Ehekiera 9

1 I karanga ano ia ki oku taringa, he nui te reo, i mea, Kia whakatata mai nga kaitirotiro o te pa, me tana patu whakangaro i te ringa o tenei, o tenei.

Then I heard him shout out with a loud voice, “Start the attack, you who are in charge of punishing Jerusalem! Pick up your weapons!”

2 Na tokoono nga tangata e haere mai ana i te ara o to runga kuwaha e anga ana ki te raki, me tana patu whakamate ano i te ringa o tenei, o tenei: ko tetahi tangata ano i roto i a ratou he rinena tona kakahu, he pounamu ano na te kaituhituhi i tona taha. Na tomo ana ratou, tu ana i te taha o te aata parahi.

I watched as six men approached from the upper gate that faces north. All of them were carrying battle axes. There was another man with them. He was dressed in linen and had a scribe's writing kit at his side. They entered and stood next to the bronze altar.

3 Na kua kake atu te kororia o te Atua o Iharaira i te kerupa, ko tona taunga nei tera, ki te paepae o te whare: na ka karanga tera ki te tangata, he rinena nei tona kakahu, ki tera kei tona taha nei te pounamu a te kaituhituhi;

The glory of the God of Israel rose from its usual place on the cherubim and went over to the Temple entrance. The Lord called out to the man dressed in linen with the writing kit,

4 A ka mea a Ihowa ki a ia, E tika na waenganui i te pa, na waenga i Hiruharama, ka whakapiri i tetahi tohu ki nga rae o nga tangata e aue ana, e tangi ana, mo nga mea whakarihariha katoa e mahia ana i waenganui o konei.

“Go through the whole the city of Jerusalem and place a mark on the foreheads of those who sighing and mourning at all the disgusting sins that are done there.”

5 I mea ano ia ki era atu, me te whakarongo ano ahau, E tika koutou na waenganui o te pa i muri i a ia patu ai: kaua o koutou kanohi e manawapa, kaua e tohu.

Then I heard him tell the others, “Follow him all through the city and start killing people. Don't be kind or merciful to anyone!

6 Patua kia ngaro te kaumatua, te taitama, te kotiro, me nga kohungahunga, me nga wahine; kaua ia e tata ki tetahi tangata i a ia nei te tohu; me timata ki toku wahi tapu. Na kua timata ratou ki nga kaumatua i te aronga o te whare.

Kill the old men, the young men and girls, the women and children, but do not go anywhere near those who have the mark. Start at my sanctuary.” So they started by killing the elders who were in front of the Temple.

7 I mea ano ia ki a ratou, Whakapokea te whare, whakakiia nga marae ki te tupapaku: haere koutou. Heoi haere ana ratou, na kei te patu i roto i te pa.

Then he told them, “Make the Temple unclean and fill the courtyards with dead bodies. Go ahead and do it!” So they went and started killing all through the city.

8 Na i a ratou e patu ana, a ka mahue ahau, ka tapapa ahau, ka karanga, ka mea, Aue, e te Ariki, e Ihowa! ka ngaro ianei i a koe nga morehu katoa o Iharaira, i te mea ka ringihia nei e koe tou weriweri ki runga ki Hiruharama?

While they were busy killing people, I was left by myself. I fell facedown to the ground and cried out, “Lord God, when you pour out your anger on Jerusalem, are you going to destroy everyone who's left in Israel?”

9 Ano ra ko ia ki ahau, He nui rawa te he o te whare o Iharaira raua ko Hura, kua ki hoki te whenua i te toto, kua ki ano te pa i te whakariroinga o te whakawa: e mea ana hoki ratou, Kua mahue te whenua i a Ihowa, e kore a Ihowa e kite.

“The sins of the people of Israel and Judah are really terrible,” he replied. “The whole country is full of murderers, and those living in the city are criminals. They're saying, ‘The Lord has given up on our country. He can't see what we're doing.’

10 Na, ko ahau nei hoki, e kore toku kanohi e manawapa, e kore ahau e tohu; ka hoatu e ahau te utu o to ratou ara ki runga ki to ratou mahunga.

But I certainly won't be kind to them or have mercy on them. I will make sure they suffer the consequences of what they've done.”

11 Na, ko te tangata i te kakahu rinena, tera kei tona taha ra te pounamu mangumangu, korerotia ana e ia taua mea, i ki ia, Kua oti i ahau tau i whakahau ra ki ahau.

Then the man in linen with the writing kit returned and reported, “I've done what you told me to do.”