Ezekieli 15

1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:

And the word of Jehovah 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, what is the wood of the vine more than any wood, —a branch, that is among the trees of 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?

Shall wood be taken from it to be wrought into any work? Or will men take a pin of it to hang a vessel upon?

4 Nao baada ya kutiwa motoni kama nishati na moto ukateketeza ncha zote mbili na kuunguza sehemu ya kati, je, unafaa kwa lolote?

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the middle of it is burned. Is it then fit for any work?

5 Kama haukufaa kitu chochote ulipokuwa mzima, je, si zaidi sana sasa ambapo hauwezekani kufanyishwa chochote cha kufaa baada ya moto kuuchoma na kuuunguza?

Behold, when it was whole, nothing could be made of it; how much less can anything be made of it when the fire hath devoured it and it is burned!

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 thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give to it the inhabitants 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; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah, when I set my face against them.

8 Nitaifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa kwa sababu wamekuwa si waaminifu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.”

And I will make the land desolate, because they have grievously trespassed, saith the Lord Jehovah.