Ezekieli 17
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili na sema fumbo kwa nyumba ya Israeli.
“You human, tell this story/parable [DOU] to the people [MTY] of Israel.
3 Sema, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Tai mkubwa pamoja na mabawa makubwa na vipapatio virefu, mwenye kujaa manyoya, na aliyekuwa na rangi nyingi alienda Lebanoni na kuchukua kilele cha mti wa mkangazi.
[Say to them, ] ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: A huge eagle that had strong wings and long beautiful feathers of many colors flew to Lebanon. It grasped the top of a cedar [tree]
4 Akakata ncha za matawi na kuzichukua hata nchi ya Kanaani; akaipanda katika mji wa manahodha.
and broke it off. Then the eagle carried it away to [Babylonia], a country that had many merchants/businessmen, and planted it in one of the cities there.
5 Pia akachukua mbegu ya nchi na kuipanda katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akaiweka kando ya maji mengi kama mti umeao karibu na maji.
Then that eagle took a seedling from [your] country and planted it in a fertile field. He planted it like people plant a willow tree, alongside [a stream that had] plenty of water.
6 Kisha ukachipusha na mzabibu wenye kusambaa chini kwenye aridhi. Matawi yake yakamwelekea yeye, na mizizi yake ikakua chini yake. Hivyo ukawa mzabibu na kuzaa matawi na kutoa matawi.
It grew and became a low grapevine that spread [along the ground]. Its branches turned up towards the eagle, but its roots grew down into the ground. So it became a [good] vine and produced [lots of] branches and leaves.
7 Lakini kulikuwa na tai mwingine mkubwa wenye mabawa makubwa na manyoya mengi. Tazama! Huu mzabibu ukabadilisha mizizi yake kumwelekea tai, na ukasamabaza matawi yake kumwelekea tai kutoka mahali ulipokuwa umepandwa basi upate kumwagiliwa.
But there was another huge eagle that had strong wings and beautiful feathers. And [some of] the roots of the vine grew toward that eagle, and its branches [also] turned toward it, hoping that the eagle would bring more water to it.
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa kwenye udongo mzuri kando ya maji mengi hivyo ungezaa matawi na kuanza kutoa matunda, ili kuwa mzabibu mzuri kabisa.'
[That happened in spite of the fact that] the vine had [already] been planted in good soil, where there was plenty of water, with the result that it had produced branches and produced grapes and had become a very healthy/productive vine.’
9 Waambie watu, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Je! huo utafanikiwa? Je! Haitaing'oa mizizi yake na kuyakata matunda yake ili kwamba unyauke, na majani yake yote mabichi yanyauke? Hakuna jeshi imara au watu wengi watahitajika kuivuta kwa mizizi yake.
Then [after you have told that to the people, say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: That vine] will certainly not [RHQ] remain healthy/productive. It will be [RHQ] pulled up by its roots by the eagle [that planted it], and all its fruit will be stripped off and its leaves will wither. And it will not need someone with strong arms or many people to pull it out by its roots.
10 Basi tazama! Baada ya kuwa umepandwa, je utakuwa? Je hautanyauka wakati upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga? Utanyauka kabisa katika kiwanja chake.”'
Even if that vine is transplanted, it certainly will not continue to grow [RHQ]. When the hot wind from the east blows against it, it will completely wither, there where it was planted! [RHQ]’”
11 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
Then Yahweh gave this message to me:
12 “Waambie nyumba ya uasi, 'Je! hamjui haya mambo yana gana gani? Tazama! Mfalme wa Babeli amekuja Yerusalemu na kumchukua mfalme wake na wakuu wake na kuwaleta kwake mpaka Babebli.
“Ask these rebellious [Israeli] people, ‘Do you know what this parable/story means?’ Tell them that it signifies that the King of Babylon went to Jerusalem [with his army] and captured the King of Judah and his officials, and took them back to Babylon.
13 Kisha akauchukua ukoo wa kifalme, akafanya agano pamoja naye, na kumleta chini ya kiapo. Akawachukua watu wa nchi wenye nguvu,
Then he took one of the king’s close relatives [and appointed him to be the king], and made an agreement with him, forcing him to solemnly promise [to remain loyal]. The King of Babylon also took to Babylon the other important citizens of Judah,
14 basi ufalme uwe duni na usijiinue wenyewe. Kwa kulitunza agano lake nchi itaokoka.
in order that the kingdom of Judah would not be able to become powerful again. The King of Babylon intended that the kingdom [of Judah] would not continue to exist if the people did not obey that agreement [that he made with the King of Babylon].
15 Lakini mfalme wa Yerusalemu ameasi juu yake kwa kupeleka mabalozi kwenda Misri ili kujipatia farasi na jeshi. Je! Atafanikiwa? Je! yeye anayeyafanya haya mambo ataokoka?
But the King of Judah rebelled against the King of Babylon by sending officials to Egypt to request from them horses and a large army [to fight against the army of Babylonia]. But the King of Judah will certainly not [RHQ] be sucessful. Rulers who [rebel like that and] and refuse to obey solemn agreements will never [RHQ] escape.
16 Kama niishivyo! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-atakufa hakika katika nchi ya mfalme aliyemfanya mfalme, yule mfalme ambaye aliyekidharau kiapo chake, na ambaye aliyevunja agano lake. atakufa kati ya Babeli.
[I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that [as surely] as I am alive, the King of Judah will die in Babylon, in the city where the King of Babylon appointed him to be the King [MTY] [of Judah]. He will die because he despised the solemn agreement and refused to do what he promised to do.
17 Farao na jeshi lake lenye nguvu na kusanyiko la watu wengi kwa ajili ya vita hawatamlinda katika vita, wakati jeshi la Wababeli watakapojenga tuta la ngome na kuta za ngome ili kuyaharibu maisha ya wengi.
The King of Egypt with all his very huge army [DOU] will not [be able to] help the King of Judah: [The soldiers from Babylonia] will build ramps up against the walls of Jerusalem and set up devices to batter the walls. They will [enter Jerusalem and] kill many of its people.
18 Kwa kuwa mfalme amedharau kiapo chake kwa kulivunja agano. Tazama, ameunyoosha kwa mkono wake ili kufanya ahadi na bado ameyafanya haya mambo yote. Hataokoka.
The King of Judah despised the solemn agreement by disregarding the treaty. Although he had solemnly promised to be under the control of the King of Babylon, [he sent officials to request help from Egypt]. Therefore he will not escape being punished [by the King of Babylon].
19 Kwa hiyo Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Kama niishivyo, Je! hiki hakikuwa kiapo changu kwamba alidharau agano langu alilo livunja? Basi nitaleta nitamwadhibu juu ya kichwa chake!
Therefore this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: 'Just as surely as I am alive, I will cause the King of Judah to be punished [IDM] for ignoring the solemn agreement that he made [with the King of Babylon] and then refusing to obey it.
20 Nitausambaza wavu wangu juu yake, na atanaswa katika wavu wangu wa kutegea. Kisha nitamleta hata Babeli na kuzitekeleza hukumu juu yake huko kwa ajili ya uhaini wake alioufanya amenisaliti!
[It will be as though] I will spread a net to capture him, and he will be caught in it. He will [be captured and] taken to Babylon and punished because he rebelled against me.
21 Wakimbizi wake wote katika majeshi yake yataanguka kwa upanga, na wale watakaobakia watatawanyika kila mahali. Kisha utajua yakwamba mimi ni Yahwe; nimesema hili litatokea.”
Most [HYP] of his soldiers who try to escape will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who survive will be scattered in all directions. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].'”
22 Bwana Yahwe asema hivi, 'Basi mimi mwenyewe nitaichukua sehemu ya juu ya mti wa mkangazi, na nitaupanda mbali na matawi yake laini. Nitaukata, na mimi mwenyewe nitaupanda juu ya mlima mrefu.
This is [also] what Yahweh the Lord says: “[It will be as though] I will take a shoot from the top of a very tall cedar [tree] and plant it [DOU] in another place. I will plant it on a very high [DOU] mountain.
23 Nitaupanda juu ya milima ya Israeli hivyo utazaa matawi na kuzaa matunda, na utakuwa mkangazi wa fahari ili kwamba kila ndege arukaye ataishi chini ya huo. Watajenga viota chini ya kivuli cha matawi yake.
[It will be as though] I will plant it on a mountain in Israel, and it will grow and become a beautiful cedar [tree]. Many [HYP] kinds of birds will make their nests in the tree, and they will have shade in its branches.
24 Kisha miti yote ya shambani itajua kwamba mimi ni Yahwe. Nimeishusha miti mirefu na nimeiinua juu miti mifupi. Naunyausha mti mbichi na kuufanya mti mkavu kuchanua. Mimi Yahwe, nimesema hivyo hii itatokea; nami nimelifanya hili.'”
And [it will be as though] all the trees in the field will know that I, Yahweh, get rid of tall trees and make little ones grow. I cause [big] green trees to wither, and I cause dry trees to become green. I, Yahweh have said this, and I will [certainly] do what I have said that I will do.”
