Ezekieli 14
1 Baadhi ya viongozi wa Israeli wakaja kwangu na kuketi mbele yangu.
Then came there unto me certain men of the elders of Israel, and sat down before me.
2 Ndipo neno la Yahwe likanijia, likisema,
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
3 “Mwanadamu, hawa watu wamchukua sanamu zao kwenye mioyo yao na kuweka pingamizi la uovu wao mbele ya nyuso zao wenyewe. Je naweza kuulizwa yote na wao?
Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and the stumbling-block of their iniquity have they placed before their faces: shall I in any wise let myself be inquired of by them?
4 Kwa hiyo watangazie hivi na waambie, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Kila mtu wa nyumba ya Israeli achukuaye sanamu moyoni mwake, au awekeye pingamizi la uovu mbele ya uso wake, na kisha yule ajaye kwa nabii-Mimi, Yahwe, nitamjibu kulingana na sanamu zake.
Therefore speak with them and say unto them, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Whatever man it be of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and layeth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet: I the Lord will answer him, although he cometh with the multitude of his idols;
5 Nitafanya hivi ili kwamba niweze kuirudisha nyumba ya Israeli katika mioyo yao ambayo ilikuwa mbali nami kwa ajili ya sanamu zao.'
In order that I may grasp the house of Israel by their heart, those who are separated from me through all their idols.
6 Kwa hiyo sema kwa nyumba ya Israeli, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Tubuni na rudini kutoka kwenye sanamu zenu! Rudisheni nyuma nyuso zenu kutoka kwenye kachukizo yenu yote.
Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Return, and cause [your heart] to turn away from your idols: and from all your abominations turn away your faces.
7 Kwa kuwa kila mmoja kutoka kwenye nyumba ya Israeli na kila mmoja wa wageni wanaoishi katika Israeli ajitengaye nami, achukuaye sanamu zake kwenye moyo wake na kuweka kwazo la uovu wake mbele ya uso wake mwenyewe, na kisha yule ajaye kwa nabii kunitafuta-mimi, Yahwe, nitamjibu mimi mwenyewe.
For whatever man it be of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, that separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and layeth the stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and then cometh to the prophet to inquire through him of me: I the Lord will answer him through my word;
8 Hivyo nitauweka uso wangu juu ya huyo mtu na kumfanya ishara na mithali, kwa kuwa nitamkata kutoka kati ya watu wangu, na mtajua kuwa mimi ni Yahwe.
And I will set my face against that man, and will make him an astonishment for a sign and for proverbs, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.
9 Kama nabii atadanganywa na kuongea ujumbe, kisha Mimi Yahwe, nitamdanganya huyo nabii; Nitanyoosha mkono wangu na kumwangamizaku toka kati watu wangu Israeli.
And when the prophet suffereth himself to be deceived, and he speaketh a word: I the Lord have suffered that prophet to be deceived: and I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
10 Watabeba uovu wao wenyewe; uwovu wa nabii utakua uleule kama uovu wa yule aulizaye kutoka kwake.
And they shall bear their guilt: as the guilt of the inquirer is, so shall the guilt of the prophet be;
11 Kwa sababu hiyo basi, nyumba ya Israeli haitaenda mbali kutoka kunifuata mimi wala kujinajisi wenyewe kupitia dhambi zao zote. Watakuwa watu wangu, nami nitakuwa Mungu wao-hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo.”'
In order that the house of Israel may go no more astray by not following me, and not pollute themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may become unto me a people, and I may be unto them a God, saith the Lord Eternal.
12 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, likisema,
And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
13 “Mwanadamu, wakati nchi itakapo asi dhidi yangu kwa kufanya dhambi ili kwamba ninyooshe mkono wangu dhidi yake na kuvunja tegemea la mkate wake, na kuleta njaa juu yake na kukata mnyama kutoka kwenye nchi;
Son of man, if a land should sin against me by trespassing grievously, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break unto it the staff of bread, and send out famine against it, and cut off from it man and beast;
14 kisha hata kama hawa watu watatu-Nuhu, Danieli, na Ayubu-walikuwa katikati ya nchi, wangeweza kuokoa maisha yao wenyewe kwa haki-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.
And if there be these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, in the midst of it: these through their righteousness should save but their own soul; saith the Lord Eternal.
15 Kama nikileta wanyama waovu kwenye nchi na kuwafanya wasizae hivyo basi itakuwa hakuna mtu asiweze kupita kwa sababu ya hao wanyama,
If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they depopulate it, and it becometh desolate, without any one to pass through because of the beasts:
16 kisha hata kama watu hawa hawa watatu ndani yake-kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Yahwe-wasingeweza kuwaokoa hata watoto wao wala binti; isipokuwa maisha yao yataokoka, lakini nchi itakuwa ukiwa.
These three men [if they were] in it, as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, should not save either sons or daughters: they only should be saved, but the land should be made desolate.
17 Au nikileta upanga juu ya hiyo nchi na kusema, 'Upanga, nenda kwenye nchi na wakate wote mtu na mnyama kutoka huo',
Or, if I should bring a sword over that land, and say, The sword shall pass through the land, and I cut off from it man and beast;
18 kisha hata kama hawa watu watatu watakuwa katikatai ya nchi-kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Yahwe-wasingeweza kuwaokoa japo watoto wao wala binti; ila tu maisha yao wenyewe yangeokolewa.
And if these three men should be in it: as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, they should not save either sons or daughters, but they alone should be saved.
19 Au kama nikipeleka tauni juu ya nchi na kumwaga dhahabu yangu juu yake kwa damu, ili kuwakata mtu na mnyama,
Or, if I should send out the pestilence against that land, and pour out my fury over it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast;
20 kisha hata kama Nuhu, Danieli, na Ayubu wangekuwa kwenye hiyo nchi-kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Yahwe-wasingeweza kuokoa hata watoto wao au binti; maisha yao pekee yangeokoka kwa haki.
And if Noah, Daniel, and Job, should be in the midst of it: as I live, saith the Lord Eternal, they should not save either son or daughter; they through their righteousness should save their own soul.
21 Kwa kuwa Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: hakika nitafanya mambo makali sana kwa kuleta adhabu zangu nne-njaa, upanga, wanyama wa porini, na tauni-juu ya Yerusalemu kuwakata wote mtu na mnyama kutoka kwake.
For thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Although I send my four dreadful means of punishment over Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the wild beasts, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast:
22 Kisha, tazama! mabaki yatasalia kwake, watakaokoka wataenda pamoja na wana na binti. Tazama! Watawatokea, na mtaona njia zao na matendo yao yakiwafariji kuhusu adhabu niliyoipeleka Yerusalemu, na kuhusu kila kitu kingine ambacho nilichopeleka juu ya nchi.
Still, behold, there are left therein some that escape who shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters; behold, they are coming forth unto you, and ye will see their way and their doings; and then will ye be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, yea, concerning all that I have brought upon it;
23 Waliokoka watawafariji ninyi mtakapoona njia zao na matendo yao, hivyo mtayajua haya mambo niliyoyafanya juu yake, kwamba sijayafanya bure! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.”
And they will comfort you, when ye see their way and their doings; and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have executed in it, saith the Lord Eternal.
