Ezekieli 21
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Yahweh’s word 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 toward Jerusalem, and preach toward the sanctuaries, and 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.
Tell the land of Israel, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you 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.
Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.
5 Ndipo watu wote watajua ya kuwa Mimi Bwana nimeutoa upanga wangu kwenye ala yake, nao hautarudi humo tena.’
All flesh will know that I, Yahweh, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’
6 “Kwa hiyo lia kwa uchungu, mwanadamu! Lia kwa uchungu mbele yao kwa moyo uliopondeka na kwa huzuni nyingi.
“Therefore sigh, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness.
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.”
It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.’”
8 Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema:
Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
9 “Mwanadamu, tabiri na useme, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: “‘Upanga, upanga, ulionolewa na kusuguliwa:
“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘Yahweh says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also 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 that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree.
11 “‘Upanga umewekwa tayari ili kusuguliwa, ili upate kushikwa mkononi, umenolewa na kusuguliwa, umewekwa tayari kwa mkono wa muuaji.
It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened. Yes, it is polished to give it into the hand of the killer.”’
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 and wail, son of man; for it is on my people. It is on all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Therefore beat 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.’
“For there is a trial. What if even the rod that condemns will be no more?” says the Lord Yahweh.
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.
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together. Let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the fatally wounded. It is the sword of the great one who is fatally wounded, which enters into their rooms.
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.
I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied. Ah! It is made as lightning. It is pointed for slaughter.
16 Ee upanga, kata upande wa kuume, kisha upande wa kushoto, mahali popote makali yako yatakapoelekezwa.
Gather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set.
17 Mimi nami nitapiga makofi, nayo ghadhabu yangu itapungua. Mimi Bwana nimesema.”
I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.”
18 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Yahweh’s word came to me again, 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.
“Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. They both will come out of one land, and mark out a place. Mark it out at the head of the way to the 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.
You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.
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 stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows back and forth. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in 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 was the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, and to build forts.
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 be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.
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 the Lord Yahweh says: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand.
25 “‘Ee mtawala kafiri na mwovu wa Israeli, ambaye siku yako imewadia, ambaye wakati wako wa adhabu umefikia kilele chake,
“‘You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end,
26 hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Vua kilemba, ondoa taji. Kwa kuwa mambo hayatakuwa kama yalivyokuwa. Aliye mnyonge atakwezwa na aliyekwezwa atashushwa.
the Lord Yahweh says: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.
27 Mahame! Mahame! Nitaufanya mji kuwa mahame! Hautajengwa upya mpaka aje yule ambaye ndiye mwenye haki nao; yeye ndiye nitakayempa.’
I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.”’
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!
“You, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘The Lord Yahweh says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the slaughter, to cause it to devour, that it may be as 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 see for you false visions, while they divine lies to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded, whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end.
30 Urudishe upanga kwenye ala yake! Katika mahali ulipoumbiwa, katika nchi ya baba zako, huko nitakuhukumu.
Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, 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 indignation on you. I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath. I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men, skillful to destroy.
32 Mtakuwa kuni za kuwashia moto, damu yenu itamwagwa katika nchi yenu, wala hamtakumbukwa tena; kwa maana Mimi Bwana nimesema.’”
You will be for fuel to the fire. Your blood will be in the middle of the land. You will be remembered no more; for I, Yahweh, have spoken it.”’”
