Ezekieli 18
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia tena, kusema,
'And there is a word of Jehovah unto 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 — to you, ye — using this simile Concerning the ground of Israel, saying: Fathers do eat unripe fruit, And the sons' teeth are blunted?
3 Kama nishivyo-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-bila shaka hakutakuwa na fursa yoyote tena kwa ajili yenu kuitumia hii mithali katika Israeli.
I live — an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Ye have no more the use of this simile 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!
Lo, all the souls are Mine, As the soul of the father, So also the soul of the son — they are Mine, The soul that is sinning — it doth die.
5 Itasemwaje kuhusu mtu mwenye haki na achukuaye yaliyo halali na haki-
And a man, when he is righteous, And hath done judgment and righteousness,
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?
On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, And the wife of his neighbour defiled not, And to a separated woman cometh not near,
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?
A man — he doth not oppress, His pledge to the debtor he doth return, Plunder he doth not take away, His bread to the hungry he doth give, And the naked doth cover with a garment,
8 Je! Itasemwaje kuhusu mtu ambaye hakuchukua faida kubwa kwa ile pesa aliyokopa, na hakuchukua faida kubwa kwa kile alichokiuza?
In usury he doth not give, and increase taketh not, From perversity he turneth back his hand, True judgment he doth between man and man.
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.
In My statutes he doth walk, And My judgments he hath kept — to deal truly, Righteous [is] he, he surely liveth, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
10 Lakini akizaa mwana mnyang'anyi mmwaga damu na kufanya mengi katika haya mambo kama yalivyotajwa hapa,
And — he hath begotten a son, A burglar — a shedder of blood, And he hath made a brother of one of these,
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?
And he all those hath not done, For even on the mountains he hath eaten, And the wife of his neighbour he hath defiled,
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,
The afflicted and needy he hath oppressed, Plunder he hath taken violently away, A pledge he doth not return, And unto the idols he hath lifted up his eyes, Abomination he hath done!
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.
In usury he hath given, and increase taken, And he liveth: he doth not live, All these abominations he hath done, He doth surely die, his blood is on him.
14 Lakini Tazama! tuseme kuna mtu aliyezaa mwana, na mwana wake huona dhambi zote za baba yake alizozifanya, na kupitia kuziona, hakuyafanya hayo mambo.
And — lo, he hath begotten a son, And he seeth all the sins of his father, That he hath done, and he feareth, And doth not do like them,
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?
On the mountains he hath not eaten, And his eyes he hath not lifted up Unto idols of the house of Israel, The wife of his neighbour he hath not defiled,
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.
A man — he hath not oppressed, A pledge he hath not bound, And plunder he hath not taken away, His bread to the hungry he hath given, And the naked he covered with a garment,
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!
From the afflicted he hath turned back his hand, Usury and increase he hath not taken, My judgments he hath done, In My statutes he hath walked, He doth not die for the iniquity of his father, He doth 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.
His father — because he used oppression, Did violently Plunder a brother, And that which [is] not good did in the midst of his people, And lo, he is dying in his iniquity.
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!
And ye have said, Wherefore hath not the son, Borne of the iniquity of the father? And — the son judgment and righteousness hath done, All My statutes he hath kept, And he doeth them, he surely liveth.
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 that doth sin — it doth die. A son doth not bear of the iniquity of the father, And a father doth not bear of the iniquity of the son, The righteousness of the righteous is on him, And the wickedness of the wicked is on 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.
And the wicked — when he turneth back From all his sins that he hath done, And he hath kept all My statutes, And hath done judgment and righteousness, He doth surely live, he doth not die.
22 Makosa yote aliyoyafanya hayatakumbukwa juu yake. Ataishi kwa hiyo haki aliyoitenda.
All his transgressions that he hath done Are not remembered to him, In his righteousness that he hath done he liveth.
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 at all desire the death of the wicked? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Is it not in his turning back from his way — And he hath lived?
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.
And in the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, According to all the abominations That the wicked hath done, he doth — thus he liveth, All his righteousnesses that he hath done are not remembered, For his trespass that he hath trespassed, And for his sin that he hath sinned, For them he doth 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?
And ye have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord. Hear, I pray you, O house of Israel, My way — is it not pondered? Are not your ways unpondered?
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.
In the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, And he is dying by them, for his perversity That he hath done he dieth.
27 Lakini wakati mtu mwovu ageukapo kutoka uovu wake alioufanya na kufanya yaliyo halali na haki, kisha ataulinda uhai wake.
And in the turning back of the wicked From his wickedness that he hath done, And he doth judgment and righteousness, He his soul doth keep alive.
28 Kwa kuwa ameona na kugeuka kutokana na makosa yake yote ambayo aliyoyafanya. Hakika ataishi, na hatakufa.
And he seeth and turneth back, From all his transgressions that he hath done, He doth surely live, he doth 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.
And the house of Israel have said, Not pondered is the way of the Lord, My ways — are they not pondered? O house of Israel — are not your ways unpondered?
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, each according to his ways I judge you, O house of Israel? An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Turn ye back, yea, turn yourselves back, From all your transgressions, And iniquity is not to you for a stumbling-block,
31 Tupilia mbali makosa yenu yote mliyoyafanya; jifanyieni moyo mpya na roho mpya. Kwa nini mfe, nyumba ya Israeli?
Cast from off you all your transgressions, By which ye have transgressed, And make to you a new heart, and a new spirit, And why do ye die, O house of Israel?
32 Kwa kuwa sifurahii kifo cha yule afaye-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo-hivyo tubuni na muishi!”
For I have no pleasure in the death of the dying, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, And turn ye back and live!
