Ezekieli 15
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, je, ni vipi mti wa mzabibu unaweza kuwa bora zaidi kuliko tawi la mti mwingine wowote ndani ya msitu?
“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any other branch among the trees in the forest?
3 Je, mti wake kamwe huchukuliwa na kutengeneza chochote cha manufaa? Je, watu hutengeneza vigingi vya kuningʼinizia vitu kutokana na huo mti wake?
Can wood be taken from it to make something useful? Or can one make from it a peg on which to hang utensils?
4 Nao baada ya kutiwa motoni kama nishati na moto ukateketeza ncha zote mbili na kuunguza sehemu ya kati, je, unafaa kwa lolote?
No, it is cast into the fire for fuel. The fire devours both ends, and the middle is charred. Can it be useful for anything?
5 Kama haukufaa kitu chochote ulipokuwa mzima, je, si zaidi sana sasa ambapo hauwezekani kufanyishwa chochote cha kufaa baada ya moto kuuchoma na kuuunguza?
Even when it was whole, it could not be made useful. How much less can it ever be useful when the fire has consumed it and charred it!
6 “Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Kama nilivyoutoa mti wa mzabibu miongoni mwa miti ya msituni kuwa nishati kwa ajili ya moto, hivyo ndivyo nitakavyowatendea watu waishio Yerusalemu.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the people of Jerusalem.
7 Nitaukaza uso wangu dhidi yao. Ingawa watakuwa wameokoka kwenye moto, bado moto utawateketeza. Nami nitakapoukaza uso wangu dhidi yao, ninyi mtajua kwamba Mimi ndimi Bwana.
And I will set My face against them. Though they may have escaped the fire, yet another fire will consume them. And when I set My face against them, you will know that I am the LORD.
8 Nitaifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa kwa sababu wamekuwa si waaminifu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.”
Thus I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
