ʻIsikieli 15

1 Naʻe hoko ʻae folofola ʻa Sihova kiate au, ʻo pehē,

The LORD’s word came to me, saying,

2 “Foha ʻoe tangata, ʻoku lelei hake ʻi he hā, ʻae ʻakau ko e vaine ʻi he ngaahi ʻakau kehe, mo e ngaahi vaʻa ʻakau ʻoe vao?

“Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

3 He ʻoku toʻo mei ai ha laupapa ke fai ʻaki ha ngāue? Pe ʻoku ngaohi ʻe ha taha ha faʻo mei ai ko e tautauʻanga ʻo ha meʻa?

Will wood be taken of it to make anything? Will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

4 Vakai, ʻoku lī ia ki he afi ko e fefie, pea fakatou vela ai hono hiku mo hono kongaloto. He ʻoku ʻaonga ia ki he ngāue?

Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and the middle of it is burned. Is it profitable for any work?

5 Vakai, ʻi heʻene kei haohaoa naʻe ʻikai ʻaonga ki ha ngāue; kae fēfē nai ʻene ʻaonga ki ha ngāue, ka kuo keina ia ʻe he afi, pea kuo vela?”

Behold, when it was whole, it was suitable for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it has been burned, will it yet be suitable for any work?”

6 Ko ia ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtua; “Hangē ko e ʻakau ko e vaine ʻi he ngaahi ʻakau ʻoe vao, ʻe pehē ʻa ʻeku foaki ʻae kakai ʻo Selūsalema ke vela ʻi he afi.

Therefore the Lord GOD says: “As the vine wood among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 Pea te u fakahanga hoku fofonga ke tuʻu kiate kinautolu; te nau hao mei he afi ʻe taha, kae vela ʻakinautolu ʻi he afi kehe ʻe taha; pea te mou ʻilo ko au ko Sihova, ʻoku tuʻu hoku mata kiate kimoutolu.

I will set my face against them. They will go out from the fire, but the fire will still devour them. Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them.

8 Pea te u ngaohi ke lala ʻae fonua koeʻuhi kuo nau fai ʻae meʻa hala.” ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtua.

I will make the land desolate, because they have acted unfaithfully,” says the Lord GOD.