Ezekieli 24
1 Katika mwaka wa tisa, mwezi wa kumi, siku ya kumi, neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Mwanadamu, weka kumbukumbu ya tarehe hii, tarehe hii hasa, kwa kuwa mfalme wa Babeli ameuzingira mji wa Yerusalemu kwa jeshi siku hii ya leo.
“You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
3 Iambie nyumba hii ya kuasi fumbo, na uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Teleka sufuria jikoni; iteleke na umimine maji ndani yake,
Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
4 Weka vipande vya nyama ndani yake, vipande vyote vizuri, vya paja na vya bega. Ijaze hiyo sufuria kwa mifupa hii mizuri;
Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
5 chagua yule aliye bora wa kundi la kondoo. Panga kuni chini ya sufuria kwa ajili ya mifupa; chochea mpaka ichemke na uitokose hiyo mifupa ndani yake.
Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
6 “‘Kwa kuwa hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu, ole wa sufuria ambayo sasa ina ukoko ndani yake, ambayo ukoko wake hautoki. Kipakue kipande baada ya kipande, bila kuvipigia kura.
[Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
7 “‘Kwa kuwa damu aliyoimwaga ipo katikati yake: huyo mwanamke aliimwaga juu ya mwamba ulio wazi; hakuimwaga kwenye ardhi, ambako vumbi lingeifunika.
The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
8 Kuchochea ghadhabu na kulipiza kisasi, nimemwaga damu yake juu ya mwamba ulio wazi, ili isifunikwe.
But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
9 “‘Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu! Mimi nami nitalundikia kuni nyingi.
Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
10 Kwa hiyo lundika kuni na uwashe moto. Pika hiyo nyama vizuri, changanya viungo ndani yake, na uiache mifupa iungue kwenye moto.
[So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
11 Kisha teleka sufuria tupu kwenye makaa mpaka iwe na moto sana na shaba yake ingʼae, ili uchafu wake upate kuyeyuka na ukoko wake upate kuungua na kuondoka.
Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
12 Imezuia juhudi zote, ukoko wake mwingi haujaondoka, hata ikiwa ni kwa moto.
[It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
13 “‘Sasa uchafu wako ni uasherati wako. Kwa sababu nilijaribu kukutakasa lakini haikuwezekana kutakaswa kutoka kwenye huo uchafu wako, hutatakasika tena mpaka ghadhabu yangu dhidi yako iwe imepungua.
The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
14 “‘Mimi Bwana nimesema, wakati umewadia wa mimi kutenda. Mimi sitazuia, mimi sitaona huruma wala sitapunguza hasira yangu, Utahukumiwa sawasawa na mwenendo na matendo yako, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’”
I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
15 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “Mwanadamu, kwa pigo moja nakaribia kukuondolea kile kilicho furaha ya macho yako. Lakini usiomboleze au kulia wala kudondosha machozi yoyote.
“You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
17 Lia kwa uchungu kimya kimya usimwombolezee mtu aliyekufa. Jifunge kilemba chako na uvae viatu vyako miguuni mwako, usifunike sehemu ya chini ya uso wako, wala usile vyakula vya kawaida vya wakati wa matanga.”
Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
18 Hivyo nikanena na watu asubuhi na jioni mke wangu akafa. Asubuhi yake nilifanya kama nilivyoamriwa.
[one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
19 Ndipo watu wakaniuliza, “Je, jambo hili unalofanya linamaanisha nini kwetu?”
Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
20 Kwa hiyo nikawaambia, “Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema:
So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
21 ‘Sema na nyumba ya Israeli. Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Ninakaribia kupatia unajisi mahali pangu patakatifu, ngome ambayo ndani yake mnaona fahari, furaha ya macho yenu, kitu mnachokipenda. Wana wenu na binti zenu mliowaacha nyuma wataanguka kwa upanga.
‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
22 Nanyi mtafanya kama nilivyofanya. Hamtafunika sehemu ya chini ya nyuso zenu wala hamtakula vyakula vya kawaida vya waombolezaji.
[When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
23 Mtajifunga vilemba vichwani mwenu na kuvaa viatu vyenu miguuni mwenu. Hamtaomboleza au kulia, lakini mtadhoofika kwa sababu ya dhambi zenu na kulia kwa uchungu kila mtu na mwenzake.
[You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
24 Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, mtafanya kama yeye alivyofanya. Wakati jambo hili litakapotokea, mtajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana Mwenyezi.’
Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
25 “Nawe, mwanadamu, siku ile nitakapoondoa ngome yao iliyo furaha yao na utukufu wao, kitu cha kupendeza macho yao, kile kilicho shauku ya mioyo yao, wana wao na binti zao vilevile,
[Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
26 siku hiyo atakayetoroka atakuja kuwapasha habari.
On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
27 Katika siku ile kinywa chako kitamfumbukia yeye aliyenusurika, nawe utaongea wala hutanyamaza tena. Hivyo wewe utakuwa ishara kwao, nao watajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana.”
When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
