Ehekiera 15

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

And there is a word of Jehovah unto 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 hath 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 of it a pin 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?

Lo, to the fire it hath been given for fuel, Its two ends hath the fire eaten, And its midst hath 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?

Lo, in its being perfect it is not used for work, How much less, when fire hath eaten of it, And it is scorched, Hath 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 the Lord Jehovah: 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, From the fire they have gone forth, And the fire doth consume them, And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah, 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, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!'