Ezekieli 8
1 Katika siku ya tano ya mwezi wa sita mwaka wa sita, baada ya kupelekwa uhamishoni nilipokuwa nimeketi katika nyumba yangu na wazee wa Yuda walikuwa wameketi mbele yangu, mkono wa Bwana Mwenyezi ulikuja juu yangu.
And it happened that, in the sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth of the month, I was sitting in my house, and the elders of Judah were sitting before me, and the hand of the Lord God fell upon me there.
2 Nikatazama, nikaona umbo mfano wa mwanadamu. Kutokana na kile kilichoonekana kuwa kiuno chake kuelekea chini alifanana na moto. Kuanzia kwenye kiuno kuelekea juu sura yake kama chuma kingʼaavyo kikiwa ndani ya moto.
And I saw, and behold, there was an image with the appearance of fire. From the appearance of his waist, and downward, there was fire. And from his waist, and upward, there was the appearance of splendor, like the sight of amber.
3 Akanyoosha kitu kilichoonekana kama mkono, akaniinua kwa kushika nywele za kichwa changu. Roho akaniinua juu kati ya nchi na mbingu nikiwa katika maono ya Mungu akanichukua mpaka Yerusalemu, kwenye ingilio la lango la upande wa kaskazini ya ukumbi wa ndani, mahali iliposimama ile sanamu ichocheayo wivu.
And as the image of a hand went out, it took hold of me by a lock of my head. And the Spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven. And he brought me into Jerusalem, within a vision of God, next to the inner gate that looked toward the north, where there was stationed an idol of rivalry, so as to provoke an envious emulation.
4 Hapo mbele yangu palikuwa na utukufu wa Mungu wa Israeli, kama utukufu ule niliouona katika maono kule ua wa ndani.
And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, in accord with the vision that I had seen in the plain.
5 Kisha akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, tazama kuelekea kaskazini.” Hivyo nikatazama na kwenye ingilio upande wa kaskazini wa lango la madhabahu, nikaona sanamu hii ya wivu.
And he said to me: “Son of man, lift up your eyes to the way of the north.” And I lifted up my eyes to the way of the north. And behold, from the north of the gate of the altar was the idol of rivalry, at the same entrance.
6 Ndipo akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, je, unaona yale wanayofanya, haya mambo ya machukizo kabisa nyumba ya Israeli wanayotenda hapa, ambayo yatanifanya niende mbali na mahali pangu patakatifu? Lakini utaona vitu ambavyo vinachukiza zaidi hata kuliko hivi.”
And he said to me: “Son of man, you see what these ones are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel is committing here. Do you not think, then, that I should withdraw far away from my own sanctuary? But if you turn again, you will see even greater abominations.”
7 Kisha akanileta mpaka ingilio la ukumbi. Nikatazama, nami nikaona tundu ukutani.
And he led me in by the door of the atrium. And I saw, and behold, there was an opening in the wall.
8 Akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, sasa toboa kwenye ukuta huu.” Ndipo nikatoboa ule ukuta, nikaona hapo pana mlango.
And he said to me: “Son of man, dig in the wall.” And when I had dug in the wall, there appeared one door.
9 Naye akaniambia, “Ingia ndani, ukaone maovu na machukizo wanayofanya humu.”
And he said to me: “Enter and see the most wicked abominations which they are committing here.”
10 Hivyo nikaingia ndani na kutazama, nikaona kuta zote zimechorwa kila aina ya vitu vitambaavyo na ya wanyama wachukizao wa kila aina na sanamu zote za nyumba ya Israeli.
And entering, I saw, and behold, every kind of image of reptiles and animals, the abominations, and all of the idols of the house of Israel were depicted on the wall all around, throughout the entire place.
11 Mbele yao walisimama wazee sabini wa nyumba ya Israeli, naye Yaazania mwana wa Shafani alikuwa amesimama miongoni mwao. Kila mmoja alikuwa na chetezo mkononi na moshi wa harufu nzuri ya uvumba ulikuwa unapanda juu.
And there were seventy men out of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah, the son of Shaphan, standing in their midst, and they stood before the pictures. And each one had a censer in his hand. And a cloud of smoke rose up from the incense.
12 Akaniambia, “Mwanadamu, umeona wanayoyafanya wazee wa nyumba ya Israeli gizani, kila mmoja kwenye sehemu yake mwenyewe ya kufanyia ibada za sanamu yake? Wao husema, ‘Bwana hatuoni, Bwana ameiacha nchi.’”
And he said to me: “Certainly, son of man, you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each one while hidden in his chamber. For they say: ‘The Lord does not see us. The Lord has forsaken the earth.’”
13 Akasema tena, “Bado utaona machukizo wanayofanya ambayo ni makubwa kuliko haya.”
And he said to me: “If you turn again, you will see even greater abominations, which these ones are committing.”
14 Ndipo akanileta mpaka ingilio la lango la kaskazini la nyumba ya Bwana, nami nikaona wanawake wameketi hapo, wakimwombolezea Tamuzi.
And he led me in through the door of the gate of the Lord’s house, which looked toward the north. And behold, women were sitting there, mourning for Adonis.
15 Akaniambia, “Unaliona hili, mwanadamu? Utaona vitu ambavyo ni machukizo kuliko hili.”
And he said to me: “Certainly, son of man, you have seen. But if you turn again, you will see even greater abominations than these.”
16 Ndipo akanileta mpaka kwenye ukumbi wa ndani wa nyumba ya Bwana, nako huko katika ingilio la Hekalu, kati ya baraza na madhabahu, walikuwepo wanaume wapatao ishirini na watano. Wakiwa wamelipa kisogo Hekalu la Bwana na kuelekeza nyuso zao upande wa mashariki, wakilisujudia jua huko mashariki.
And he led me into the inner atrium of the house of the Lord. And behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the vestibule and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east. And they were adoring toward the rising of the Sun.
17 Akaniambia, “Je, umeona hili mwanadamu? Je, ni jambo dogo sana kwa nyumba ya Yuda kufanya machukizo wanayoyafanya hapa? Je, ni lazima pia waijaze nchi dhuluma na kuendelea siku zote kunikasirisha? Watazame wanavyonibania pua kana kwamba ninanuka!
And he said to me: “Certainly, son of man, you have seen. Can this be so trivial to the house of Judah, when they commit these abominations, just as they have committed here, that, having filled the earth with iniquity, they now turn to provoke me? And behold, they are applying a branch to their nose.
18 Kwa hiyo nitashughulika nao kwa hasira, sitawaonea huruma wala kuwaachilia. Wajapopiga makelele masikioni mwangu, sitawasikiliza.”
Therefore, I also will act toward them in my fury. My eye will not be lenient, nor will I take pity. And when they will have cried out to my ears with a loud voice, I will not heed them.”
