thou: Thus saith the Lord God: Shall it prosper then? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and strip off its fruit, and dry up all the branches it hath shot forth, and make it wither: and this without a strong arm, or many people, to pluck it up by the root?
10 Ne woahoe ado gɔ̃ hã ɖe, adzea? Ɖe maku keŋkeŋ ne ɣedzeƒeya ƒo lɔe oa? Ɖe maku le afi si wòtsi le oa?’”
Behold, it is planted: shall it prosper then? shall it not be dried up when the burning wind shall touch it, and shall it not wither in the furrows where it grew?
11 Eye Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
12 “Gblɔ na ƒome dzeaglã la be, ‘Ɖe miese nu siawo gɔme oa?’ Gblɔ na wo be, ‘Babilonia fia yi Yerusalem, eye wòkplɔ eƒe fia kple bubumewo yi Babilonia.
Say to the provoking house: Know you not what these things mean? Tell them: Behold the king of Babylon cometh to Jerusalem: and he shall take away the king and the princes thereof, and carry them with him to Babylon.
13 Elé fiaƒomea me tɔ aɖe, wɔ nubabla kplii, eye wòka atam nɛ. Ekplɔ anyigba la ƒe ame ŋkutawo dzoe,
And he shall take one of the king’s seed, and make a covenant with him, and take an oath of him. Yea, and he shall take away the mighty men of the land,
14 ale be wòate fiaɖuƒe la ɖe to, magate ŋu afɔ o, eye wòatsi agbe ne ewɔ nubabla la dzi ko.
That it may be a low kingdom and not lift itself up, but keep his covenant, and observe it.
15 Ke fia la dze aglã ɖe eŋu esi wòɖo eƒe amewo ɖe Egipte be woaxɔ sɔwo kple aʋakɔ gã aɖe vɛ. Adze edzi nɛa? Ɖe ame si wɔ nu sia tɔgbi la ate ŋu asia? Ɖe wòatu nubabla la, gake ate ŋu asia?’
But he hath revolted from him and sent ambassadors to Egypt, that it might give him horses, and much people. And shall he that hath done thus prosper, or be saved? and shall he escape that hath broken the covenant?
16 “Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ be, ‘Zi ale si mele agbe la, aku ɖe Babilonia, ɖe fia si ɖoe zi dzi la ƒe anyigba dzi, ame si ƒe atam wòdo vloe kple ame si ƒe nubabla wòtu.
As I live, saith the Lord God: In the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he hath made void, and whose covenant he broke, even in the midst of Babylon shall he die.
17 Farao kple eƒe aʋakɔ triakɔ la kple eƒe ameha gã mana kpekpeɖeŋu aɖeke le aʋa me ne woƒo kpo ɖe eŋu, eye wotu xɔ tsralawo be woawu ame geɖewo o.
And not with a great army, nor with much people shall Pharao fight against him: when he shall cast up mounts, and build forts, to cut off many souls.
18 Edo vlo atam la to nubabla la tutu me. Esi wòlɔ̃ ɖe nubabla la dzi hafi wɔ nu siawo katã ta la, mate ŋu asi o.’
For he had despised the oath, breaking his covenant, and behold he hath given his hand: and having done all these things, he shall not escape.
19 “Eya ta ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi, ‘Zi ale si mele agbe la, mana nye atam si wòdo vloe kple nye nubabla si wòtu la nava eƒe ta dzi.
Therefore thus saith the Lord God: As I live, I will lay upon his head the oath he hath despised, and the covenant he hath broken.
20 Makeke nye ɖɔ nɛ, eye nye mɔ aɖee. Makplɔe ayi Babilonia, eye mabu fɔe le afi ma, elabena meto nyateƒe nam o.
And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my net: and I will bring him into Babylon, and will judge him there for the transgression by which he hath despised me.
21 Eƒe aʋawɔla siwo le sisim la katã atsi yi nu, eye eƒe agbetsilawo akaka ɖe yawo katã nu, ekema mianya be nye Yehowae gblɔe.’
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword: and the residue shall be scattered into every wind: and you shall know that I the Lord have spoken.
22 “Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi. ‘Nye ŋutɔ maŋe sedati aɖe ƒe ɖɔme tso etame ke, eye madoe. Maŋe eƒe ɖɔme ado, eye madoe ɖe to kɔkɔ aɖe dzi.
Thus saith the Lord God: I myself will take of the marrow of the high cedar, and will set it: I will crop off a tender twig from the top of the branches thereof, and I will plant it on a mountain high and eminent.
23 Israel ƒe to kɔkɔwo dzie madoe ɖo; aɖe alɔwo, atse ku, eye wòazu sedati nyui aɖe. Xevi ɖe sia ɖe ƒomevi awɔ atɔ ɖe eme. Woakpɔ sitsoƒe le eƒe alɔwo ƒe vɔvɔli te.
On the high mountains of Israel will I plant it, and it shall shoot forth into branches, and shall bear fruit, and it shall become a great cedar: and all birds shall dwell under it, and every fowl shall make its nest under the shadow of the branches thereof.
24 Gbemetiwo katã anya be nye Yehowae bɔbɔ ati kɔkɔ la ɖe anyi, eye mena ati kpui la tsi hekɔ. Mena ati mumu la ku, eye ati kuku la dze.’ “Nye Aƒetɔ Yehowae ƒo nu, eye mawɔe ade goe.”
And all the trees of the country shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree: and have dried up the green tree, and have caused the dry tree to flourish. I the Lord have spoken and have done it.
