< Ezekieli 17 >
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili na sema fumbo kwa nyumba ya Israeli.
“Son of man, present a riddle and speak a parable to the house 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, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: A large eagle with large wings and long pinions, full of feathers, and that was multicolored went to Lebanon and took hold of the top of a cedar tree.
4 Akakata ncha za matawi na kuzichukua hata nchi ya Kanaani; akaipanda katika mji wa manahodha.
It broke off the tips of the branches and took them to the land of Canaan; he planted it in a city of merchants.
5 Pia akachukua mbegu ya nchi na kuipanda katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akaiweka kando ya maji mengi kama mti umeao karibu na maji.
He also took some seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil. He placed it beside a large body of water like a willow.
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.
Then it sprouted and became a spreading vine low to the ground. Its branches turned toward him, and its roots grew under it. So it became a vine and produced branches and sent out shoots.
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 great eagle with large wings and many feathers. Behold! This vine turned its roots toward the eagle, and it spread out its branches toward the eagle from the place it had been planted so it would be watered.
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa kwenye udongo mzuri kando ya maji mengi hivyo ungezaa matawi na kuanza kutoa matunda, ili kuwa mzabibu mzuri kabisa.'
It had been planted in good soil beside a large body of water so it would produce branches and sprout fruit, to become a magnificent 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.
Say to the people, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: Will it prosper? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it withers, and all its fresh growth will wither? No strong arm or many people will be needed 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.”'
So behold! After it has been planted, will it grow? Will it not wither when the eastern wind touches it? It will completely wither away in the garden plot where it sprouted.'”
11 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
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.
“Speak to the rebellious house, 'Do you not know what these things mean? Behold! The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and took her king and her princes and brought them to him in 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 a royal descendant, made a covenant with him, and brought him under an oath. He took away the powerful people of the land,
14 basi ufalme uwe duni na usijiinue wenyewe. Kwa kulitunza agano lake nchi itaokoka.
so the kingdom might become lowly and not lift itself up. By keeping his covenant the land will survive.
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 Jerusalem rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt to acquire horses and an army. Will he succeed? Will the one doing these things escape? If he breaks the covenant, will he 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.
As I live!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—he will surely die in the land of the king who made him king, the king whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke. He will die in the middle of Babylon.
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.
Pharaoh with his mighty army and a great company of men will not help him in battle, when ramps are constructed and siege walls are built up to cut off many lives.
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.
For the king despised his oath by breaking the covenant. Behold, he reached out with his hand to make a promise and yet he did all these things. He will not escape.
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 the Lord Yahweh says this: As I live, was it not my oath that he despised and my covenant that he broke? So I will bring his punishment on his head!
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!
I will spread my net out over him, and he will be caught in my hunting net. Then I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment on him there for his treason that he committed when he betrayed 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.”
All of his refugees in his armies will fall by the sword, and the ones who remain will be scattered in every direction. Then you will know that I am Yahweh; I have declared this would happen.”
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.
The Lord Yahweh says this, 'So I myself will take away the highest part of the cedar tree, and I will plant it away from its tender branches. I will break it off, and I myself will plant it on a high 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.
I will plant it on the mountains of Israel so it will bear branches and produce fruit, and it will become a majestic cedar so that every winged bird will live under it. They will nest in the shade of 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.'”
Then all the trees of the field will know that I am Yahweh. I bring down the high trees and I raise up the low trees. I wither the watered tree and I cause the dried tree to bloom. I am Yahweh, I have declared that this will happen; and I have done it.'”