Ezekieli 9
1 Kisha akalia kwa sauti kubwa nikasikia kwenye masikio yangu, huku akisema, “Waache walinzi waje kwenye mji, kila mmoja na silaha yake ya uharibifu kwenye mkono wake.”
Then crying out in my hearing in a loud voice, he said, Let the overseers of the town come near, every man armed.
2 Kisha tazama! watu wanne watakuja kutokea njia ya lango la juu linaloelekea kaskazini, kila mmoja na silaha yake ya kuchinjia kwenye mkono wake. Kulikuwa na mtu mmoja miongoni mwao alikuwa amevaa nguo ya kitani pamoja na kifaa cha uandishi ubavuni mwake. Hivyo waliingia na kusimama karibu na madhabahu ya shaba.
And six men came from the way of the higher doorway looking to the north, every man with his axe in his hand: and one man among them was clothed in linen, with a writer's inkpot at his side. And they went in and took their places by the brass altar.
3 Kisha utukufu wa Mungu wa Israeli ukapanda juu kutoka kwa kerubi ambapo ilikuwa kwenye kisingiti cha nyumba. Akamwita yule mtu aliyekuwa amevaa nguo ya kitani na kifaa cha uandishi ubavuni mwake.
And the glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the winged ones on which it was resting, to the doorstep of the house. And crying out to the man clothed in linen who had the writer's inkpot at his side,
4 Yahwe akamwambia, “Pita kati ya mji-kati ya Yerusalemu-na weka alama katika vipaji vya uso vya wale waliolemewa na kuona kuhusu machukizo yote yanafanyika kati ya mji.”
The Lord said to him, Go through the town, through the middle of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the brows of the men who are sorrowing and crying for all the disgusting things which are done in it.
5 Kisha akaongea na wengine kupitia kusikia kwangu, “Pita kwenye mji baada ya yeye na kuua. Msiache macho yenu yawe na huruma, na msiogope kuharibu
And to these he said in my hearing, Go through the town after him using your axes: do not let your eyes have mercy, and have no pity:
6 iwe mzee, kijana, msichana, mtoto mdogo au wanawake. Waueni watu wote! Lakini msimkaribie mtu yeyote ambaye mwenye alama kwenye kichwa chake. Anzeni katika patakatifu pangu!” Hivyo wakaanza na wazee waliokuwa mbele ya nyumba.
Give up to destruction old men and young men and virgins, little children and women: but do not come near any man who has the mark on him: and make a start at my holy place. So they made a start with the old men who were before the house.
7 Akawaambia, “Najisi nyumba, na kujaza zio zake kwa waliokufa. Endeleeni!” Hivyo wakaenda na kuushambulia mji.
And he said to them, Make the house unclean, make the open places full of dead: go forward and send destruction on the town.
8 Walipokuwa wakiushambulia, nikajikuta mwenyewe na nikaangukia kwenye uso wangu na kulia kwa sauti na kusema, “Ee, Bwana Yahwe, utayaharibu mabaki yote ya Israeli wakati wa kumwaga ghadhabu yao juu ya Yerusalemu?”
Now while they were doing so, and I was untouched, I went down on my face, and crying out, I said, Ah, Lord! will you give all the rest of Israel to destruction in letting loose your wrath on Jerusalem?
9 Akanambia, “Uovu wa nyumba ya Israeli na Yuda unaongezeka sana. Nchi imejaa damu na mji umejaa upotovu, tangu waliposema, 'Yahwe ameisahau nchi; na Yahwe haoni!'
Then he said to me, The sin of the children of Israel and Judah is very, very great, and the land is full of blood and the town full of evil ways: for they say, The Lord has gone away from the land, and the Lord does not see.
10 Hivyo kisha, macho yangu hataangalia kwa huruma, na sintoacha kuwaharibu. Badala yake nitaileta juu ya vichwa vyao.”
And as for me, my eye will not have mercy, and I will have no pity, but I will send the punishment of their ways on their heads.
11 Tazama! yule mtu aliyekuwa amevaa nguo ya kitani aliyekuwa na kifaa cha uandishi kwa uapende wa ubavuni mwake. Alitoa taarifa na kusema, “Nimemaliza yale yote uliyoniamuru.”
Then the man clothed in linen, who had the inkpot at his side, came back and said, I have done what you gave me orders to do.
