Ezekieli 31
1 Kisha ikawa katika mwaka wa kumi na moja, katika mwezi wa tatu, siku ya kwanza ya mwezi, lile neno la Yahwe likanijia, kusema,
Almost eleven years [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the first day of the third month [of that year], Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
2 “Mwanadamu, mwambie Farao, mfalme wa Misri, na watu wake wanaomzunguka, 'Katika ukuu wako, je! wewe ni kama nani?
“You human, say to the King of Egypt and all of his people, ‘[You think that] there is [RHQ, IRO] no country whose power is as great as the power of your country.
3 Tazama! Ashuru ilikuwa mwerezi katika Lebanoni pamoja na matawi mazuri, yakitoa kivuli kwenye msitu, na mirefu katika kimo, na matawi yalitengeneza kilele cha mti wake.
You think that your country is as great as Assyria was: Assyria was previously like [MET] a tall cedar tree in Lebanon; [it was as though] it had big beautiful branches that provided shade for [other trees in] the forest. It was very tall; its top was above the leaves of the other trees.
4 Maji mengi yaliufanya kuwa mrefu; maji ya chini yaliufanya kuwa mkuba. Mito ilitiririka sehemu zake zote, kwa kuwa mifereji yake ilitoa kuelekea kwenye miti yote katika shamba.
Water came from deep springs, and as a result that cedar tree grew tall and very green. Then water flowed around the base of the tree into channels that took water to other nearby trees.
5 Kimo chake kikubwa kilikuwa zaidi kuliko miti mingine yote katika shamba, na matawi yake yakawa mengi; matawi yake yalikuwa marefu kwa sababu ya maji mengi yalipokuwa yakikua.
That huge tree grew very tall, higher than all the other trees around it. Its branches grew very thick and long [DOU] because of the abundant water [at the base of the tree].
6 Kila ndege wa mbinguni alitengeza kiota kwenye matawi yake, wakati kila kiumbe hai cha shamba kilizaa mtoto chini ya tawi. Mataifa mengi yote yaliishi chini ya kivuli chake.
Birds built their nests in the branches, and wild animals gave birth to their babies under those branches. [And it was as though people of] all the great nations lived in the shade of that tree.
7 Kwa kuwa ulikuwa uzuri katika ukuu wake na kimo cha matawi yake, kwa kuwa mizizi yake ilikuwa katika maji mengi.
It was majestic and beautiful; its branches spread out widely because the roots of the tree grew down into the ground where there was a plentiful supply of water.
8 Mierezi katika bustani ya Mungu haikuweza kuwa sawa nayo. Hakuna miongoni mwa miti ya mivinje iliyofanana matawi yake, na miti ya miamori haikuweza kuwa sawa na majani yake. Hapakuwa na mti mwingine katika bustani ya Mungu ulikuwa kama huo katika uzuri wake.
The cedar trees in my garden [in Eden] were not as great as that tree, and the branches of the pine/cypress trees were not as long and thick as the branches of that cedar tree. And the branches of the plane trees were not as long and thick, either. No tree in my garden was as beautiful as that cedar tree.
9 Nimeufanya kuwa mzuri pamoja na matawi yake mengi na miti yote ya Edeni iliyokuwa katika bustani ya Mungu ilimwonea wivu.
Because I caused that tree to become very beautiful with its magnificent green branches, [all the leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] those other trees in Eden envied [the country represented by] that tree.’
10 Kwa hiyo Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Kwa sababu ilikuwa mirefu kwa kina, na imekiweka kilele chake kati ya matawi yake, moyo wake umeinua kwa sababu ya urefu wake.
Therefore, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘That tree, which [represents Assyria], grew very tall, and its top was higher than the other trees, and it became very proud because of being very tall.
11 Nimeuweka kwenye mikono ya yeye mwenye uweza wa mataifa, kuishughulikia kulingana na yale maovu anayostahili. Nimeufukuza.
Therefore, I enabled another mighty nation to conquer it and to destroy it as it deserved to be destroyed. I have already discarded it.
12 Wageni waliokuwa wakiogofya wa mataifa yote wameikatilia mbali kuiacha ife. Matawi yake yameanguka kwenye milima na mabonde yote, na matawi yake yameanguka katika mito yote ya nchi. Kisha mataifa yote juu ya nchi wakatoka nje kutoka chini ya kivuli na kwenda zao wakamwacha.
A foreign army, one that has caused people of other nations to be terrified, cut it down and left it. Its branches fell on the mountains and in the valleys. Some of its branches lay broken in all the ravines in the land. All the people of other nations came out from being under its shade and left it.
13 Ndege wa agani watapumzika kwenye shina la mti ulioanguka, na kila mnyama wa shambani atakuja kwenye matawi yake.
Birds (settled/went to live) on the fallen tree, and wild animals lived among its branches.
14 Hii litokea ili kwamba pasiwe na miti mingine itakayopandwa karibu na maji yatang'oa majani yake hata kwenye kina cha miti mirefu, na kwamba hakuna miti mingine itakayomea karibu na maji itakayofikia kwenye hicho kina. Wote wametolewa kufa, chini ya nchi, miongoni mwa watoto wa binadamu, pamoja na wale washukao chini.
The result of what I have done is that no other trees, even if they have plenty of water, will ever grow very high and become proud, and lift their tops above the branches of other trees. I do not want any other tree to grow high like that cedar tree did; trees will all certainly die and decay in the ground, like people die and go down to their graves.’
15 Bwana Yahwe asema hivi: Katika siku wakati mkangazi uliposhuka chini nilileta maombolezo kwenye dunia. Niliyafunika maji ya chini juu yake, nikayarudisha maji ya bahari. Nilizuia maji makuu, nikaleta maombolezo hata Lebanoni kwa ajili yake. Hivyo miti yote ya shambani ikaomboleza kwa sababu yake. (Sheol h7585)
This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: ‘When that great tree was cut down, [it was as though] the springs that watered it mourned for it, because I caused the plentiful water [from the springs] to dry up. I caused [the mountains in] Lebanon to become black, and all the trees there to wither. (Sheol h7585)
16 Nimeleta tetemeko kwa mataifa wa sauti ya kuanguka kwake, wakati nitakapomtupa chini mpaka kuzimu pamoja na wale walioenda chini kwenye shimo. Hivyo niliitia moyo miti ya Edeni yote katika pande zote za nchi. Hii ilikuwa imechaguliwa na miti iliyokuwa bora ya Lenanoni; miti iliyokunywa maji. (Sheol h7585)
I caused the people of other nations to tremble when they heard that tree fall to the ground. [They realized] that it would decay, like all people who die and are buried decay. And all the [leaders of other countries represented by] other beautiful trees in my garden in Eden and in Lebanon, were like beautiful trees [that were very proud]. They were ones which had roots that grew down deep into the [ground where there was plenty of] water. They were comforted when [the king represented by] [MET] that cedar tree was there with them in the place where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
17 Kwa kuwa walikwenda chini pia pamoja nayo hata kuzimu, kwa wale waliokuwa wameuawa kwa upanga. Kulikuwa na jeshi lake imara, yale mataifa yalikuwa yakiishi kati kivuli chake. (Sheol h7585)
The [leaders of other countries represented by] [MET] trees that grew in the shade of the huge tree, [the allies of] the great nation [that the cedar tree represents], had also joined those who had been killed by the sword and gone down to where the dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
18 Umefanana na nani hivi katika utukufu na ukuu kati ya mti wa Edeni? Kwa kuwa utashushwa chini pamoja na miti ya Edeni hata pande zote nne za dunia miongoni mwa wasiotahiriwa; utaishi pamoja na watu wake wote-hivi ndivyo Bwana Yahwe asemavy.”
[This parable is about you] people of Egypt. [You think that] [RHQ, IRO] there is no other nation that is as great and glorious as yours is. But your nation will also be destroyed, [as Assyria was], along with those other nations. Your people will be there among the other people who are not fit to worship me, people who have been killed by their enemies’ swords. That is what will happen to the king of Egypt and all his people. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, [have predicted it].’”
