Ezekieli 17
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli fumbo.
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
3 Waambie hivi, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Tai mkubwa mwenye mabawa yenye nguvu, yaliyojaa manyoya marefu ya rangi mbalimbali, alikuja Lebanoni. Akatua kwenye kilele cha mwerezi,
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
4 akakwanyua ncha yake na kuichukua mpaka nchi ya wafanyabiashara, akaipanda huko katika mji wa wachuuzi.
He plucked off its topmost shoot, carried it to the land of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5 “‘Akachukua baadhi ya mbegu za nchi yako na kuziweka katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akazipanda kama mti umeao kando ya maji mengi,
He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
6 nazo zikaota na kuwa mzabibu mfupi, unaoeneza matawi yake. Matawi yake yakamwelekea huyo tai, mizizi yake ikabaki chini ya huo mzabibu. Kwa hiyo ukawa mzabibu na kutoa matawi na vitawi vyenye majani mengi.
It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.
7 “‘Lakini kulikuwa na tai mwingine mkubwa, mwenye mabawa yenye nguvu yaliyojaa manyoya. Tazama! Huu mzabibu ukatoa mizizi yake kumwelekea huyo tai kutoka mle kwenye shamba lile ulikopandwa na kutanda matawi yake kumwelekea kwa ajili ya kupata maji.
But there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it.
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mzuri wenye maji mengi ili uweze kutoa matawi, kuzaa matunda na uweze kuwa mzabibu mzuri sana.’
It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9 “Waambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Je, utastawi? Je, hautangʼolewa na kuondolewa matunda yake, ili uweze kunyauka? Majani yake mapya yanayochipua yote yatanyauka. Hautahitaji mkono wenye nguvu au watu wengi kuungʼoa na mizizi yake.
So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots.
10 Hata kama utapandwa pengine, Je, utastawi? Je, hautanyauka kabisa wakati upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga, yaani, hautanyauka kabisa katika udongo mzuri ambamo ulikuwa umestawi vizuri?’”
Even if it is transplanted, will it flourish? Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’”
11 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12 “Waambie nyumba hii ya kuasi, ‘Je, mnajua hii ina maana gani?’ Waambie: ‘Mfalme wa Babeli alikwenda Yerusalemu na kumchukua mfalme na watu maarufu, akarudi nao na kuwaleta mpaka Babeli.
“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.
13 Ndipo akamchukua mmoja wa jamaa ya mfalme na kufanya mapatano naye, akamfanya aape. Akawachukua pia viongozi wa nchi,
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,
14 ili kuudhoofisha ufalme huo, usiweze kuinuka tena, ila uweze kuendelea tu chini ya mapatano yake.
so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
15 Lakini mfalme aliasi dhidi yake kwa kutuma wajumbe wake kwenda Misri ili kupatiwa farasi na jeshi kubwa. Je, atashinda? Je, atafanikiwa? Je, mtu afanyaye mambo kama hayo ataokoka? Je, atavunja mapatano na bado aokoke?
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’
16 “‘Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, atafia huko Babeli, katika nchi ya mfalme aliyemketisha katika kiti cha enzi, ambaye alidharau kiapo chake na kuvunja mapatano yake.
‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
17 Farao na jeshi lake kubwa, na wingi wake wa watu hawataweza kusaidia chochote katika vita, wakati watakapozungukwa na jeshi ili kukatilia mbali maisha ya watu wengi.
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.
18 Alidharau kiapo kwa kuvunja Agano. Kwa sababu aliahidi kwa mkono wake mwenyewe na bado akafanya mambo haya yote, hataokoka.
He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’
19 “‘Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Hakika kama niishivyo, nitaleta juu ya kichwa chake kiapo changu, alichokidharau na Agano langu lile alilolivunja.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.
20 Nitautandaza wavu wangu kwa ajili yake, naye atanaswa katika mtego wangu. Nitamleta mpaka Babeli na kutekeleza hukumu juu yake huko kwa kuwa hakuwa mwaminifu kwangu.
I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me.
21 Askari wake wote wanaotoroka wataanguka kwa upanga, nao watakaonusurika watatawanyika katika pande zote za dunia. Ndipo utakapojua kuwa Mimi Bwana nimesema.
All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’
22 “‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Mimi mwenyewe nitachukua chipukizi kutoka kwenye kilele cha juu sana cha mwerezi na kukipanda, nitavunja kitawi kichanga kutoka matawi yake ya juu kabisa na kukipanda juu ya mlima mrefu ulioinuka sana.
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
23 Katika vilele vya mlima mrefu wa Israeli nitakipanda, kitatoa matawi na kuzaa matunda na kuwa mwerezi mzuri sana. Ndege wa kila aina wataweka viota vyao ndani yake, nao watapata makazi katika kivuli cha matawi yake.
I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.
24 Miti yote ya kondeni itajua kuwa Mimi Bwana ninaishusha miti mirefu na kuikuza miti mifupi kuwa miti mirefu. Mimi naikausha miti mibichi na kuifanya miti mikavu istawi. “‘Mimi Bwana nimesema, nami nitatenda.’”
Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”
