Ezekieli 21
1 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
2 “Mwanadamu, weka uso wako kuelekea Yerusalemu, na neno juu ya patakatifu; tabiri juu ya nchi ya Israeli.
“Son of man, set your face towards Jerusalem, and preach towards the sanctuaries, and prophesy against the land of Israel.
3 Sema juu ya nchi ya Israeli, 'Yahwe asema hivi: Tazama! Ni juu yako! Nitautoa upanga wangu kutoka kwenye ala yake na kuwakatilia mbali wote yaani mtu mwenye haki na mtu mwovu kutoka kwako!
Tell the land of Israel, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I am against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.
4 Ili niwakatilie mbali wote, mwenye haki na mwovu kutoka kwako, upanga wangu utatoka kwenye ala yake juu ya wote wenye mwili kutoka kusini hata kaskazini.
Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore my sword will go out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north.
5 Kisha wote wenye mwili watajua yakwamba mimi, Yahwe, nimeutoa upanga wangu kutoka kwenye ala yake. Hautarudi tena!'
All flesh will know that I, the LORD, have drawn my sword out of its sheath. It will not return any more.”’
6 Kwa hiyo, mwanadamu, gumia kama kuvunjika kwa viuno vyako! Katika uchungu gumia mbele ya macho yao!
“Therefore sigh, you son of man. You shall sigh before their eyes with a broken heart and with bitterness.
7 Kisha itatokea kwamba watakuuliza, 'Kwa sababu gani unalia?' Kisha utasema, 'Kwa sababu ya habari inayokuja, kwa kuwa kila moyo utakuwa dhaifu, na kila mkono utasita! Kila roho itazimia, na kila goti litatiririrka kama maji. Tazama! Inakuja na itakuwa kama hivi! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.”'
It shall be, when they ask you, ‘Why do you sigh?’ that you shall say, ‘Because of the news, for it comes! Every heart will melt, all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it comes, and it shall be done, says the Lord GOD.’”
8 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
The LORD’s word came to me, saying,
9 “Mwanadamu, tabiri na sema, 'Bwana asema hivi: sema: Upanga! Upanga! Utachongwa na kusuguliwa!
“Son of man, prophesy, and say, ‘The LORD says: “A sword! A sword! It is sharpened, and also polished.
10 Utanolewa ili kushiriki katika machinjio makubwa! Utasuguliwa ili uwe kama mng'ao wa radi! Je! Tufanye furaha katika fimbo ya mwana wa mfalme? Upanga ujao huchukia kila hiyo fimbo!
It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter. It is polished that it may be as lightning. Should we then make mirth? The rod of my son condemns every tree.
11 Hivyo upanga utatolewa kwa ajili ya kusuguliwa, na kisha kushikika kwa mkono! Upanga umechongwa na umesuguliwa na utatolewa kwenye mkono wa yule auaye!'
It is given to be polished, that it may be handled. The sword is sharpened. Yes, it is polished to give it into the hand of the killer.”’
12 Ita msaada na omboleza, mwanadamu! Kwa kuwa upanga umekuja juu ya watu wangu! Uko juu ya wakuu wote wa Israeli. Wametolewa dhidi ya upanga pamoja na watu wangu. Kwa hiyo, piga paja lako!
Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on my people. It is on all the princes of Israel. They are delivered over to the sword with my people. Therefore beat your thigh.
13 Kwa kuwa kuna kujaribiwa, lakini itakuwaje kama fimbo ya kifalme haitakuwepo tena? -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.
“For there is a trial. What if even the rod that condemns will be no more?” says the Lord GOD.
14 Basi wewe, mwanadamu, tabiri, na piga makofi, kwa kuwa upanga utakushambulia hata mara tatu! Upanga kwa wale watakaochinjwa! Utakuwa upanga kwa ajili ya kuchinjia, ukiwatoboa pande zote!
“You therefore, son of man, prophesy, and strike your hands together. Let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the fatally wounded. It is the sword of the great one who is fatally wounded, which enters into their rooms.
15 Ili kuyeyusha mioyo yao na kuongeza kuanguka kwao, nimeweka machinjio ya upanga juu ya malango! Ole! Umeundwa kama mng'ao wa radi, umetengwa kwa ajili ya kuua!
I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their heart may melt, and their stumblings be multiplied. Ah! It is made as lightning. It is pointed for slaughter.
16 Wewe, upanga! Nyooka upande wa kuume! Nyooka upande wa kushoto! Nenda popote ulipoelekeza uso wako.
Gather yourselves together. Go to the right. Set yourselves in array. Go to the left, wherever your face is set.
17 Kwa kuwa pia nitapiga mikono yangu miwili kwa pamoja (makofi), na kisha nitaleta ghadhabu yangu kwa waliobakia! Mimi, Yahwe, nimesema hivi!”
I will also strike my hands together, and I will cause my wrath to rest. I, the LORD, have spoken it.”
18 Neno la Yahwe likanijia tena, kusema,
The LORD’s word came to me again, saying,
19 “Sasa wewe, mwanadamu, teua njia mbili kwa ajili ya upanga wa mfalme wa Babeli upate kuja. Njia hizo mbili zitaanza katika nchi moja, na kibao cha barabarani kitamwonyesha mmoja wao kama kuuelekea mji.
“Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come. They both will come out of one land, and mark out a place. Mark it out at the head of the way to the city.
20 Onyesha njia moja kwa ajili ya jeshi la Wababeli kuja Raba, mji wa Waamoni. Onyesha nyingine kuelekea jeshi la Yuda na mji wa Yerusalemu, ambayo imeimarishwa.
You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.
21 Kwa kuwa mfalme wa Babeli atasimama kwenye makutano ya barabara, kwenye njia panda, ili kufanya uganga. Alitingisha mishale na kuuliza mwelekeo kutoka kwa sanamu na atalichunguza ini.
For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination. He shook the arrows back and forth. He consulted the teraphim. He looked in the liver.
22 Katika mkono wake wa kuume kutakuwa na dalili kuhusu Yerusalemu, kuweka mitambo ya kubomolea juu ya hiyo, kufungua kinywa chake kupanga kuchinja, kutoa sauti ya vita, kuweka mitambo ya kubomolea juu ya malango, kujenga ngazi, na kusimamisha wima minara ya boma.
In his right hand was the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, and to build forts.
23 Itaonekana kuwa ishara isiyofaa katika macho ya wale walio katika Yerusalemu, wale walioapa kiapo kwa Wababeli! Lakini mfalme atawashtaki kwa kuvunja sheria ya mkataba ili kuwabariki!
It will be to them as a false divination in their sight, who have sworn oaths to them; but he brings iniquity to memory, that they may be taken.
24 Kwa hiyo Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Kwa sababu umeuleta uovu wako kwenye kumbukumbu zangu, makosa yenu yatafunuliwa! Dhambi zenu zitaonekana katika matendo yenu yote! Kwa sababu hii utamkumbusha kila mtu mtakamatwa kwa mkono wa adui yenu!
“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have caused your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you will be taken with the hand.
25 Kama wewe, mchafu na mtawala mwovu wa Israeli, ambaye siku ya hukumu imekuja, na ambaye mda wa kufanya uovu umekoma,
“‘You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end,
26 Bwana Yahwe asema hivi kwako: Toa kilemba na vua taji! Mambo hayatakuwa tena kama yalivyokuwa! Kiinue kilicho chini na kiinue kilichoinuka!
the Lord GOD says: “Remove the turban, and take off the crown. This will not be as it was. Exalt that which is low, and humble that which is high.
27 Uharibifu! Uharibifu! Nitaiharibu! Haitakuwa tena hadi atakapokuja yeye ambaye ameteuliwa kutekeleza hukumu.
I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also will be no more, until he comes whose right it is; and I will give it.”’
28 Basi wewe, mwanadamu, tabiri na sema, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi hawa ni watu wa Amoni kuhusiana na ujio wa aibu yao: Upanga, upanga umechirwa! Umenolewa kwa ajili ya kuchinja, hivyo utakuwa kama kimuli muli cha radi!
“You, son of man, prophesy and say, ‘The Lord GOD says this concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach: “A sword! A sword is drawn! It is polished for the slaughter, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;
29 Wakati manabii wameona maono ya uongo juu yako, wakati watakapofanya matambiko kuuijia kwa uongo juu yako, huu upanga utaanguka chini juu ya shingo za mwovu ambao wako karibu kuuawa, ambao siku ya ghadhabu imekuja na ambao mda wa uovu unakaribia kuisha.
while they see for you false visions, while they divine lies to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded, whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end.
30 Rudisha upanga kwenye gala yake. Katika mahali ulipoumbwa, katika nchi ya chimbuko lako, nitakuhukumu!
Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, I will judge you.
31 Nitamwaga hasira yangu juu yako! Nitapuliza upepo wa moto wa ghadhabu juu yako na kukuweka kwenye mkono wa watu wakatili, watu wajuao kuangamiza!
I will pour out my indignation on you. I will blow on you with the fire of my wrath. I will deliver you into the hand of brutish men, skilful to destroy.
32 Utakuwa kuni kwa ajili ya moto! Damu yako itakuwa kati ya nchi. Hutakumbukwa tena, kwa kuwa mimi, Yahwe nimesema hivi!”'
You will be for fuel to the fire. Your blood will be in the middle of the land. You will be remembered no more; for I, the LORD, have spoken it.”’”
