Ezeekyeri 17
1 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira, n’aŋŋamba nti,
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Omwana w’omuntu, gerera ennyumba ya Isirayiri olugero;
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
3 obagambe nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, Waaliwo empungu ennene eyalina ebiwaawaatiro ebinene, ng’erina ebyoya bingi, nga by’amabala agatali gamu, eyajja mu Lebanooni.
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
4 N’eddira obusongenzo bw’omuvule n’emenyako amasanso gaagwo agasooka waggulu amato, n’egwetikka n’egutwala mu nsi ey’abasuubuzi n’egusimba mu kibuga ky’abatunda ebyamaguzi.’
He plucked off its topmost shoot, carried it to the land of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5 “‘N’etwala emu ku nsigo ez’ensi eyo, n’egisimba mu ttaka eggimu; n’egisimba okumpi n’amazzi amangi, n’emera n’eba ng’omusafusafu,
He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
6 n’ebala n’efuuka omuzabbibu, ne gulanda wansi; amatabi gaagwo ne gakula nga gadda ewaayo, naye emirandira gyagwo ne gisigala wansi waagwo. Ne gufuuka omuzabbibu ne guleeta amatabi n’ebikoola byagwo.’
It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.
7 “‘Naye ne wabaawo empungu endala ennene eyalina ebiwaawaatiro ebinene, n’ebyoya ebingi. Omuzabbibu ne gukuza emirandira gyagwo eri empungu eyo okuva mu kifo we gwasimbibwa, ate ne gwanjuluza n’amatabi gaagwo gy’eri egifukirire.
But there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it.
8 Gwali gusimbiddwa mu ttaka eddungi awali amazzi amangi, guleete amatabi era gubale ebibala gubeere omuzabbibu ogwegombesa.’
It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9 “Bategeeze nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, Gulibeerera? Tegulisigulwa n’amatabi gaakwo ne gatemebwa ne gukala? Tekiryetagisa omukono ogw’amaanyi oba abantu abangi okugusigulayo.
So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots.
10 Ne bwe baligusimbuliza, gulirama? Tegulikalira ddala embuyaga ez’Ebuvanjuba bwe zirigufuuwa, ne gukalira mu kifo we gwakulira?’”
Even if it is transplanted, will it flourish? Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’”
11 Awo ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira n’aŋŋamba nti,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 “Gamba ennyumba enjeemu eyo nti, ‘Temumanyi bintu ebyo kye bitegeeza?’ Bategeeze nti, ‘Kabaka w’e Babulooni yagenda e Yerusaalemi, n’awamba kabaka waayo n’abakungu be n’abatwala e Babulooni.
“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.
13 N’oluvannyuma n’addira omu ku balangira n’akola naye endagaano, ng’amulayiza. Yatwala n’abasajja abalwanyi abazira ab’omu nsi,
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,
14 obwakabaka bukkakkane buleme kwegulumiza, era nga mu kukwata endagaano ye mwe balinywerera.
so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
15 Naye kabaka yamujeemera, n’aweereza ababaka e Misiri okufunayo embalaasi n’eggye eddene. Aliraba omukisa? Omuntu akola ebyo ayinza okuba omulamu? Alimenya endagaano n’awona?’
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’
16 “‘Nga bwe ndi omulamu, bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda, alifiira mu Babulooni, mu nsi eya kabaka eyamufuula kabaka, gwe yanyooma mu kirayiro kye n’amenya n’endagaano gye baakola.
‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
17 Falaawo n’eggye lye eddene, n’ekibiina kye ekinene, tebalibaako kye bamuyamba mu lutalo, bwe balizimba ebifunvu n’ebisenge okuzikiriza obulamu bw’abangi.
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.
18 Olw’okunyooma ekirayiro kye, n’amenya endagaano, n’akola ebintu ebyo byonna ate nga yeewaayo, kyaliva tawona.
He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’
19 “‘Mukama Katonda kyava ayogera bw’ati nti, Nga bwe ndi omulamu, ndireeta ku mutwe gwe ekirayiro kye yanyooma, n’endagaano yange gye yamenya.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.
20 Ndimutegera akatimba kange, n’agwa mu mutego gwange, era ndimuleeta e Babulooni ne musalira omusango olw’obutali bwesigwa bwe gye ndi.
I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me.
21 Abaserikale be bonna abaliba badduka, balifa ekitala, n’abaliwonawo balisaasaanyizibwa empewo; olwo olitegeera nga nze Mukama, nze nkyogedde.
All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’
22 “‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, Nze kennyini ndiddira ettabi okuva ku busongezo bw’omuvule ne ndisimba; era ndimenya amasanso okuva ku matabi gaagwo amato ne ndisimba ku lusozi oluwanvu olugulumivu.
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
23 Ku ntikko ey’olusozi lwa Isirayiri kwe ndirisimba era lirireeta amatabi ne libala ebibala, ne gaba omuvule ogwegombesa. Ennyonyi eza buli kika ziriwummulira ku gwo, era zirifuna we zituula mu bisiikirize eby’amatabi gaagwo.
I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.
24 Era emiti gyonna egy’omu ttale giritegeera nga nze Mukama ayimpaya omuti omuwanvu, ate ne mpanvuya omuti omumpi. Nkaza omuti ogwakamera, ne mmerusa n’omuti ogubadde gukaze. “‘Nze Mukama Katonda nze nkyogedde, era ndikikola.’”
Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”
