Ezekieli 3
1 Naye akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, kula kile kilichoko mbele yako, kula huu ukurasa wa kitabu, kisha uende ukaseme na nyumba ya Israeli.”
And he said to me, Son of man, eat that which thou find. Eat this roll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.
2 Ndipo nikafungua kinywa changu, naye akanilisha ule ukurasa wa kitabu.
So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat the roll.
3 Ndipo akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, kula ukurasa huu wa kitabu ninaokupa ujaze tumbo lako.” Kwa hiyo nikaula, ulikuwa mtamu kama asali kinywani mwangu.
And he said to me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.
4 Kisha akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, sasa nenda katika nyumba ya Israeli ukaseme nao maneno yangu.
And he said to me, Son of man, go, get thee to the house of Israel, and speak to them with my words.
5 Hukutumwa kwa taifa lenye maneno ya kutatiza na lugha ngumu, bali kwa nyumba ya Israeli.
For thou are not sent to a people of a strange speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel,
6 Sikukutuma kwa mataifa mengi yenye maneno ya kutatiza na lugha ngumu ambao maneno yao hutayaelewa. Hakika ningekutuma kwa watu hao, wangekusikiliza.
not to many peoples of a strange speech, and of a hard language, whose words thou cannot understand. Surely, if I sent thee to them, they would hearken to thee.
7 Lakini nyumba ya Israeli haitakusikiliza kwa kuwa hawako radhi kunisikiliza mimi, kwa kuwa nyumba yote ya Israeli ni wenye vipaji vya nyuso vigumu na mioyo ya ukaidi.
But the house of Israel will not hearken to thee, for they will not hearken to me. For all the house of Israel are of a hard forehead and of a stiff heart.
8 Tazama nimefanya uso wako mgumu dhidi ya nyuso zao na kipaji cha uso wako kigumu dhidi ya vipaji vya nyuso zao.
Behold, I have made thy face hard against their faces, and thy forehead hard against their foreheads.
9 Kama vile almasi ilivyo ngumu kuliko gumegume, ndivyo nilivyokifanya kipaji cha uso wako. Usiwaogope wala usiwahofu, ijapokuwa ni nyumba ya kuasi.”
As an adamant, harder than flint, I have made thy forehead. Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.
10 Naye akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, sikiliza kwa makini na uyatie moyoni mwako maneno yote nitakayosema nawe.
Moreover he said to me, Son of man, all my words that I shall speak to thee, receive in thy heart, and hear with thine ears.
11 Kisha nenda kwa watu wa taifa lako walio uhamishoni, ukaseme nao. Waambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo Bwana Mwenyezi asemavyo,’ kwamba watasikiliza au hawatasikiliza.”
And go, get thee to those of the captivity, to the sons of thy people, and speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the lord Jehovah, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.
12 Ndipo Roho akaniinua, nikasikia sauti kubwa nyuma yangu ya ngurumo. (Utukufu wa Bwana na utukuzwe katika mahali pa makao yake!)
Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Jehovah from his place.
13 Ilikuwa ni sauti ya mabawa ya wale viumbe hai yakisuguana moja kwa jingine, sauti kama ya ngurumo.
And I heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched each other, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.
14 Ndipo Roho aliponiinua na kunipeleka mbali. Nikaenda nikiwa na uchungu na hasira moyoni mwangu, nao mkono wa Bwana ukiwa juu yangu.
So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away. And I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me.
15 Nikafika kwa wale watu waliokuwa uhamishoni huko Tel-Abibu karibu na Mto Kebari. Nikakaa miongoni mwao kwa muda wa siku saba, nikiwa nimejawa na mshangao.
Then I came to those of the captivity at Tel-abib, who dwelt by the river Chebar, and to where they dwelt. And I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days.
16 Mwishoni mwa hizo siku saba neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
17 “Mwanadamu, nimekufanya uwe mlinzi wa nyumba ya Israeli, kwa hiyo sikia neno nisemalo, ukawape onyo litokalo kwangu.
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 Nimwambiapo mtu mwovu, ‘Hakika utakufa,’ na wewe usipomwonya mtu huyo au kumshauri aache njia zake mbaya ili kuokoa maisha yake, huyo mtu mwovu atakufa katika dhambi yake na damu yake nitaidai mkononi mwako.
When I say to a wicked man, Thou shall surely die, and thou give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked man from his wicked way, to save his life, the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but I will require his blood at thy hand.
19 Lakini ukimwonya mtu mwovu naye akakataa kuacha uovu wake na njia zake mbaya, atakufa katika dhambi yake, lakini wewe utakuwa umejiokoa nafsi yako.
Yet if thou warn the wicked man, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou have delivered thy soul.
20 “Tena, mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda maovu, nami nikaweka kikwazo mbele yake mtu huyo atakufa. Kwa kuwa hukumwonya, atakufa katika dhambi yake. Mambo ya haki aliyotenda, hayatakumbukwa, damu yake nitaidai mkononi mwako.
Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because thou have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered, but I will require his blood at thy hand.
21 Lakini ukimwonya mwenye haki asitende dhambi na akaacha kutenda dhambi, hakika ataishi kwa sababu alipokea maonyo na utakuwa umejiokoa nafsi yako.”
Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous man not sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning, and thou have delivered thy soul.
22 Mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa juu yangu huko, naye akaniambia, “Simama uende mpaka sehemu tambarare, nami nitasema nawe huko.”
And the hand of Jehovah was there upon me, and he said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will talk with thee there.
23 Kwa hiyo niliinuka nikaenda mpaka mahali pa tambarare. Utukufu wa Bwana ulikuwa umesimama huko, kama utukufu ule niliouona kando ya Mto Kebari, nami nikaanguka kifudifudi.
Then I arose, and went forth into the plain. And, behold, the glory of Jehovah stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar, and I fell on my face.
24 Ndipo Roho akaja ndani yangu akanisimamisha kwa miguu yangu. Akasema nami akaniambia: “Nenda ukajifungie ndani ya nyumba yako.
Then the Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet. And he spoke with me, and said to me, Go, shut thyself within thy house.
25 Nawe, ee mwanadamu, watakufunga kwa kamba, watakufunga ili usiweze kutoka na kuwaendea watu.
But thou, son of man, behold, they shall lay bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shall not escape from them.
26 Nitaufanya ulimi wako ushikamane kwenye kaa la kinywa chako, ili uwe kimya usiweze kuwakemea, wajapokuwa ni nyumba ya kuasi.
And I will make thy tongue cling to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shall be mute, and shall not be a reprover to them, for they are a rebellious house.
27 Lakini nitakaposema nawe, nitafungua kinywa chako nawe utawaambia, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo.’ Yeyote atakayesikiliza na asikilize, na yeyote atakayekataa na akatae; kwa kuwa wao ni nyumba ya kuasi.
But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shall say to them, Thus says the lord Jehovah. He who hears, let him hear, and he who forbears, let him forbear, for they are a rebellious house.
