Ezekieli 11
1 Ndipo Roho akaniinua na kunileta mpaka kwenye lango la nyumba ya Bwana linalotazama upande wa mashariki. Pale kwenye ingilio la lango kulikuwepo wanaume ishirini na watano, nami nikaona miongoni mwao Yaazania mwana wa Azuri na Pelatia mwana wa Benaya, viongozi wa watu.
[Then God’s] Spirit lifted me up and took me to the gate on the east side of the temple area. There at the gate were 25 men. Among them I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, who were leaders of the people.
2 Bwana akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, hawa ndio wafanyao hila na kutoa mashauri potovu katika mji huu.
Yahweh said to me, “You human, these are the [new leaders in Jerusalem] who are planning to do evil things and who are giving wicked advice [to people] in this city.
3 Wao husema, ‘Je, hivi karibuni hautakuwa wakati wa kujenga nyumba? Mji huu ni chungu cha kupikia, nasi ndio nyama.’
They say, ‘[Everything will go well for us, so] it will surely soon be [RHQ] time to build houses. [We are like] [MET] fine/choice pieces of meat that are carefully stored in covered pots, and we are protected [from the bad things that will happen to others].’
4 Kwa hiyo toa unabii dhidi yao, tabiri, Ewe mwanadamu.”
So, you human, prophesy [the terrible things that will happen to] them.”
5 Kisha Roho wa Bwana akaja juu yangu, naye akaniambia niseme: “Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Hili ndilo ninyi mnalosema, ee nyumba ya Israeli, lakini ninajua mnalowaza mioyoni mwenu.
Then the Spirit of Yahweh came upon me and told me to [to the people], “This is what Yahweh says: You Israeli people [MTY] are saying those things, but I know what you are thinking.
6 Mmewaua watu wengi katika mji huu na kujaza barabara zake maiti.
You have killed many people in this city and filled the streets with their corpses.
7 “Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: maiti ulizozitupa huko ni nyama na mji huu ni chungu, lakini nitawaondoa mtoke huko.
Therefore this is what Yahweh the Lord says: The corpses of the people whom you have killed here are [like] the meat [MET], and this city is [like] the pot [MET], but I will expel you from this city.
8 Mnaogopa upanga, nao upanga huo ndio nitakaouleta juu yenu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
You are afraid [being killed by enemies’] swords, and that is what I will cause to happen to you.
9 Nitawaondoa mtoke katika mji na kuwatia mikononi mwa wageni nami nitawaadhibu.
I will expel you from this city and enable foreigners to capture you and punish you.
10 Mtaanguka kwa upanga, nami nitatimiza hukumu dhidi yenu katika mipaka ya Israeli. Ndipo mtajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana.
They will kill [EUP] you with their swords; you will be punished [right here] in Israel. Then people will realize that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].
11 Mji huu hautakuwa chungu kwa ajili yenu, wala hamtakuwa nyama ndani yake. Nitatoa hukumu dhidi yenu katika mipaka ya Israeli.
This city will not be [a place were you will be protected like] [MET] meat in a covered pot. I will punish you wherever you are in Israel.
12 Nanyi mtajua ya kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana, kwa kuwa hamkufuata amri zangu wala kuzishika sheria zangu, bali mmefuata mwenendo wa mataifa yanayowazunguka.”
And you will know that I, Yahweh, [have predicted that would happen], because you have not obeyed my commands and decrees; instead, you have imitated [wicked] behavior [of the people] of the nearby nations.”
13 Basi nilipokuwa ninatoa unabii, Pelatia mwana wa Benaya akafa. Ndipo nikaanguka kifudifudi, nikalia kwa sauti kuu nikasema, “Ee Bwana Mwenyezi! Je utaangamiza kabisa mabaki ya Israeli?”
While I was prophesying that, Pelatiah the son of Benaiah [suddenly] died. Then I prostrated myself on the ground and cried out loudly, “Yahweh my Lord, are you going [similarly] get rid of all the Israeli people who are still alive?”
14 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
15 “Mwanadamu, ndugu zako, ndugu zako ambao ni wa uhusiano wa damu na nyumba yote ya Israeli, ndio wale ambao watu wa Yerusalemu wamesema, ‘Wako mbali na Bwana; nchi hii tulipewa sisi kuwa milki yetu.’
“You human, the people who are still in Jerusalem are talking about you and your own relatives and about all the other people who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries), saying, ‘They [in Babylonia], far from Yahweh. They have left their [here in Israel, so] their property now belongs to us!’”
16 “Kwa hiyo sema, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Ingawa niliwapeleka mbali miongoni mwa mataifa na kuwatawanya katika nchi mbalimbali, lakini kwa kitambo kidogo mimi nimekuwa mahali patakatifu kwao katika nchi walizokwenda.’
So tell [them], “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Although I caused them to be taken far [from Israel] and scattered them among other nations, for a short time I will (be like a refuge for/protect) them in the countries to which they have been taken.”
17 “Kwa hiyo sema: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Nitawakusanyeni kutoka mataifa na kuwarudisha kutoka nchi ambazo mmetawanywa, nami nitawarudishia nchi ya Israeli.’
So also tell them, “This is what Yahweh the Lord says: [Some day] I will gather you from the [to which you have been taken] and bring you back to Israel, and you will live in your country/land [again].
18 “Watairudia nchi na kuondoa vinyago vyote vya upotovu na sanamu zote za machukizo.
When you return to your country, you will get rid of all the vile statues of gods and detestable idols.
19 Nitawapa moyo mmoja na kuweka roho mpya ndani yao, nitaondoa kutoka ndani yao moyo wa jiwe na kuwapa moyo wa nyama.
I will put a new way of thinking [IDM] within you. I will cause you to no longer be stubborn [IDM], and I will enable you to obey me completely [IDM].
20 Kisha watafuata amri zangu na kuwa waangalifu kutii sheria zangu. Watakuwa watu wangu nami nitakuwa Mungu wao.
When I do that, you will carefully obey all my laws [DOU]. You will be my people, and I will be your God.
21 Lakini kwa wale ambao mioyo yao imeambatana na vinyago vyao vya upotovu na sanamu zao za machukizo, nitaleta juu ya vichwa vyao yale waliyotenda asema Bwana Mwenyezi.”
But as for those who are devoted [worshiping] their vile statues and detestable idols, I will punish them as they deserve for the evil things that they have done.’”
22 Ndipo wale makerubi, wenye magurudumu pembeni mwao, wakakunjua mabawa yao, nao utukufu wa Mungu wa Israeli ulikuwa juu yao.
Then the winged creatures, with their wheels beside them, spread their [and flew up into the air], and the dazzling brightness of Yahweh was above them.
23 Basi utukufu wa Bwana ukapaa juu kutoka mji, ukatua juu ya mlima ulio upande wa mashariki ya mji.
That light went up away from the city and stopped above the mountain to the east of the city.
24 Roho akaniinua na kunileta mpaka kwa watu wa uhamisho huko Ukaldayo nikiwa katika yale maono niliyopewa na Roho wa Mungu. Ndipo maono niliyokuwa nimeyaona yakanitoka,
In the vision [that I had been seeing, God’s] Spirit lifted me up and brought me [back] to the (exiles in/people who had been forced to go to) Babylonia. Then the vision ended,
25 nami nikawaeleza wale watu wa uhamisho kila kitu Bwana alichokuwa amenionyesha.
and I told the exiles everything that Yahweh had shown [in the vision].
