Ezekieli 24
1 Neno la Yahwe likanijia katika mwaka wa nane mwezi wa kumi na siku ya kumi ya mwezi, kusema,
Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Mwanadamu, andika kwa ajili yako jina la hii siku, siku hii sahihi mfalme wa Babeli ameizingira Yerusalimu.
“You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
3 Basi nena mithali juu ya hii nyumba ya kuasi, fumbo moja. Waambie, 'Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: weka sufuria ya kupikia. Iweke na weka maji kwenye hiyo.
Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
4 Vikusanye vipande vya chakula ndani yake, kila kipande kizuri-paja na bega-na ijaze kwa mifupa bora.
Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
5 Chukua kundi bora na jaza mifupa chini yake. Ilete kuchemsha na ipike mifupa ndani yake.
Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
6 Kwa hiyo, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Ole kwa mji wa damu. Nitakiongeza chungu cha mbao. Weka kuni nyingi na washa moto. Pika nyama vizuri na changanya katika viungo na iacha mifupa iteketee.
[Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
7 Kwa kuwa damu iko kati yake. Ameiweka juu ya jiwe laini; hakuimwaga juu ya nchi kuifunika kwa mavumbi,
The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
8 hivyo inaleta hasira ya kulipa kisasi. Nimeweka damu yake juu ya jiwe laini ili isifunikwe.
But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
9 Kwa hiyo, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Ole kwa mji wa damu. Nitakiongeza chungu cha mbao.
Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
10 Weka kuni nyingi na washa moto. Pika nyama vizuri na changanya katika viungo na acha mifupa iteketee.
[So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
11 Kisha weka chungu kitupu juu ya mkaa, ili kuchemsha na kuchoma shaba yake, hivyo uchafu wake ndani yake itayeyushwa, kutu yake imekula.'
Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
12 Amechoka kwa sababu ya kazi ya taabu, lakini kutu yake haitoki kweke kwa moto.
[It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
13 Tabia yako ya aibu iko ndani ya uchafu wako, kwa sababu nimekusafisha, lakini bado hutaweza kuwa msafi. Bado hutakuwa huru kutoka uchafu wako hadi hasira yako itakapotulia kutoka kwako.
The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
14 Mimi, Yahwe, nimesema hili, na nitalifanya. Sintotulia wala kupumzika kwa ajili ya hili. Kama njia zako zilivyokuwa, na kama matendo yako, yatakuhukumu! -hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavyo.”
I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
15 Kisha neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “mwanadamu! Tazama, ninachukua tamaa ya macho yako kutoka kwako pamoja na tauni, lakini hutaomboleza wala kulia, na machozi yako hayatatoka.
“You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
17 Utagugumia bila kusikika. Usiendeshe mazishi kwa ajili ya aliyekufa. Funga kilemba chako juu yako na vaa makubazi miguuni pako, lakini usivalishe shela nywele zako au kula mkate wa watu waombolezao kwa ajili ya kuwapoteza wake zao.”
Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
18 Hivyo nimeongea na watu asubuhi, na mke wangu amekufa asubuhi. Asubuhi nimefanya kile nilichokuwa nimeambiwa kukifanya.
[one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
19 Watu wameniuliza, “Ji! hautatuambia haya mambo yanamaana gani, mambo ambayo unayoyafanya?”
Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
20 Hivyo nimewaambia, “Neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
21 'Waambie nyumba ya Israeli, Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Tazama! Nitapanajisi patakatifu pangu-fahari ya nguvu yenu, mahali panapopendeza macho yenu, na panapotamaniwa na roho zenu, na wana wenu na binti zenu ambao mliowaacha nyuma wataanguka kwa upanga.
‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
22 Kisha mtafanya hasa kama nilivyofanya: hutafunika nywele za sehemu ya chini za uso, wala kula mkate wa watu wanaoomboleza!
[When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
23 Badala yake, vilemba vyenu vitakuwa juu ya vichwa, na makubadhi yenu miguuni mwenu; hutaomboleza wala kulia, kwa kuwa mtayeyuka katika maovu yenu, na kila mtu atagugumia kwa ya ajili ya ndugu yake.
[You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
24 Hivyo Ezekieli atakuwa ishara kwenu, kama kila kitu ambacho alichokifanya mtafanya wakati hili litakapokuja. Kisha mtajua yakwamba mimi ni Bwana Yahwe!”'
Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
25 “Lakini wewe, mwanadamu, siku ambayo nitachukua hekalu lao, ambalo ni furaha yao, kiburi chao, na kile waonacho na kutamani-na wakati nikiwachukua wana wao na binti-
[Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
26 siku hiyo, mgeni atakuja kwako kukupatia habari!
On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
27 Siku hiyo kinywa chako kitafunguliwa kwa huyo mgeni na utaongea-hutakuwa bubu tena. Utakuwa ishara kwao hivyo basi watajua kwamba mimi ni Yahwe.
When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
