Ezekieli 17
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli fumbo.
'Son of man, put forth a riddle, and use a simile 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 thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The great eagle, great-winged, long-pinioned, Full of feathers, that hath diverse colours, Hath come in unto Lebanon, And it taketh the foliage of the cedar,
4 akakwanyua ncha yake na kuichukua mpaka nchi ya wafanyabiashara, akaipanda huko katika mji wa wachuuzi.
The top of its tender twigs it hath cropped, And it bringeth it in to the land of Canaan. In a city of merchants it hath placed it.
5 “‘Akachukua baadhi ya mbegu za nchi yako na kuziweka katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akazipanda kama mti umeao kando ya maji mengi,
And it taketh of the seed of the land, And doth put it in a field of seed, To take by many waters, In a conspicuous place it hath set it.
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 springeth up, and becometh a spreading vine, humble of stature, To turn its thin shoots toward itself, And its roots are under it, And it becometh a vine, and maketh boughs, And sendeth forth beauteous branches.
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.
And there is another great eagle, Great-winged, and abounding with feathers, And lo, this vine hath bent its roots toward him, And its thin shoots it hath sent out toward him, To water it from the furrows of its planting,
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mzuri wenye maji mengi ili uweze kutoa matawi, kuzaa matunda na uweze kuwa mzabibu mzuri sana.’
On a good field, by many waters, it is planted, To make branches, and to bear fruit, To be for an 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: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: It prospereth — its roots doth he not draw out, And its fruit cut off, and it is withered? [In] all the leaves of its springing it withereth, And not by great strength, and by a numerous people, To lift 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?’”
And lo, the planted thing — doth it prosper? When come against it doth the east wind, Doth it not utterly wither? On the furrows of its springing it withereth.'
11 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And there is a word of Jehovah 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, I pray thee, to the rebellious house, Have ye not known what these [are]? Say, Lo, come hath the king of Babylon to Jerusalem, And he taketh its king, and its princes, And bringeth them to himself to Babylon.
13 Ndipo akamchukua mmoja wa jamaa ya mfalme na kufanya mapatano naye, akamfanya aape. Akawachukua pia viongozi wa nchi,
And he taketh of the seed of the kingdom, And maketh with him a covenant, And bringeth him in to an oath, And the mighty of the land he hath taken,
14 ili kuudhoofisha ufalme huo, usiweze kuinuka tena, ila uweze kuendelea tu chini ya mapatano yake.
That the kingdom may be humble, That it may not lift itself up, To keep his covenant — that it may 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?
And he rebelleth against him, To send his messengers to Egypt, To give to him horses, and much people, Doth he prosper? doth he escape who is doing these things? And hath he broken covenant and escaped?
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.
I live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Doth he not — in the place of the king who is causing him to reign, Whose oath he hath despised, And whose covenant he hath broken, With him — in the midst of Babylon — 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.
And not with a great force, and with a numerous assembly, Doth Pharaoh maintain him in battle, By pouring out a mount, and in building a fortification, To cut off many souls.
18 Alidharau kiapo kwa kuvunja Agano. Kwa sababu aliahidi kwa mkono wake mwenyewe na bado akafanya mambo haya yote, hataokoka.
And he despised the oath — to break covenant, And lo, he hath given his hand, And all these he hath done, he escapeth not.
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 said the Lord Jehovah: I live — Mine oath that he hath despised, And My covenant that he hath broken, Have I not put it on his 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 have spread out for him My snare, And he hath been caught in My net, And I have brought him in to Babylon, And pleaded with him there 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, By sword do fall, and those remaining, To every wind they are spread out, And ye have known that I, Jehovah, 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.
Thus said the Lord Jehovah: I have taken of the foliage of the high cedar, And I have set [it], From the top of its tender shoots a tender one I crop, And I — I have planted [it] on a mountain high and lofty.
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 a mountain — the high place of Israel, I plant it, And it hath borne boughs, and yielded fruit, And become a goodly cedar, And dwelt under it have all birds of every wing, In the shade of its thin shoots 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 known have all trees of the field That I, Jehovah, have made low the high tree, I have set on high the low tree, I have dried up the moist tree, And I have caused the dry tree to flourish, I, Jehovah, have spoken, and have done [it]!'
