< Ehekiera 1 >

1 Na i te toru tekau o nga tau, i te wha o nga marama, i te rima o nga ra o te marama, i ahau i roto i nga whakarau o te awa, o Kepara, na ka puare nga rangi, a ka kite ahau i nga putanga Atua.
[I am] Ezekiel, a priest, the son of Buzi. When I was 30 years [old], I [living] among [Israeli] people who had been (exiled from/forced to leave) [and had come to Babylon]. I was living along the Kebar River/ [south of Babylon]. Almost five years after King Jehoiachin had been (exiled/forced to leave Judah), on the fifth day of the fourth [of that year, it was as though] the sky was opened and I saw visions from God. On that day,
2 I te rima o nga ra o te marama, ara i te rima o nga tau o to Kingi Iehoiakini whakaraunga,
3 Ka haere tika tonu mai te kupu a Ihowa ki a Ehekiera tohunga, tama a Puti, i te whenua o nga Karari, i te taha o te awa, o Kepara; a i runga te ringa o Ihowa i a ia i reira.
God gave me [in visions here] in Babylonia, and I felt the power [MTY] of Yahweh on me.
4 A ka titiro atu ahau, na, he tukauati e puta mai ana i te raki, he kapua nui, he ahi e hoki iho ana ki roto ki a ia ano, wheriko tonu i tetahi taha, a i waenganui, i rite ki te kara o te amipere, i waenganui ano i te ahi.
[In one of the visions, I saw a] windstorm coming from the north. There was a huge cloud, and lightning was flashing continually, and a brilliant light surrounded the cloud. In the center of where the lightning was flashing there was something that resembled glowing bronze.
5 Na ka puta mai i waenganui o taua ahi ko te ahua o nga mea ora e wha. Ko to ratou ahua ano tenei; i rite ratou ki te tangata.
In the center of the storm I saw what resembled four living creatures. They resembled humans,
6 Na e wha nga mata o tetahi, o tetahi o ratou, e wha nga parirau o tetahi, o tetahi.
but each of them had four faces and four wings [DOU].
7 Ko o ratou waewae, he waewae tika tonu; ko te kapu ano o o ratou waewae rite tonu ki te kapu o te waewae o te kuao kua: wheriko tonu, rite tonu ki te kanapatanga o te parahi kua oti te oro.
Their legs were straight. Their feet resembled the hooves of calves, and the creatures shone like polished bronze.
8 He ringa tangata ano o ratou i raro i o ratou parirau, i o ratou taha e wha: na, ko ratou tokowha, ko o ratou mata, ko o ratou parirau, koia tenei;
On their four sides under their wings there were hands like humans have.
9 He mea hono o ratou parirau tetahi ki tetahi; kihai ratou i tahuri i a ratou e haere ana; i haere tika tonu atu tetahi, tetahi.
As the four [stood there, they formed a circle/square], with their wings touching each other. They did not turn when they were moving; they went straight ahead.
10 Na, ko te ahua o o ratou mata, he mata tangata o ratou; he mata raiona o ratou tokowha i te taha ki matua; he mata kau o ratou tokowha i te taha ki maui; he mata ekara ano o ratou tokowha.
[of the creatures had four faces]. The face that was in front [of each one was a face that] resembled a human face. The face on the right side resembled a lion’s face. The face on the left side resembled an ox’s face. The face in back resembled an eagle’s face.
11 Na, ko o ratou mata, ko o ratou parirau he mea wehe a runga: ko o te mea kotahi e rua nga parirau e piri ana tetahi ki tetahi, e rua hei hipoki mo o ratou tinana.
Two of each creature’s wings were lifted up and touched the wings of the creatures that were on each side. The other two wings were folded against the creature’s body.
12 I haere tika tonu atu hoki ratou tetahi, tetahi: ko te wahi hei haerenga atu mo te wairua, haere ana ratou ki reira: kihai ratou i tahuri i a ratou e haere ana.
The creatures went straight ahead in whatever direction the [that controlled/guided them] wanted them to go, without changing directions while they were moving.
13 Na, ko te rite o aua mea ora, ko to ratou ahua, koia ano kei te ngarahu ahi i te mea e ka ana, kei te ahua ano o te rama: i haereere taua ahi i roto i aua mea ora, mura tonu, i puta mai ano he uira i roto i te ahi.
[four] creatures resembled burning coals or torches. A blazing fire moved back and forth among the creatures, and lighting flashed from among them.
14 Na ko te oma, ko te hokinga o aua mea ora, rite tonu te ahua ki to te hikonga uira.
The creatures moved back and [extremely rapidly], like [SIM] flashes of lightning.
15 Na i taku tirohanga ki nga mea ora, nana, ko tetahi wira i runga i te whenua, i te taha o nga mea ora, kotahi mo te mea kotahi o ona mata e wha.
While I looked at the four living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each of them.
16 Ko te ahua o nga wira, me to ratou mahinga, rite tonu te kara ki to te perira: rite tonu aua wira e wha; ko to ratou ahua, ko to ratou mahinga, me te mea he wira i roto i te wira.
Each of the wheels was the same, and they all shone like [SIM] (chrysolite/a valuable green stone). Each seemed to have one wheel inside another wheel.
17 I to ratou haerenga i haere i runga i o ratou taha e wha; kihai i tahuri i a ratou e haere ana.
Whenever they moved, they would go straight in one of the four directions that they faced; they did not [in another direction] while they moved.
18 Na, ko o ratou awhi, tiketike rawa, he hanga whakawehi, kapi tonu ano i te kanohi o ratou awhi i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha, o ratou e wha.
The rims of the wheels were covered with eyes.
19 Na i te haerenga o nga mea ora i haere ano nga wira i to ratou taha; a ka ara nga mea ora i runga i te whenua, ka ara ano nga wira.
Whenever the living creatures moved, the wheels moved with them. [So] whenever the creatures rose from the ground, the [also] rose up.
20 Ko te wahi hei haerenga atu mo te wairua, i haere ratou ki reira; ko reira hei haerenga mo te wairua; i ara ano nga wira ki runga i to ratou ritenga atu: no te mea i roto i nga wira te wairua o te mea ora.
Wherever the [that controlled the creatures] wanted the creatures to go, they went, and the wheels went with them, because the [that controlled/guided them] was in the wheels [DOU].
21 I haere era, ka haere enei; i tu era, ka tu enei; a ka ara ake era i runga i te whenua, ka ara ano nga wira i to ratou ritenga atu; no te mea kei roto te wairua o te mea ora i nga wira.
Whenever the creatures moved, the wheels moved. Whenever the creatures [still], the wheels stopped. Whenever the creatures rose up from the ground, the wheels rose up with them.
22 Na i runga ake i te mahunga o te mea ora ko te ahua o te kikorangi, rite tonu te kara ki to te karaihe e wehingia ana, he mea hora atu i runga i o ratou mahunga i te taha ki runga.
Above the heads of the creatures there was something that resembled a dome. It shone like ice (OR, crystal) shines, and it was awesome.
23 Na, i raro i te kikorangi, ko o ratou parirau, torotika tonu, anga tonu mai tetahi ki tetahi: o te mea kotahi e rua hei hipoki i tetahi taha, o te mea kotahi ano e rua hei hipoki i tera taha o o ratou tinana.
Under the dome, the creatures stretched out their wings. Each one had two wings; [each wing] stretched towards the creature [was next to] it, and two wings that were against the creature’s body.
24 A i a ratou e haere ana, i rongo ahau i te haruru o o ratou parirau me te mea ko te haruru o nga wai maha, me te mea ano ko te reo o te Kaha Rawa, he reo e turituri ana, ano he nge no tetahi ope: i nga wa i tu ai ratou i tukua iho o ratou parira u.
Whenever the creatures moved, their wings made a sound that resembled the roar made by a rushing stream. It also sounded like the voice of Almighty God, and like [SIM] the noise of a huge army marching. Whenever the creatures stood [on the ground], they lowered their wings.
25 I puta iho ano he reo i te kikorangi i runga i o ratou mahunga; i te mea ka tu ratou, ka tukua iho o ratou parirau.
While they [on the ground] with their wings lowered, there was a voice from the dome that was over their heads.
26 Na, i runga i te kikorangi i runga ake i o ratou mahunga ko te ahua o tetahi torona, he mea rite ki te kohatu hapaira: a i runga i te ahua o te torona ko tetahi ahua e rite ana ki to te tangata i runga i taua torona, i te taha ki runga.
Above the dome was something that resembled [huge] [that was made of a huge] (sapphire/valuable blue stone). Sitting on the throne was someone that resembled a human.
27 I kite atu ano ahau me te mea no te amipere te kara, he mea rite ki te ahua o te ahi i roto a taka noa, taka noa, i te ahua o tona hope, a haere whakarunga, i te ahua ano o tona hope, a haere whakararo, i kite atu ahau me te mea ko te ahua o te ahi, a wheriko tonu te marama i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha ona.
I saw that above his waist his body resembled metal that was glowing as though it [a very hot] fire inside it. And I saw that below his waist there was a very brilliant light that surrounded him.
28 Rite tonu ki te ahua o te kopere i te kapua i te ra ua te ahua o te wherikotanga a taka noa. Ko te ahua tena, ko te ritenga o te kororia o Ihowa. No toku kitenga, tapapa ana ahau ki raro; na, ka rongo ahau i te reo o tetahi e korero ana.
[shone] like [SIM] a rainbow shines in the clouds on a rainy day. That was the brilliant light that represented the presence of Yahweh. When I saw it, I prostrated myself on the ground, and I heard him speak.

< Ehekiera 1 >