Ehekiera 15

1 I puta mai ano te kupu a Ihowa ki ahau, i mea,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 E te tama a te tangata, he aha te nuinga ake o te waina i nga rakau katoa, o te manga waina i roto i nga rakau o te ngahere?

Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any branching tree which is among the trees of the woods?

3 E tangohia mai ranei tetahi wahi o reira, hei mahinga i tetahi mahi? e tangohia ranei tetahi titi i reira hei whakairi mo tetahi mea?

Will its wood be used for any work? do men make of it a pin for hanging any vessel on?

4 Nana, e maka ana ki te ahi hei wahie; pau ake i te ahi ona pito e rua, wera iho a waenganui; he pai ranei mo tetahi mahi?

See, it is put into the fire for burning: the fire has made a meal of its two ends and the middle part of it is burned; is it good for any work?

5 Nana, i tona toitutanga, kihai i pai mo tetahi mahi; katahi ka he rawa mo tetahi mahi a muri ake nei, i te mea ka kaia nei e te ahi, a ka wera?

Truly, before it was cut down, it was not used for any purpose: how much less, when the fire has made a meal of it and it is burned, will it be made into anything?

6 Mo reira ko te kupu tenei a te Ariki, a Ihowa, Ka rite ki taua rakau, ki te waina i roto i nga rakau o te ngahere, i tukua ra e ahau ki te ahi hei wahie, ka pera taku tukunga atu i nga tangata o Hiruharama.

For this cause the Lord has said: Like the vine-tree among the trees of the woods which I have given to the fire for burning, so will I give the people of Jerusalem.

7 Ka u atu ano toku mata hei he mo ratou. Ka puta mai ratou i te ahi, otiia ma te ahi ano ratou e kai: a ka mohio koutou ko Ihowa ahau, ina u atu toku mata ki te he mo ratou.

And my face will be turned against them; and though they have come out of the fire they will be burned up by it; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord when my face is turned against them.

8 Ka meinga ano e ahau te whenua hei ururua mo te he i he ai ratou, e ai ta te Ariki, ta Ihowa.

And I will make the land a waste because they have done evil, says the Lord.