Ezekieli 17
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And the word of YHWH came unto me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli fumbo.
Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto 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 say, Thus saith the Sovereign YHWH; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
4 akakwanyua ncha yake na kuichukua mpaka nchi ya wafanyabiashara, akaipanda huko katika mji wa wachuuzi.
He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
5 “‘Akachukua baadhi ya mbegu za nchi yako na kuziweka katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akazipanda kama mti umeao kando ya maji mengi,
He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
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.
And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
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.
There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mzuri wenye maji mengi ili uweze kutoa matawi, kuzaa matunda na uweze kuwa mzabibu mzuri sana.’
It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly 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.
Say thou, Thus saith the Sovereign YHWH; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
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?’”
Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
11 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Moreover the word of YHWH came unto 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.
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
13 Ndipo akamchukua mmoja wa jamaa ya mfalme na kufanya mapatano naye, akamfanya aape. Akawachukua pia viongozi wa nchi,
And hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
14 ili kuudhoofisha ufalme huo, usiweze kuinuka tena, ila uweze kuendelea tu chini ya mapatano yake.
That the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
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 he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
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 I live, saith the Sovereign YHWH, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
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.
Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
18 Alidharau kiapo kwa kuvunja Agano. Kwa sababu aliahidi kwa mkono wake mwenyewe na bado akafanya mambo haya yote, hataokoka.
Seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall 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 thus saith the Sovereign YHWH; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
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.
And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
21 Askari wake wote wanaotoroka wataanguka kwa upanga, nao watakaonusurika watatawanyika katika pande zote za dunia. Ndipo utakapojua kuwa Mimi Bwana nimesema.
And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I YHWH have spoken it.
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.
Thus saith the Sovereign YHWH; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
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.
In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
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.’”
And all the trees of the field shall know that I YHWH have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I YHWH have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I YHWH have spoken and have done it.
