< Ezekieli 31 >
1 Katika mwaka wa kumi na moja, mwezi wa tatu, siku ya kwanza, neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema:
In the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, mwambie Farao mfalme wa Misri na makundi yake ya wajeuri: “‘Je, ni nani awezaye kulinganishwa na wewe katika fahari.
“Son of man, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt and his multitude: ‘Whom are you like in your greatness?
3 Angalia Ashuru, wakati fulani ilikuwa mwerezi huko Lebanoni, ukiwa na matawi mazuri ukitia msitu kivuli; ulikuwa mrefu sana, kilele chake kilipita majani ya miti yote.
Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade, of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.
4 Maji mengi yaliustawisha, chemchemi zenye maji mengi ziliufanya urefuke; vijito vyake vilitiririka pale ulipoota pande zote na kupeleka mifereji yake kwenye miti yote ya shambani.
The waters nourished it. The deep made it to grow. Its rivers ran all around its plantation. It sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.
5 Hivyo ukarefuka kupita miti yote ya shambani; vitawi vyake viliongezeka na matawi yake yakawa marefu, yakitanda kwa sababu ya wingi wa maji.
Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied. Its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it spread them out.
6 Ndege wote wa angani wakaweka viota kwenye vitawi vyake, wanyama wote wa shambani wakazaana chini ya matawi yake, mataifa makubwa yote yaliishi chini ya kivuli chake.
All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs. Under its branches, all the animals of the field gave birth to their young. All great nations lived under its shadow.
7 Ulikuwa na fahari katika uzuri, ukiwa na matawi yaliyotanda, kwa kuwa mizizi yake ilikwenda chini mpaka kwenye maji mengi.
Thus it was beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters.
8 Mierezi katika bustani ya Mungu haikuweza kushindana nao, wala misunobari haikuweza kulingana na vitawi vyake, wala miaramoni haikulinganishwa na matawi yake, wala hakukuwa na mti katika bustani ya Mungu wa kulinganisha na uzuri wake.
The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it. The cypress trees were not like its branches. The pine trees were not like its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.
9 Niliufanya kuwa mzuri ukiwa na matawi mengi, ulionewa wivu na miti yote ya Edeni katika bustani ya Mungu.
I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied it.’
10 “‘Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Kwa sababu ulikuwa mrefu sana, kilele chake kikiwa juu ya majani manene ya miti na kwa sababu ulikuwa na kiburi cha urefu wake,
“Therefore thus said the Lord Yahweh: ‘Because he is exalted in stature, and he has set his top among the thick branches, and his heart is lifted up in his height,
11 niliutia mikononi mwa mtawala wa mataifa, ili yeye aushughulikie sawasawa na uovu wake. Nikaukatilia mbali,
I will deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations. He will surely deal with him. I have driven him out for his wickedness.
12 nayo mataifa mageni yaliyo makatili sana yaliukata huo mti na kuuacha. Matawi yake yalianguka juu ya milima na kwenye mabonde yote, vitawi vyake vikavunjika na kusambaa katika makorongo yote ya nchi. Mataifa yote ya duniani yakaondoka kutoka kwenye kivuli chake na kuuacha.
Foreigners, the tyrants of the nations, have cut him off and have left him. His branches have fallen on the mountains and in all the valleys, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land. All the peoples of the earth have gone down from his shadow and have left him.
13 Ndege wote wa angani wakakaa kwenye ule mti ulioanguka na wanyama pori wote wakakaa katikati ya vitawi vyake.
All the birds of the sky will dwell on his ruin, and all the animals of the field will be on his branches,
14 Kamwe hakutakuwa na miti mingine kando ya hayo maji itakayorefuka zaidi ya huo, vilele vyake vikiwa juu ya majani yote ya miti. Hakuna miti mingine, hata kama imekunywa maji vizuri namna gani, itakayofikia urefu huo. Yote mwisho wake ni kifo, na kuingia ardhini, kama vile ilivyo kwa wanadamu, pamoja na wale waendao shimoni.
to the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, and don’t set their top among the thick boughs. Their mighty ones don’t stand up on their height, even all who drink water; for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, among the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.’
15 “‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Katika siku ile mwerezi uliposhushwa chini kaburini nilizifunika chemchemi zenye maji mengi kwa maombolezo: Nilivizuia vijito vyake na wingi wa maji yake nikauzuia. Kwa sababu yake niliivika Lebanoni huzuni, nayo miti yote ya shambani ikanyauka. (Sheol )
“The Lord Yahweh says: ‘In the day when he went down to Sheol, I caused a mourning. I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers. The great waters were stopped. I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him. (Sheol )
16 Niliyafanya mataifa yatetemeke kwa kishindo cha kuanguka kwake wakati nilipoushusha chini kaburini pamoja na wale washukao shimoni. Ndipo miti yote ya Edeni, miti iliyo bora kuliko yote na iliyo mizuri sana ya Lebanoni, miti yote ile iliyokunywa maji vizuri, ilifarijika hapa duniani. (Sheol )
I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit. All the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth. (Sheol )
17 Wale walioishi katika kivuli chake, wale walioungana naye miongoni mwa mataifa, nao pia walikuwa wamezikwa pamoja naye, wakiungana na wale waliouawa kwa upanga. (Sheol )
They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, who lived under his shadow in the middle of the nations. (Sheol )
18 “‘Ni miti ipi ya Edeni inayoweza kulinganishwa nawe kwa fahari na utukufu? Hata hivyo, wewe pia, utashushwa chini pamoja na miti ya Edeni mpaka kuzimu, utalala miongoni mwa wasiotahiriwa, pamoja na wale waliouawa kwa upanga. “‘Huyu ni Farao pamoja na makundi yake yote ya wajeuri, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’” ()
“‘To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth. You will lie in the middle of the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword. “‘This is Pharaoh and all his multitude,’ says the Lord Yahweh.”