< Ezekieli 1 >
1 Katika mwaka wa thelathini, mwezi wa nne, siku ya tano ya mwezi, wakati nilipokuwa miongoni mwa hao waliokuwa uhamishoni kando ya Mto Kebari, mbingu zilifunguka nami nikaona maono ya Mungu.
On the fifth day of the fourth month of the thirtieth year, I was with the other exiles by the River Kebar. The heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
2 Katika siku ya tano ya mwezi, ilikuwa mwaka wa tano wa kuhamishwa kwa Mfalme Yehayakini,
(On the fifth day of the month of the fifth year of King Jehoiachin's exile,
3 neno la Bwana lilimjia Ezekieli kuhani, mwana wa Buzi, kando ya Mto Kebari, katika nchi ya Wakaldayo. Huko mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa juu yake.
a message from Lord was given to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Babylonia by the River Kebar. There Lord's power came over him.)
4 Nilitazama, nikaona dhoruba kubwa ikitoka kaskazini, wingu kubwa sana pamoja likiwa na umeme wa radi likiwa limezungukwa na mwanga mkali. Katikati ya huo moto kulikuwa kama rangi ya manjano ya chuma kinapokuwa ndani ya moto.
I looked up and saw a windstorm racing in from the north, a tremendous cloud with fire flashing like lightning and surrounded by brilliant light. The middle of the fire looked like glowing metal
5 Katika ule moto kulikuwa na kitu kinachofanana na viumbe vinne vyenye uhai. Katika kuonekana kwake vilikuwa na umbo mfano wa mwanadamu,
and within it was the shape of four beings. This was what they looked like: They had a human shape,
6 lakini kila kimoja kilikuwa na nyuso nne na mabawa manne.
but they each had four faces and four wings.
7 Miguu yao ilikuwa imenyooka, nyayo za miguu yao zilikuwa kama kwato za miguu ya ndama, nazo zilimetameta kama shaba iliyosuguliwa.
They had straight legs, and the soles of their feet looked like the hooves of calves, and shone like polished bronze.
8 Chini ya mabawa yao katika pande zao nne walikuwa na mikono ya mwanadamu. Wote wanne walikuwa na nyuso na mabawa,
They had human hands under their wings on each of their four sides. The four of them all had faces and wings,
9 nayo mabawa yao yaligusana. Kila mmoja alikwenda kuelekea mbele moja kwa moja, hawakugeuka walipokuwa wanatembea.
and each of their wings touched the wings of the one next to it. As they moved they didn't turn—they all moved straight in one direction.
10 Kuonekana kwa nyuso zao kulikuwa hivi: Kila mmoja wa wale wanne alikuwa na uso wa mwanadamu na kwa upande wa kulia kila mmoja alikuwa na uso wa simba, upande wa kushoto alikuwa na uso wa ngʼombe pia kila mmoja alikuwa na uso wa tai.
This what their faces looked like. They had a human face to the front, a lion's face to the right, a bull's face to the left, and lastly an eagle's face.
11 Hivyo ndivyo zilivyokuwa nyuso zao. Mabawa yao yalikunjuliwa kuelekea juu, kila mmoja alikuwa na mabawa mawili ambayo kila moja liligusa bawa la mwenzake kila upande na mabawa mengine mawili yakifunika mwili wake.
These were their faces. Their wings were spread out above them. They all had two wings that touched the wings of the one beside it, as well as two wings that covered its body.
12 Kila mmoja alikwenda kuelekea mbele moja kwa moja. Popote roho alipotaka kwenda, ndipo walipokwenda pasipo kugeuka.
Each of them went together in whatever direction the Spirit wished them to go, moving without turning.
13 Kuonekana kwa vile viumbe hai katikati kulikuwa kama makaa ya mawe yanayowaka au kama mienge. Moto ule ulikuwa ukienda mbele na nyuma katikati ya vile viumbe, ulikuwa na mwangaza mkali na katikati ya ule moto kulitoka kimulimuli kama umeme wa radi.
These beings looked like bright burning coals or torches. Blazing fire moved to and fro between the beings, and lightning flashed out from the fire.
14 Vile viumbe vilipiga mbio kwenda na kurudi, kama vimulimuli vya umeme wa radi.
The beings raced to and fro as fast as the lightning flashes.
15 Nilipokuwa nikitazama vile viumbe hai, niliona gurudumu moja juu ya ardhi kando ya kila kiumbe kikiwa na nyuso zake nne.
As I was watching these beings, I noticed a wheel on the ground next to each of the beings with their four faces.
16 Hivi ndivyo ilivyokuwa kuonekana kwa hayo magurudumu na muundo wake: yalingʼaa kama zabarajadi, nayo yote manne yalifanana. Kila gurudumu lilikuwa na gurudumu jingine ndani yake.
The wheels looked like they were made of topaz, and all four wheels were the same. In the middle of each wheel was what looked like another wheel set crossways.
17 Yalipokwenda yalielekea upande wowote wa pande nne walipoelekea wale viumbe, magurudumu hayakuzunguka wakati viumbe vile vilipokwenda.
They could move in any direction without turning as they did so.
18 Kingo zake zilikuwa ndefu kwenda juu na za kutisha, nazo zote nne zilijawa na macho pande zote.
The wheel rims were impressively high, and all of the four rims were covered in eyes.
19 Vile viumbe hai vilipokwenda, magurudumu yaliyokuwa kando yao yalisogea na wakati hivyo viumbe hai vilipoinuka kutoka ardhini magurudumu nayo yaliinuka.
As the beings moved so did the wheels next to them, and when the beings flew up, the wheels did too.
20 Mahali popote roho alipokwenda wale viumbe nao walikwenda, nayo magurudumu yaliinuka pamoja navyo, kwa sababu roho ya vile viumbe hai alikuwa ndani ya hayo magurudumu.
They would go wherever the Spirit went. The wheels would lift up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
21 Wakati viumbe vile viliposogea, nayo magurudumu yalisogea, viumbe viliposimama kimya, nayo pia yalisimama kimya, viumbe vilipoinuka juu ya nchi magurudumu yaliinuliwa pamoja navyo kwa kuwa roho ya hivyo viumbe hai alikuwa ndani ya hayo magurudumu.
When the beings moved, the wheels moved; when they stopped, the wheels stopped; and when they flew up from the ground, the wheels flew up beside them, because the Spirit of the beings was in the wheels to direct them.
22 Juu ya vichwa vya hao viumbe hai palikuwa na kitu mfano wa eneo lililokuwa wazi, lililokuwa angavu kabisa na lenye kutisha.
Extending above the heads of the being was something that looked like an amazing expanse that glittered like ice crystal.
23 Chini ya hiyo nafasi mabawa yao yalitanda moja kuelekea jingine, kila mmoja alikuwa na mabawa mengine mawili yaliyofunika mwili wake.
Under this expanse the wings of the beings spread out toward one another. Each of them also had two wings that covered its body.
24 Viumbe wale waliposogea nilisikia sauti ya mabawa yao, kama ngurumo ya maji yaendayo kasi, kama sauti ya Mwenyezi, kama makelele ya jeshi. Waliposimama kimya walishusha mabawa yao.
When the beings moved, I heard the sound their wings made. It was like the roar of a thundering waterfall, like the voice of the Almighty, like the noise of an army on the march. Whenever they stopped, they folded their wings.
25 Ndipo ikaja sauti toka juu ya ile nafasi ya wazi iliyokuwa juu ya vichwa vyao, waliposimama mabawa yao yakiwa yameshushwa.
A voice spoke from beyond the expanse over their heads while they were standing still with their wings folded.
26 Juu ya ile nafasi ya wazi iliyokuwa juu ya vichwa vyao kulikuwa na kitu mfano wa kiti cha enzi cha yakuti samawi. Na juu ya kile kiti cha enzi kulikuwa na umbo mfano wa mwanadamu.
Above the expanse over their heads I saw what looked like a throne made of lapis lazuli. Sitting on the throne high above was a being who looked like a man.
27 Nikaona kwamba kutokana na kile nilichoona kama kiuno chake kuelekea juu alionekana kama chuma inayowaka kana kwamba imejaa moto na kuanzia kiuno kwenda chini alionekana kama moto na mwanga mkali ulimzunguka.
From what seemed to be his waist upwards, he looked like glowing metal with fire inside and everywhere around. From what seemed to be his waist downwards, I saw what looked like fire. He was surrounded by very bright light.
28 Kama vile kuonekana kwa upinde wa mvua mawinguni siku ya mvua, ndivyo ulivyokuwa ule mngʼao uliomzunguka. Hivi ndivyo ilivyokuwa kuonekana kwa utukufu wa Bwana. Nilipouona, nikaanguka kifudifudi, nikasikia sauti ya mtu anaongea.
The bright light surrounding him was like a rainbow shining through the clouds on a rainy day. This was what the glory of the Lord looked like. When I saw it, I fell facedown on the ground, and then I heard someone speaking to me.