Ezekieli 18
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia tena, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Je mnamaana gani, ninyi mliotumia hii mithali kuhusiana na nchi ya Israeli na kusema, 'Wababa wamekula zabibu mbichi, na meno ya watoto imetiwa ganzi'?
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
3 Kama nishivyo-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-bila shaka hakutakuwa na fursa yoyote tena kwa ajili yenu kuitumia hii mithali katika Israeli.
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
4 Tazama! Kila uhai ni mali yangu-uhai wa baba na uhai wa mwana pia, ni mali yangu! roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa!
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
5 Itasemwaje kuhusu mtu mwenye haki na achukuaye yaliyo halali na haki-
Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
6 kama asipokula juu ya milima au kuinua macho yake kwa sananmu za nyumba ya Israeli, na hakumnajisi mke wa jirani yake, wala kumsemesha mwanamke katika kipindi chake cha mwezi, je! Yu mwenye haki?
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
7 Je! Itasemwaje kuhusu mtu ambaye hakumkandamiza yeyote, na kumrudisha mdeni wake kwa kile kilichokuwa kimewekwa kwa ajili ya rehani, na hakuiba lakini kuwapatia chakula wenye njaa na kuwafunika uchi kwa nguo, je yu mwenye haki?
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
8 Je! Itasemwaje kuhusu mtu ambaye hakuchukua faida kubwa kwa ile pesa aliyokopa, na hakuchukua faida kubwa kwa kile alichokiuza?
He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
9 Amesemwa kwamba amechukua yaliyo halali na kuimarisha uaminifu kati ya watu. Kama huyo mtu akitembea katika sheria zangu na kuzishika hukumu zangu kufanya kwa uaminifu, kisha ahadi kwa ajili ya mtu mwenye haki ni hii: Ataishi hakika! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.
He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
10 Lakini akizaa mwana mnyang'anyi mmwaga damu na kufanya mengi katika haya mambo kama yalivyotajwa hapa,
Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
11 hata kama baba yake hakufanya mojawapo katika haya mambo, lakini akala juu ya milima na akamnajisi mke wa jirani yake, Je! itasemwaje juu yake?
though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 Huyu mtu huwakandamiza maskini na wahitaji, na huwakamata na kuwanyang'anya, na hawarudishii dhamana, na huyanua macho yake kwa sanamu na kufanya matendo maovu,
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
13 na hukopesha pesa kwa faida ya juu sana na kufanya faida kubwa juu ya anachokiuza, Je! huyo mtu ataishi? Hakika hataishi! Atakufa hakika na damu yake itakuwa juu yake kwa sababu amefanya haya mambo ya chuki.
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
14 Lakini Tazama! tuseme kuna mtu aliyezaa mwana, na mwana wake huona dhambi zote za baba yake alizozifanya, na kupitia kuziona, hakuyafanya hayo mambo.
Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
15 Huyo mwana hakula juu ya milima, na hakuinua macho yake kwa sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli, na hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake, Je! itasemwaje juu yake?
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 Yule mwana hakumkandamiza yeyote, au kutwaa dhamana, au kupoteza vitu, lakini badala yake kutoa chakula chake kwa wenye njaa na kuwafunika wenye uchi kwa nguo.
He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
17 Huyo mwana hakumkandamiza yeyote au au kuchukua faida ambayo ni ya juu sana au kufanya manufaa kwa ajili ya mkopo, lakini ameyashika maagizo yangu na kuenenda sawa sawa na sheria zangu; huyo mwana hatakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi za baba yake: Ataishi hakika!
He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.
18 Baba yake, kwa kuwa aliwakandamiza wengine kwa nguvu nyingi na kumnyang'anya ndugu yake, na kufanya yasiyo mema miongoni mwa watu wake-tazama, atakufa katika uovu wake.
As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.
19 Lakini ninyi husema, 'Kwa nini mwana asibebe uovu wa baba yake?' Kwa sababu mwana hubeba yaliyo halali na haki na kuzitunza amri zangu; huzifanya. Ataishi hakika!
Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.
20 Yule atendaye dhambi, ndiye ambaye atakufa. Mwana hatabeba uovu wa baba yake, na baba hatabeba uovu wa mwana wake. Haki ya yule atendaye haki itakuwa juu yakwe mwenyewe, na uovu wa mwenye uovu utakuwa juu yake mwenyewe.
The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
21 Lakini kama mwovu ageukapo kutoka dhambi zake zote alizofanya, na kuzitunza sheria zangu zote na kufanya yaliyo halali na haki, kisha hakika ataishi na hatakufa.
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
22 Makosa yote aliyoyafanya hayatakumbukwa juu yake. Ataishi kwa hiyo haki aliyoitenda.
None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
23 Je! Nitafurahia juu ya kifo cha mwovu-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-na sio katika kugeuka kwake kutoka njia yake ili kwamba aweze kuishi?
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
24 Lakini kama mtu mwenye haki ageukapo kutoka kwenye haki yake na kufanya maovu na kutenda machukizo kama machukizo yote ambayo mtu mwovu afanyayo, basi ataishi? Haki yake yote aliyoifanya haitakumbukwa wakati atakaponisaliti katika uhaini wake. Hivyo atakufa katika dhambi alizofanya.
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
25 Lakini ninyi husema, 'Njia ya Bwana si sawa!' sikilizeni, nyumba ya Israeli! Je njia zangu haziko sawa? Je si njia ambazo haziko sawa?
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
26 Wakati mtu mwenye haki ageukapo kutoka kwenye makosa yake, na kufanya maovu na kufa kwa sababu ya hayo, kisha atakufa katika uovu ambao alioufanya.
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
27 Lakini wakati mtu mwovu ageukapo kutoka uovu wake alioufanya na kufanya yaliyo halali na haki, kisha ataulinda uhai wake.
But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
28 Kwa kuwa ameona na kugeuka kutokana na makosa yake yote ambayo aliyoyafanya. Hakika ataishi, na hatakufa.
Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
29 Lakini nyumba ya Israeli husema, 'Njia ya Bwana haiko sawa!' Ni namna gani njia zangu si sawa, nyumba ya Israeli? Ni njia zenu ndizo si sawa.
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 Kwa hiyo nitamuhukumu kila mtu miongoni mwenu kulingana na njia zake, nyumba ya Israeli! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo. Tubuni na rudini kutoka kwenye makosa yenu yote ili kwamba wasiwe kikwazo cha uovu dhidi yenu.
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
31 Tupilia mbali makosa yenu yote mliyoyafanya; jifanyieni moyo mpya na roho mpya. Kwa nini mfe, nyumba ya Israeli?
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 Kwa kuwa sifurahii kifo cha yule afaye-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-hivyo tubuni na muishi!”
For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
