Ehekiera 15

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

And there is a word of YHWH 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 tree? The vine-branch that has been, Among trees of the forest?

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?

Is wood taken from it to use for work? Do they take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

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?

Behold, it has been given to the fire for fuel, The fire has eaten its two ends, And its midst has been scorched! Is it profitable for 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?

Behold, in its being perfect it is not used for work, How much less when fire has eaten of it, And it is scorched, Has it been used yet for work?”

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.

Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH: “As the vine-tree among trees of the forest, That I have given to the fire for fuel, So I have given the inhabitants 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 I have set My face against them, They have gone forth from the fire, And the fire consumes them, And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My setting My face 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 have made the land a desolation, Because they have committed a trespass,” A declaration of Lord YHWH!