Ezekieli 14
1 Baadhi ya wazee wa Israeli walinijia na kuketi mbele yangu.
Then some of the elders of Israel came to me and sat before me.
2 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
3 “Mwanadamu, watu hawa wameweka sanamu katika mioyo yao na kuweka vitu viovu vya kukwaza mbele ya macho yao. Je, kweli niwaruhusu waniulize jambo lolote?
“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
4 Kwa hiyo sema nao uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Wakati Mwisraeli yeyote anapoweka sanamu moyoni mwake na kuweka kitu kiovu cha kukwaza mbele ya macho yake na kisha akaenda kwa nabii, Mimi Bwana nitamjibu peke yangu sawasawa na ukubwa wa ibada yake ya sanamu.
Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him there according to the multitude of his idols,
5 Nitafanya jambo hili ili kukamata tena mioyo ya watu wa Israeli, ambao wote wameniacha kwa ajili ya sanamu zao.’
that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.”’
6 “Kwa hiyo iambie nyumba ya Israeli, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Tubuni! Geukeni kutoka kwenye sanamu zenu na mkatae matendo yenu yote ya machukizo!
“Therefore tell the house of Israel, ‘The Lord GOD says: “Return, and turn yourselves from your idols! Turn away your faces from all your abominations.
7 “‘Mwisraeli yeyote au mgeni yeyote anayeishi katika Israeli anapojitenga nami na kujiwekea sanamu katika moyo wake na kwa hivyo kuweka kitu kiovu cha kukwaza mbele ya macho yake na kisha akamwendea nabii kuuliza shauri kwangu, mimi Bwana nitamjibu mwenyewe.
“‘“For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of me, I the LORD will answer him by myself.
8 Nitaukaza uso wangu dhidi ya mtu huyo na kumwadhibu na kumfanya ishara kwa watu. Nitamkatilia mbali kutoka watu wangu. Ndipo mtakapojua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana.
I will set my face against that man and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 “‘Naye nabii kama atakuwa ameshawishika kutoa unabii, Mimi Bwana nitakuwa nimemshawishi nabii huyo, nami nitaunyoosha mkono wangu dhidi yake na kumwangamiza kutoka miongoni mwa watu wangu Israeli.
“‘“If the prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand on him, and will destroy him from among my people Israel.
10 Watachukua hatia yao, nabii atakuwa na hatia sawa na yule mtu aliyekuja kuuliza neno kwake.
They will bear their iniquity. The iniquity of the prophet will be even as the iniquity of him who seeks him,
11 “‘Ndipo watu wa Israeli hawataniacha tena, wala kujitia unajisi tena kwa dhambi zao zote. Ndipo watakuwa watu wangu nami nitakuwa Mungu wao, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’”
that the house of Israel may no more go astray from me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God,” says the Lord GOD.’”
12 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema,
The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
13 “Mwanadamu, kama nchi itanitenda dhambi kwa kutokuwa waaminifu nami nikinyoosha mkono wangu dhidi yake kukatilia mbali upatikanaji wake wa chakula na kuipelekea njaa na kuua watu wake na wanyama wao,
“Son of man, when a land sins against me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out my hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it, and cut off from it man and animal—
14 hata kama watu hawa watatu: Noa, Danieli na Ayubu wangekuwa ndani ya nchi hiyo, ndio hao tu wangeweza kujiokoa wenyewe kwa uadilifu wao, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD.
15 “Au kama nikipeleka wanyama pori katika nchi hiyo yote na kuifanya isiwe na watoto, nayo ikawa ukiwa kwamba hakuna mtu apitaye katika nchi hiyo kwa sababu ya wanyama pori,
“If I cause evil animals to pass through the land, and they ravage it and it is made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals—
16 hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hata kama watu hawa watatu wangekuwa humo ndani yake, wasingeweza kuokoa wana wao wala binti zao. Wao peke yao wangeokolewa, lakini nchi ingekuwa ukiwa.
though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters. They only would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
17 “Au kama nikileta upanga dhidi ya nchi hiyo na kusema, ‘Upanga na upite katika nchi yote,’ nami nikiua watu wake na wanyama wao,
“Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land, so that I cut off from it man and animal’—
18 hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hata kama watu hawa watatu wangekuwa humo ndani yake, wasingeweza kuokoa wana wao wala binti zao. Wao wenyewe tu wangeokolewa.
though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only would be delivered themselves.
19 “Au kama nikipeleka tauni katika nchi hiyo na kumwaga ghadhabu yangu juu yake kwa njia ya kumwaga damu, kuua watu wake na wanyama wao,
“Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal—
20 hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hata kama Noa, Danieli na Ayubu wangekuwa humo ndani yake, wasingeweza kumwokoa mwana wala binti. Wao wangeweza kujiokoa wenyewe tu kwa uadilifu wao.
though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only their own souls by their righteousness.”
21 “Kwa maana hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Itakuwa vibaya kiasi gani nitakapopeleka dhidi ya Yerusalemu hukumu zangu nne za kutisha, yaani, upanga, njaa, wanyama pori na tauni, ili kuua watu wake na wanyama wao!
For the Lord GOD says: “How much more when I send my four severe judgments on Jerusalem—the sword, the famine, the evil animals, and the pestilence—to cut off from it man and animal!
22 Lakini watakuwepo wenye kuokoka, wana na binti wataletwa kutoka nje ya nchi hiyo. Watawajia ninyi, nanyi mtakapoona mwenendo wao na matendo yao, mtafarijika kuhusu maafa niliyoleta juu ya Yerusalemu, kwa ajili ya yale yote niliyoleta juu yake.
Yet, behold, there will be left a remnant in it that will be carried out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they will come out to you, and you will see their way and their doings. Then you will be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.
23 Mtafarijika wakati mtakapoona mwenendo wao na matendo yao, kwa kuwa mtajua kwamba sikufanya lolote ndani yake bila sababu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.”
They will comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; then you will know that I have not done all that I have done in it without cause,” says the Lord GOD.
