Ezekieli 17
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili na sema fumbo kwa nyumba ya Israeli.
'Son of man, put forth a riddle, and use a simile unto 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.
and thou hast said: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: The great eagle, great-winged, long-pinioned, Full of feathers, that hath diverse colours, Hath come in unto Lebanon, And it taketh the foliage of the cedar,
4 Akakata ncha za matawi na kuzichukua hata nchi ya Kanaani; akaipanda katika mji wa manahodha.
The top of its tender twigs it hath cropped, And it bringeth it in to the land of Canaan. In a city of merchants it hath placed it.
5 Pia akachukua mbegu ya nchi na kuipanda katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akaiweka kando ya maji mengi kama mti umeao karibu na maji.
And it taketh of the seed of the land, And doth put it in a field of seed, To take by many waters, In a conspicuous place it hath set it.
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.
And it springeth up, and becometh a spreading vine, humble of stature, To turn its thin shoots toward itself, And its roots are under it, And it becometh a vine, and maketh boughs, And sendeth forth beauteous branches.
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.
And there is another great eagle, Great-winged, and abounding with feathers, And lo, this vine hath bent its roots toward him, And its thin shoots it hath sent out toward him, To water it from the furrows of its planting,
8 Ulikuwa umepandwa kwenye udongo mzuri kando ya maji mengi hivyo ungezaa matawi na kuanza kutoa matunda, ili kuwa mzabibu mzuri kabisa.'
On a good field, by many waters, it is planted, To make branches, and to bear fruit, To be for an goodly 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: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: It prospereth — its roots doth he not draw out, And its fruit cut off, and it is withered? [In] all the leaves of its springing it withereth, And not by great strength, and by a numerous people, To lift it up by its roots.
10 Basi tazama! Baada ya kuwa umepandwa, je utakuwa? Je hautanyauka wakati upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga? Utanyauka kabisa katika kiwanja chake.”'
And lo, the planted thing — doth it prosper? When come against it doth the east wind, Doth it not utterly wither? On the furrows of its springing it withereth.'
11 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
And there is a word of Jehovah unto 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.
'Say, I pray thee, to the rebellious house, Have ye not known what these [are]? Say, Lo, come hath the king of Babylon to Jerusalem, And he taketh its king, and its princes, And bringeth them to himself to Babylon.
13 Kisha akauchukua ukoo wa kifalme, akafanya agano pamoja naye, na kumleta chini ya kiapo. Akawachukua watu wa nchi wenye nguvu,
And he taketh of the seed of the kingdom, And maketh with him a covenant, And bringeth him in to an oath, And the mighty of the land he hath taken,
14 basi ufalme uwe duni na usijiinue wenyewe. Kwa kulitunza agano lake nchi itaokoka.
That the kingdom may be humble, That it may not lift itself up, To keep his covenant — that it may stand.
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?
And he rebelleth against him, To send his messengers to Egypt, To give to him horses, and much people, Doth he prosper? doth he escape who is doing these things? And hath he broken covenant and escaped?
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 live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Doth he not — in the place of the king who is causing him to reign, Whose oath he hath despised, And whose covenant he hath broken, With him — in the midst of Babylon — die?
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.
And not with a great force, and with a numerous assembly, Doth Pharaoh maintain him in battle, By pouring out a mount, and in building a fortification, To cut off many souls.
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.
And he despised the oath — to break covenant, And lo, he hath given his hand, And all these he hath done, he escapeth not.
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, thus said the Lord Jehovah: I live — Mine oath that he hath despised, And My covenant that he hath broken, Have I not put it 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!
And I have spread out for him My snare, And he hath been caught in My net, And I have brought him in to Babylon, And pleaded with him there his trespass, That he hath trespassed 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.”
And all his fugitives, with all his bands, By sword do fall, and those remaining, To every wind they are spread out, And ye have known that I, Jehovah, have spoken.
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.
Thus said the Lord Jehovah: I have taken of the foliage of the high cedar, And I have set [it], From the top of its tender shoots a tender one I crop, And I — I have planted [it] on a mountain high and lofty.
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.
In a mountain — the high place of Israel, I plant it, And it hath borne boughs, and yielded fruit, And become a goodly cedar, And dwelt under it have all birds of every wing, In the shade of its thin shoots they dwell.
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 known have all trees of the field That I, Jehovah, have made low the high tree, I have set on high the low tree, I have dried up the moist tree, And I have caused the dry tree to flourish, I, Jehovah, have spoken, and have done [it]!'
