< Ezekieli 18 >
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And the word of Yahweh came unto me saying:
2 “Je, ninyi watu mna maana gani kutumia mithali hii inayohusu nchi ya Israeli: “‘Baba wamekula zabibu zenye chachu, nayo meno ya watoto yametiwa ganzi’?
What occasion have ye, to be using this proverb, concerning the soil of Israel, saying, —Fathers eat sour grapes, And the children’s teeth are blunted?
3 “Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hamtatumia tena mithali hii katika Israeli.
As I live, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh, Surely ye shall have occasion no longer to use this proverb, in Israel.
4 Kwa kuwa kila roho ni mali yangu, kama vile ilivyo roho ya baba, vivyo hivyo roho ya mtoto ni mali yangu. Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa.
Lo! as for all persons, mine they are, As the person of the father, so also the person of the son, mine they are, —The person that sinneth, the same shall die.
5 “Mtu aweza kuwa ni mwenye haki atendaye yaliyo haki na sawa.
But when, any man, shall be righteous, and do justice and righteousness:
6 Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima wala hakuziinulia macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake, wala hakukutana kimwili na mwanamke wakati wa siku zake za hedhi.
Upon the mountains, hath not eaten, And his eyes, hath not lifted up unto the manufactured gods of the house of Israel, And the wife of his neighbour, hath not defiled, And unto a woman during her removal, hath not approached;
7 Hamwonei mtu yeyote, bali hurudisha kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
And no man, hath treated with violence, But his debt-pledge, hath restored. Plunder, hath not seized, — His bread—to the famished, hath given, And the naked, hath covered with clothing;
8 Hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huuzuia mkono wake usifanye mabaya, naye huhukumu kwa haki kati ya mtu na mtu.
Upon interest, hath not put out his money. And increase, hath not accepted, From dishonesty, hath turned back his hand, — Justice in truth, hath done, between man and man;
9 Huzifuata amri zangu na kuzishika sheria zangu kwa uaminifu. Huyo mtu ni mwenye haki; hakika ataishi, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
In my statutes, hath walked. And my regulations, hath observed to do them in truth, Righteous, he is, He shall surely live, Declareth My Lord. Yahweh.
10 “Aweza kuwa ana mwana jeuri, amwagaye damu au atendaye mojawapo ya mambo haya
But he hath begotten a son Who is a violent man A shedder of blood, - Who doeth the like of any of these things;
11 (ingawa baba yake hakufanya mojawapo ya haya): “Hula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima. Humtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
Whereas he, none of those other things, doeth, For indeed upon the mountains, he hath eaten, And the wife of his neighbour, hath defiled;
12 Huwaonea maskini na wahitaji. Hunyangʼanyana. Harudishi kile kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Huziinulia sanamu macho. Hufanya mambo ya machukizo.
The oppressed and the needy, hath treated with violence, Hath ruthlessly plundered, The pledge, hath not restored, But unto the manufactured gods, hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination, hath wrought;
13 Hukopesha kwa riba na kutafuta faida ya ziada. Je, mtu wa namna hii ataishi? Hapana, hataishi! Kwa sababu amefanya mambo haya yote ya machukizo, hakika atauawa na damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe.
Upon interest, hath put out. And increase, hath accepted—, And shall he live? He shall not live All these abominations, he hath done, He shall surely be put to death, His blood, upon himself, shall be.
14 “Lakini yawezekana mwana huyo ana mwana aonaye dhambi hizi zote anazofanya baba yake, naye ingawa anaziona, yeye hafanyi mabaya kama haya:
But lo! he hath begotten a son, Who hath considered all the sins of his father which he hath done, - Yea he hath considered and not done like them:
15 “Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima, wala hainulii macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
Upon the mountains, hath not eaten, And his eyes, hath not lifted up unto the manufactured gods of the house of Israel, The wife of his neighbour, hath not defiled;
16 Hakumwonea mtu yeyote wala hakutaka rehani kwa ajili ya mkopo. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
And no man, hath he treated with violence, Hath by no means withholden the pledge, And plunder, hath not seized, — His bread—to the famished, hath given And the naked, hath covered with clothing;
17 Huuzuia mkono wake usitende dhambi, hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huzishika amri zangu na kuzifuata sheria zangu. Hatakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi za baba yake; hakika ataishi.
From dishonesty, hath turned back his hand Neither interest nor increase, hath accepted, my regulations, hath executed, In my statutes, hath walked, — He shall not die for the iniquity of his father He shall surely live.
18 Lakini baba yake atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake mwenyewe, kwa sababu alitoza bei isiyo halali kwa nguvu, akamnyangʼanya ndugu yake na kufanya yaliyo mabaya miongoni mwa watu wake.
His father Because he exacted unjust gain Seized plunder of a brother, And that which was not good, had done in the midst of his people Therefore lo! he died, in his iniquity.
19 “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Kwa nini mwana asiadhibiwe kwa uovu wa baba yake?’ Kwa vile mwana ametenda yaliyo haki na sawa na amekuwa mwangalifu kuzishika amri zangu zote, hakika ataishi.
Will ye then say. Why hath not the son borne a part of the iniquity of the father? But the son hath done justice and righteousness, All my statutes, hath observed and done them He shall surely live.
20 Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa. Mwana hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya baba yake, wala baba hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya mwanawe. Haki ya mtu mwenye haki itahesabiwa juu yake na uovu wa mtu mwovu utalipizwa juu yake.
The person that sinneth, the same, shall die, — A, son, shall not bear a part of the iniquity of, the father Neither shall, a father, bear a part of the iniquity of the son, the righteousness of the righteous, upon himself, shall be. And, the lawlessness of a lawless man, upon himself, shall be.
21 “Lakini mtu mwovu akiacha dhambi zake zote alizozitenda na kushika amri zangu zote na kufanya lililo haki na sawa, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
But as for the lawless man— When he shall turn back from all his sins which he hath committed, And observe all my statutes, And do justice and righteousness He shall surely live. He shall not die:
22 Hakuna kosa lolote alilotenda litakalokumbukwa juu yake. Kwa ajili ya mambo ya haki aliyoyatenda, ataishi.
None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered against him, —In his righteousness which he hath done, he shall live.
23 Je, mimi ninafurahia kifo cha mtu mwovu? Asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Je, si mimi ninafurahi wanapogeuka kutoka njia zao mbaya na kuishi?
Could I take delight, in the death of the lawless? Demandeth My Lord. Yahweh. Must it not be in his turning from his ways in which case he shall live?
24 “Lakini kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi na kufanya mambo ya machukizo ambayo mtu mwovu hufanya, Je, ataishi? Hakuna hata mojawapo ya matendo ya haki aliyotenda litakalokumbukwa. Kwa sababu ya kukosa uaminifu kwake anayo hatia na kwa sababu ya dhambi alizozitenda, atakufa.
But, when a righteous man, shall turn away, from his righteousness and do that which is perverse, Shall do, according to all the abominations which the lawless man hath done, Shall he live? None of his righteous acts which he hath done, shall be remembered, In his treachery wherein he hath been treacherous, And in his sin wherein he hath sinned, In them, shall he die.
25 “Lakini mnasema, ‘Njia ya Bwana si ya haki.’ Sikia, ee nyumba ya Israeli: Njia yangu siyo iliyo ya haki? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?
Can ye then say— The way of My Lord will not be equal? Hear I pray you O house of Israel, Will my way, not be equal? Will not your ways be unequal?
26 Kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi, atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake, kwa sababu ya dhambi alizotenda, atakufa.
When a righteous man shall turn away from his righteousness and do that which is perverse and die because of those things In his own perversity which he hath done, shall he die.
27 Lakini mtu mwovu akigeuka kutoka maovu aliyoyatenda na kufanya yaliyo haki na sawa, ataokoa maisha yake.
But when a lawless man turneth away from his lawlessness which he hath done, And hath done justice and righteousness He, shall save his own soul, alive:
28 Kwa kuwa anayafikiria na kugeuka kutoka makosa yake yote aliyoyatenda na kuyaacha, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
When he considered, then he turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, He shall surely live. He shall not die.
29 Lakini nyumba ya Israeli inasema, ‘Njia za Bwana si haki.’ Je, njia zangu si za haki, ee nyumba ya Israeli? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?”
Can the house of Israel then say- The way of My Lord will not be equal? Will my ways, not be equal O house of Israel? Will not your ways be unequal?
30 “Kwa hiyo, ee nyumba ya Israeli, nitawahukumu, kila mmoja sawasawa na njia zake, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni! Geukeni kutoka makosa yenu yote, ndipo dhambi haitakuwa anguko lenu.
Therefore, Every man according to his own ways, will I judge you O house of Israel, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Return ye—and make good your return—from all your transgressions, That they become not unto you a stumbling block of iniquity.
31 Tupilieni mbali makosa yenu yote mliyoyatenda, nanyi mpate moyo mpya na roho mpya. Kwa nini mfe, ee nyumba ya Israeli?
Cast off from you all your transgressions which ye have committed against me, And make you a new heart; And a new spirit, - For why should ye die, O house of Israel?
32 Kwa maana sifurahii kifo cha mtu awaye yote afaye katika uovu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni basi, mkaishi!
For I cannot take delight in the death of him that dieth, Declareth My Lord Yahweh, Make good your return then and, live!