Ezeekyeri 17
1 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira, n’aŋŋamba nti,
And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
2 “Omwana w’omuntu, gerera ennyumba ya Isirayiri olugero;
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and 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 say, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: A great eagle, with great wings, with long feathers, full of plumage, which had divers colors, came to Lebanon, and took the highest branch of a 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 cropped off the top of its young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
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 also one of the shoots of the land, and put it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow-tree.
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.’
And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned towards him, and whose roots were under him. It became a vine, that brought forth branches, and shot forth boughs.
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.
There was also another great eagle, with great wings and many feathers; and, behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, that he might water it from the beds where it was planted.
8 Gwali gusimbiddwa mu ttaka eddungi awali amazzi amangi, guleete amatabi era gubale ebibala gubeere omuzabbibu ogwegombesa.’
And yet it was planted in a good soil, by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, and be a goodly 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.
Say thou, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Shall it prosper? Shall not he pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it wither? In all the leaves of its branching shall it wither; even without a mighty arm, or many people, shall he pluck it up by the roots.
10 Ne bwe baligusimbuliza, gulirama? Tegulikalira ddala embuyaga ez’Ebuvanjuba bwe zirigufuuwa, ne gukalira mu kifo we gwakulira?’”
Yea, behold, it is planted; but shall it prosper? Shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? It shall wither in the beds where it grew.
11 Awo ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira n’aŋŋamba nti,
Moreover, the word of Jehovah 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.
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? Say, behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took her king and her princes, and led them 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,
and took one of the king's offspring, and made a covenant with him, and took an oath of him, and the mighty of the land he took away,
14 obwakabaka bukkakkane buleme kwegulumiza, era nga mu kukwata endagaano ye mwe balinywerera.
that the kingdom might be brought low, so as not to lift itself up; that the covenant might be kept, and stand.
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 he rebelled against him, in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? Shall he escape that doeth such things? Shall he break the covenant and be delivered?
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 I live saith the Lord Jehovah, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon shall he die.
17 Falaawo n’eggye lye eddene, n’ekibiina kye ekinene, tebalibaako kye bamuyamba mu lutalo, bwe balizimba ebifunvu n’ebisenge okuzikiriza obulamu bw’abangi.
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great multitude accomplish anything for him in war, when they shall cast up mounds, and build forts to cut off many persons,
18 Olw’okunyooma ekirayiro kye, n’amenya endagaano, n’akola ebintu ebyo byonna ate nga yeewaayo, kyaliva tawona.
he hath despised the oath, and broken the covenant; behold, he hath given the hand, and yet done all these things; he shall 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 thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely mine oath, which he hath despised, and my covenant, which he hath broken, will I recompense upon his own head.
20 Ndimutegera akatimba kange, n’agwa mu mutego gwange, era ndimuleeta e Babulooni ne musalira omusango olw’obutali bwesigwa bwe gye ndi.
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will contend with him there for his trespass which he hath committed against me.
21 Abaserikale be bonna abaliba badduka, balifa ekitala, n’abaliwonawo balisaasaanyizibwa empewo; olwo olitegeera nga nze Mukama, nze nkyogedde.
And all his fugitives with all his hosts shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered to all the winds; and ye shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken it.
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.
Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I also will take from the top of the high cedar, and will get it; and from the highest of its twigs will I crop a tender one, and plant it upon 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.
Upon a high mountain of Israel will I plant it, and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar; and under it shall dwell birds of every wing; in the shadow of its branches shall they dwell.
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.’”
And all the trees of the field shall know that I, Jehovah, have brought down the high tree, and exalted the low tree; that I have dried up the green tree, and made the dry tree green. I, Jehovah, have spoken, and will do it.
