Ezekieli 21
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, uelekeze uso wako juu ya Yerusalemu na uhubiri dhidi ya mahali patakatifu. Tabiri dhidi ya nchi ya Israeli
“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel
3 uiambie: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Mimi niko kinyume nawe. Nitautoa upanga wangu kwenye ala yake na kumkatilia mbali mwenye haki na mwovu.
and tell her that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.
4 Kwa sababu nitamkatilia mbali mwenye haki na mwovu, upanga wangu utakuwa wazi dhidi ya kila mmoja kuanzia kusini mpaka kaskazini.
Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.
5 Ndipo watu wote watajua ya kuwa Mimi Bwana nimeutoa upanga wangu kwenye ala yake, nao hautarudi humo tena.’
Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’
6 “Kwa hiyo lia kwa uchungu, mwanadamu! Lia kwa uchungu mbele yao kwa moyo uliopondeka na kwa huzuni nyingi.
But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
7 Nao watakapokuuliza, ‘Kwa nini unalia kwa uchungu?’ Utasema hivi, ‘Kwa sababu ya habari zinazokuja. Kila moyo utayeyuka na kila mkono utalegea, kila roho itazimia na kila goti litalegea kama maji.’ Habari hizo zinakuja! Hakika zitatokea, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.”
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”
8 Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema:
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9 “Mwanadamu, tabiri na useme, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: “‘Upanga, upanga, ulionolewa na kusuguliwa:
“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—
10 umenolewa kwa ajili ya mauaji, umesuguliwa ili ungʼae kama umeme wa radi! “‘Je, tuifurahie fimbo ya utawala ya mwanangu Yuda? Upanga unaidharau kila fimbo ya namna hiyo.
it is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every such stick.
11 “‘Upanga umewekwa tayari ili kusuguliwa, ili upate kushikwa mkononi, umenolewa na kusuguliwa, umewekwa tayari kwa mkono wa muuaji.
The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, to be placed in the hand of the slayer.
12 Piga kelele na uomboleze, ee mwanadamu, kwa kuwa upanga u dhidi ya watu wangu; u dhidi ya wakuu wote wa Israeli. Wametolewa wauawe kwa upanga pamoja na watu wangu. Kwa hiyo pigapiga kifua chako.
Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
13 “‘Kwa maana upanga huu umejaribiwa na kuhakikishwa, itakuwaje basi fimbo ya ufalme ya Yuda inayoudharau kama haitakuwepo tena, bali itakuwa imeondolewa kabisa? asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’
Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’
14 “Hivyo basi, mwanadamu, tabiri na ukapige makofi. Upanga wako na upige mara mbili, naam, hata mara tatu. Ni upanga wa kuchinja, upanga wa mauaji makuu, ukiwashambulia kutoka kila upande.
‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!
15 Ili mioyo ipate kuyeyuka na wanaouawa wawe wengi, nimeweka upanga wa kuchinja kwenye malango yao yote. Lo! Umetengenezwa umetemete kama umeme wa radi, umeshikwa kwa ajili ya kuua.
So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.
16 Ee upanga, kata upande wa kuume, kisha upande wa kushoto, mahali popote makali yako yatakapoelekezwa.
Slash to the right; set your blade to the left— wherever your blade is directed.
17 Mimi nami nitapiga makofi, nayo ghadhabu yangu itapungua. Mimi Bwana nimesema.”
I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’
18 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
19 “Mwanadamu, weka alama njia mbili ambazo upanga wa mfalme wa Babeli utapitia, njia hizo zikianzia katika nchi hiyo hiyo. Weka kibao pale ambapo njia zinagawanyika kuelekea mjini.
“Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city.
20 Weka alama njia moja kwa ajili ya upanga upate kuja dhidi ya Raba ya Waamoni na nyingine upate kuja dhidi ya Yuda na Yerusalemu iliyozungushiwa ngome.
Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
21 Kwa kuwa mfalme wa Babeli sasa amesimama katika njia panda, katika makutano ya njia mbili, akipiga ramli: anapiga kura kwa kutumia mishale, anataka shauri kwa sanamu zake, anachunguza maini ya wanyama.
For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
22 Upande wake wa kuume inakuja kura ya Yerusalemu, ambapo ataweka vyombo vya kuvunjia boma, ili kuamrisha mauaji, kupiga ukelele wa vita, kuweka vyombo vya kuvunjia boma kwenye malango, kuweka jeshi kuzunguka na kufanya uzingiraji.
In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.
23 Itakuwa kama kupiga ramli kwa uongo kwa wale watu ambao wameapa kumtii yeye. Lakini mfalme wa Babeli atawakumbusha juu ya uovu wao na kuwachukua mateka.
It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.
24 “Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: ‘Kwa sababu enyi watu mmekumbusha uovu wenu kwa kuasi waziwazi, mkidhihirisha dhambi zenu katika yale yote mfanyayo, kwa kuwa mmefanya jambo hili, mtachukuliwa mateka.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand.
25 “‘Ee mtawala kafiri na mwovu wa Israeli, ambaye siku yako imewadia, ambaye wakati wako wa adhabu umefikia kilele chake,
And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’
26 hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Vua kilemba, ondoa taji. Kwa kuwa mambo hayatakuwa kama yalivyokuwa. Aliye mnyonge atakwezwa na aliyekwezwa atashushwa.
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.
27 Mahame! Mahame! Nitaufanya mji kuwa mahame! Hautajengwa upya mpaka aje yule ambaye ndiye mwenye haki nao; yeye ndiye nitakayempa.’
A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be restored until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs, to whom I have assigned the right of judgment.’
28 “Nawe, mwanadamu, tabiri na useme, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo kuhusu Waamoni na matukano yao. “‘Upanga, upanga, umefutwa kwa ajili ya kuua, umesuguliwa ili kuangamiza na unametameta kama umeme wa radi!
Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt: ‘A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning—
29 Wakati wakitoa maono ya uongo kwa ajili yako, wanapobashiri uongo kwa ajili yako, wanakuweka wewe kwenye shingo za watu wapotovu, wale walio waovu, wale ambao siku yao imewadia, wakati wa adhabu yao ya mwisho.
while they offer false visions for you and lying divinations about you— to be placed on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment.
30 Urudishe upanga kwenye ala yake! Katika mahali ulipoumbiwa, katika nchi ya baba zako, huko nitakuhukumu.
Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.
31 Nitamwaga ghadhabu yangu juu yako na kupuliza moto wa hasira yangu dhidi yako; nitakutia mikononi mwa watu wakatili, watu stadi katika kuangamiza.
I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.
32 Mtakuwa kuni za kuwashia moto, damu yenu itamwagwa katika nchi yenu, wala hamtakumbukwa tena; kwa maana Mimi Bwana nimesema.’”
You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will stain your own land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.’”
