Ehekiera 15
1 I puta mai ano te kupu a Ihowa ki ahau, i mea,
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 tree, the vine-branch which is among the 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?
Shall wood be taken of it to make any work? Or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?
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?
Look, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and its midst is burned: is it profitable 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?
Look, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be meet for any 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 says the LORD: 'As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give 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.
I will set my face against them; they shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set 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.
I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass,' says the LORD."
