Ezeekyeri 17
1 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira, n’aŋŋamba nti,
Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
2 “Omwana w’omuntu, gerera ennyumba ya Isirayiri olugero;
“You human, tell this story/parable [DOU] to the people [MTY] 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.
[Say to them, ] ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: A huge eagle that had strong wings and long beautiful feathers of many colors flew to Lebanon. It grasped the top of a cedar [tree]
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.’
and broke it off. Then the eagle carried it away to [Babylonia], a country that had many merchants/businessmen, and planted it in one of the cities there.
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,
Then that eagle took a seedling from [your] country and planted it in a fertile field. He planted it like people plant a willow tree, alongside [a stream that had] plenty of water.
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 grew and became a low grapevine that spread [along the ground]. Its branches turned up towards the eagle, but its roots grew down into the ground. So it became a [good] vine and produced [lots of] branches and leaves.
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 huge eagle that had strong wings and beautiful feathers. And [some of] the roots of the vine grew toward that eagle, and its branches [also] turned toward it, hoping that the eagle would bring more water to it.
8 Gwali gusimbiddwa mu ttaka eddungi awali amazzi amangi, guleete amatabi era gubale ebibala gubeere omuzabbibu ogwegombesa.’
[That happened in spite of the fact that] the vine had [already] been planted in good soil, where there was plenty of water, with the result that it had produced branches and produced grapes and had become a very healthy/productive 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.
Then [after you have told that to the people, say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: That vine] will certainly not [RHQ] remain healthy/productive. It will be [RHQ] pulled up by its roots by the eagle [that planted it], and all its fruit will be stripped off and its leaves will wither. And it will not need someone with strong arms or many people to pull it out by its roots.
10 Ne bwe baligusimbuliza, gulirama? Tegulikalira ddala embuyaga ez’Ebuvanjuba bwe zirigufuuwa, ne gukalira mu kifo we gwakulira?’”
Even if that vine is transplanted, it certainly will not continue to grow [RHQ]. When the hot wind from the east blows against it, it will completely wither, there where it was planted! [RHQ]’”
11 Awo ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira n’aŋŋamba nti,
Then Yahweh gave this message to me:
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.
“Ask these rebellious [Israeli] people, ‘Do you know what this parable/story means?’ Tell them that it signifies that the King of Babylon went to Jerusalem [with his army] and captured the King of Judah and his officials, and took them back to Babylon.
13 N’oluvannyuma n’addira omu ku balangira n’akola naye endagaano, ng’amulayiza. Yatwala n’abasajja abalwanyi abazira ab’omu nsi,
Then he took one of the king’s close relatives [and appointed him to be the king], and made an agreement with him, forcing him to solemnly promise [to remain loyal]. The King of Babylon also took to Babylon the other important citizens of Judah,
14 obwakabaka bukkakkane buleme kwegulumiza, era nga mu kukwata endagaano ye mwe balinywerera.
in order that the kingdom of Judah would not be able to become powerful again. The King of Babylon intended that the kingdom [of Judah] would not continue to exist if the people did not obey that agreement [that he made with the King of Babylon].
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 the King of Judah rebelled against the King of Babylon by sending officials to Egypt to request from them horses and a large army [to fight against the army of Babylonia]. But the King of Judah will certainly not [RHQ] be sucessful. Rulers who [rebel like that and] and refuse to obey solemn agreements will never [RHQ] 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.
[I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that [as surely] as I am alive, the King of Judah will die in Babylon, in the city where the King of Babylon appointed him to be the King [MTY] [of Judah]. He will die because he despised the solemn agreement and refused to do what he promised to do.
17 Falaawo n’eggye lye eddene, n’ekibiina kye ekinene, tebalibaako kye bamuyamba mu lutalo, bwe balizimba ebifunvu n’ebisenge okuzikiriza obulamu bw’abangi.
The King of Egypt with all his very huge army [DOU] will not [be able to] help the King of Judah: [The soldiers from Babylonia] will build ramps up against the walls of Jerusalem and set up devices to batter the walls. They will [enter Jerusalem and] kill many of its people.
18 Olw’okunyooma ekirayiro kye, n’amenya endagaano, n’akola ebintu ebyo byonna ate nga yeewaayo, kyaliva tawona.
The King of Judah despised the solemn agreement by disregarding the treaty. Although he had solemnly promised to be under the control of the King of Babylon, [he sent officials to request help from Egypt]. Therefore he will not escape being punished [by the King of Babylon].
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 I, Yahweh the Lord, say: 'Just as surely as I am alive, I will cause the King of Judah to be punished [IDM] for ignoring the solemn agreement that he made [with the King of Babylon] and then refusing to obey it.
20 Ndimutegera akatimba kange, n’agwa mu mutego gwange, era ndimuleeta e Babulooni ne musalira omusango olw’obutali bwesigwa bwe gye ndi.
[It will be as though] I will spread a net to capture him, and he will be caught in it. He will [be captured and] taken to Babylon and punished because he rebelled against me.
21 Abaserikale be bonna abaliba badduka, balifa ekitala, n’abaliwonawo balisaasaanyizibwa empewo; olwo olitegeera nga nze Mukama, nze nkyogedde.
Most [HYP] of his soldiers who try to escape will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who survive will be scattered in all directions. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].'”
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 [also] what Yahweh the Lord says: “[It will be as though] I will take a shoot from the top of a very tall cedar [tree] and plant it [DOU] in another place. I will plant it on a very high [DOU] 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.
[It will be as though] I will plant it on a mountain in Israel, and it will grow and become a beautiful cedar [tree]. Many [HYP] kinds of birds will make their nests in the tree, and they will have shade in 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.’”
And [it will be as though] all the trees in the field will know that I, Yahweh, get rid of tall trees and make little ones grow. I cause [big] green trees to wither, and I cause dry trees to become green. I, Yahweh have said this, and I will [certainly] do what I have said that I will do.”
