Ezekieli 19
1 “Tena wewe, chukua maombolezo juu ya viongozi wa Israeli
[Yahweh said to me, “Ezekiel], sing a sad funeral [a which will be a parable] [two of the] kings of Israel.
2 na sema, 'Mama yako alikuwa nani? Simba jike mmoja, aliishi na mtoto wa simba dume; katikati ya simba wadogo, aliwalisha watoto wake.
Say [to the Israeli people], ‘[It is as though] [MET] your mother was a brave female lion who raised her cubs among [other] lions.
3 Alimlea mmoja wa wale watoto kurarua wanyama wengine, na kisha alijifunza jinsi ya kuwinda watu na kuwala.
She taught one of them to [for other animals to kill], and he [even] learned [kill and] eat people.
4 Kisha mataifa wakasikia kuhusu yeye. Akakamatwa kwenye mtego wao, na wakamleta kwa kulabu hata nchi ya Misri.
[When people from other] nations heard about him, they trapped him in a pit. Then they used hooks to drag him to Egypt.
5 Kisha alipoona kwamba ingawa alikuwa akimsubiri arudi, matumaini yake sasa yalienda, hivyo alimchukua mtoto wake wengine katika watoto wake na kumlea hata kuwa mwana simba.
His mother waited for him [to return], but [soon] she stopped hoping/expecting [that he would return]. So she raised another cub who [also] became very fierce.
6 Huyu mwana simba alitembea huku na huku katikati ya simba. Akawa mwana simba na kujifunza kuwinda mawindo; akala watu.
He hunted along with [other] [for animals to kill], and he even learned [kill and] eat people.
7 Akawakamata wajane na kuiharibu miji. Nchi na viijazavyo vilitelekezwa kwa sababu ya sauti ya kunguruma kwake.
He destroyed forts, and he ruined cities. When he roared [loudly], everyone was terrified.
8 Lakini mataifa yakaja juu yake kutoka mikoa yote; wakatengeneza nyavu juu yake. Akakamatwa kwenye mtego wao.
So [people of other] nations planned to kill him, and men came from many places to spread out a net for him, and they caught him in a trap.
9 Kwa kulabu wakamuweka kwenye tundu na kisha wakamleta hata kwa mfalme wa Babeli. Wakamleta hata kwenye ngome imara ili kwamba sauti yake isiweze kusikika juu ya milima ya Israeli.
They tied him with chains and took him to Babylonia. And [there] he was locked in a prison, with the result that [no one on] the hills of Israel ever heard him roar again.’ [Also, say to the Israeli people, ]
10 Mama yako alikuwa kama mzabibu uliopandwa kwenye damu yako karibu na maji. ulizaa matunda na kujaa matawi kwa sababu ya wingi wa maji.
‘[It is as though] [SIM] your mother was a grapevine that was planted along a stream. There was plenty of water, so it had lots of branches and produced [a lot of] grapes.
11 Ulikuwa na matawi imara yaliyokuwa yakitumika kwa ajili ya fimbo ya utawala, na kipimo chake kiliinuka juu ya matawi, na kina wake ulionekana kwa ukubwa wa majani yake.
That grapevine grew and became taller than all the nearby trees; [everyone could] see that it was very strong and healthy. And those branches were good for making scepters that symbolize the power/ [of a king].
12 Lakini mzabibu uling'olewa kwa ghadhabu na kutupwa chini hata aridhini, na upepo wa mashariki uliuvunja na kunyauka na moto ukavila.
[Yahweh] became very angry, so he pulled up the vine by its roots and threw it on the ground, where the [very hot] winds from the desert dried up all its fruit. The strong branches wilted and were burned in a fire.
13 Hivyo sasa, umepandwa jangwani, kwenye nchi ya ukame na kavu.
Now that vine has been planted in a hot, dry desert.
14 Kwa kuwa moto ulitoka kwenye matawi makubwa na kuyala matunda yake. Hakuna tawi imara juu yake, hakuna fimbo ya kifalme kutawala.' Haya ni maombolezo na yataimbwa kama maombolezo.”
A fire started to burn its stem, and then started to burn the branches and burned all the grapes. [Now] not [even] one strong branch remains; they will never become scepters for a king.’ That funeral song must be sung very sadly.”
