Ezekieli 15

1 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, liksema,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2 “Mwanadamu, je ni jisni gani mzabibu ulivo bora kuliko mti na matawi yaliyomo kwenye miti katika msitu?

Son of man, what shall be made of the wood of the vine, out of all the trees of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

3 Je watu huwa wanachukua mbao kutoka kwenye mzabbibu kufanyia chochote? au huwa wanatengenezea vitu kutokana na huo kuning'iniza chochote juu ya huo?

Shall wood be taken of if, to do any work, or shall a pin be made of it for any vessel to hang thereon?

4 Tazama! Kama umetupwa kwenye moto kama kuni, na kama moto umezichoma ncha zake zote na katikati pia, je unafaa kwa chochote?

Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath consumed both ends thereof, and the midst thereof is reduced to ashes: shall it be useful for any work?

5 Tazama! Wakati ulipokuwa umekamilika, haukuweza kufanya chochote; kisha hakika, wakati moto ulipouchoma, lakini bado haukuweza kutengeneza kitu chochote kwa ajili ya matumizi yoyote.

Even when it was whole it was not fit for work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured and consumed it, shall any work be made of it?

6 Kwa hiyo Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: haufanani na miti katika misitu, niliyoitoa mzabibu kama kuni kwa moto; nitatenda vivyo hivyo mbele ya wakaao Yerusalemu.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: As the vine tree among the trees of the forests which I have given to the fire to be consumed, so will I deliver up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 Kwa kuwa nitauweka uso wangu juu yao. Ingawa watatoka kutoka kwenye moto, bado moto utawala; hivyo mtajua kwamba mimi ni Yahwe, wakati nitakapoona uso wangu juu yenu.

And I will set my face against them: they shall go out from fire, and fire shall consume them: and you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall have set my face against them.

8 Kisha nitaifanya nchi kuwa ukiwa kwa sababu wamefanya dhambi-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.”

And I shall have made their land a wilderness, and desolate, because they have been transgressors, saith the Lord God.