Ezekieli 24
1 Katika mwaka wa tisa, mwezi wa kumi, siku ya kumi, neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
The word of Yahweh came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, and on the tenth day of the month, saying,
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.
“Son of man, write for yourself the name of this day, this exact day, for this exact day the king of Babylon has besieged Jerusalem.
3 Iambie nyumba hii ya kuasi fumbo, na uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Teleka sufuria jikoni; iteleke na umimine maji ndani yake,
So speak a proverb against this rebellious house, a parable. Say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Place the cooking pot. Place it and pour water into it.
4 Weka vipande vya nyama ndani yake, vipande vyote vizuri, vya paja na vya bega. Ijaze hiyo sufuria kwa mifupa hii mizuri;
Gather pieces of food within it, every good piece—the thigh and shoulder— and fill it 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.
Take the best of the flock and pile up the bones under it. Bring it to a boil and cook the bones in it.
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.
Therefore the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood, a cooking pot that has rust in it and that rust will not come out of it. Take piece after piece from it, but do not cast lots for it.
7 “‘Kwa kuwa damu aliyoimwaga ipo katikati yake: huyo mwanamke aliimwaga juu ya mwamba ulio wazi; hakuimwaga kwenye ardhi, ambako vumbi lingeifunika.
For her blood is in the midst of her. She has set it on the smooth rock; she has not poured it out on the ground to cover it with dust,
8 Kuchochea ghadhabu na kulipiza kisasi, nimemwaga damu yake juu ya mwamba ulio wazi, ili isifunikwe.
so it brings fury up to exact vengeance. I placed her blood on the smooth rock so it could not be covered.
9 “‘Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “‘Ole wa mji umwagao damu! Mimi nami nitalundikia kuni nyingi.
Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this: Woe to the city of blood. I will also enlarge the pile of wood.
10 Kwa hiyo lundika kuni na uwashe moto. Pika hiyo nyama vizuri, changanya viungo ndani yake, na uiache mifupa iungue kwenye moto.
Stack up the wood and kindle the fire. Cook the meat well and mix in the spices and let the bones be 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 pot on its coals empty, in order to heat and scorch its bronze, so its uncleanness within it will be melted, its corrosion consumed.'
12 Imezuia juhudi zote, ukoko wake mwingi haujaondoka, hata ikiwa ni kwa moto.
She has become weary because of toil, but her corrosion has not gone out of her by the 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.
Your shameful behavior is in your uncleanness. Because I tried to cleanse you but still you would not be cleansed from your uncleanness, you will not be cleansed anymore until I have satisfied my fury upon you.
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 declared it, and I will do it. I will not relent nor will I rest from it. As your ways were, and as your activities, they will judge you!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.”
15 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
16 “Mwanadamu, kwa pigo moja nakaribia kukuondolea kile kilicho furaha ya macho yako. Lakini usiomboleze au kulia wala kudondosha machozi yoyote.
“Son of man! Behold, I am taking the desire of your eyes from you with a plague, but you must not mourn nor weep, and your tears must not flow.
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.”
You must groan silently. Do not conduct a funeral for the dead. Tie your turban on you and place your sandals on your feet, but do not veil your facial hair or eat the bread of men who mourn for having lost their wives.”
18 Hivyo nikanena na watu asubuhi na jioni mke wangu akafa. Asubuhi yake nilifanya kama nilivyoamriwa.
So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I did what I had been commanded to do.
19 Ndipo watu wakaniuliza, “Je, jambo hili unalofanya linamaanisha nini kwetu?”
The people asked me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean, the things that you are doing?”
20 Kwa hiyo nikawaambia, “Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema:
So I said to them, “The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
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.
'Say to the house of Israel, the Lord Yahweh says this: Behold! I will desecrate my sanctuary—the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and the yearning of your soul, and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind will fall by the sword.
22 Nanyi mtafanya kama nilivyofanya. Hamtafunika sehemu ya chini ya nyuso zenu wala hamtakula vyakula vya kawaida vya waombolezaji.
Then you will do exactly as I have done: you will not veil your facial hair, nor eat the bread of mourning men!
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.
Instead, your turbans will be on your heads, and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn nor weep, for you will melt away in your iniquities, and each man will groan for his brother.
24 Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, mtafanya kama yeye alivyofanya. Wakati jambo hili litakapotokea, mtajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana Mwenyezi.’
So Ezekiel will be a sign for you, as everything that he has done you will do when this comes. Then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh!'”
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,
“But you, son of man, on the day that I capture their temple, which is their joy, their pride, and what they see and desire—and when I take away their sons and daughters—
26 siku hiyo atakayetoroka atakuja kuwapasha habari.
on that day, a refugee will come to you to give you the news!
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.”
On that day your mouth will be opened up to that refugee and you will speak—you will no longer be silent. You will be a sign for them so that they will know that I am Yahweh.”
