Ezekieli 18
1 Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying,
2 “Je, ninyi watu mna maana gani kutumia mithali hii inayohusu nchi ya Israeli: “‘Baba wamekula zabibu zenye chachu, nayo meno ya watoto yametiwa ganzi’?
"What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?'
3 “Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, hamtatumia tena mithali hii katika Israeli.
As I live, says Jehovah, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
4 Kwa kuwa kila roho ni mali yangu, kama vile ilivyo roho ya baba, vivyo hivyo roho ya mtoto ni mali yangu. Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa.
Look, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he shall die.
5 “Mtu aweza kuwa ni mwenye haki atendaye yaliyo haki na sawa.
"But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
6 Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima wala hakuziinulia macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake, wala hakukutana kimwili na mwanamke wakati wa siku zake za hedhi.
and has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near to a woman in her impurity,
7 Hamwonei mtu yeyote, bali hurudisha kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 Hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huuzuia mkono wake usifanye mabaya, naye huhukumu kwa haki kati ya mtu na mtu.
he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9 Huzifuata amri zangu na kuzishika sheria zangu kwa uaminifu. Huyo mtu ni mwenye haki; hakika ataishi, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live," says Jehovah.
10 “Aweza kuwa ana mwana jeuri, amwagaye damu au atendaye mojawapo ya mambo haya
"If he fathers a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 (ingawa baba yake hakufanya mojawapo ya haya): “Hula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima. Humtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
and who does not any of those duties, but even has eaten on the mountains, and defiled his neighbor's wife,
12 Huwaonea maskini na wahitaji. Hunyangʼanyana. Harudishi kile kilichowekwa rehani kwake. Huziinulia sanamu macho. Hufanya mambo ya machukizo.
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
13 Hukopesha kwa riba na kutafuta faida ya ziada. Je, mtu wa namna hii ataishi? Hapana, hataishi! Kwa sababu amefanya mambo haya yote ya machukizo, hakika atauawa na damu yake itakuwa juu ya kichwa chake mwenyewe.
has given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be on him.
14 “Lakini yawezekana mwana huyo ana mwana aonaye dhambi hizi zote anazofanya baba yake, naye ingawa anaziona, yeye hafanyi mabaya kama haya:
"Now, look, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
15 “Hakula katika mahali pa ibada za miungu kwenye milima, wala hainulii macho sanamu za nyumba ya Israeli. Hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake.
who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor's wife,
16 Hakumwonea mtu yeyote wala hakutaka rehani kwa ajili ya mkopo. Hanyangʼanyi, bali huwapa wenye njaa chakula chake na huwapa nguo walio uchi.
neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 Huuzuia mkono wake usitende dhambi, hakopeshi kwa riba wala hajipatii faida ya ziada. Huzishika amri zangu na kuzifuata sheria zangu. Hatakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi za baba yake; hakika ataishi.
who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
18 Lakini baba yake atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake mwenyewe, kwa sababu alitoza bei isiyo halali kwa nguvu, akamnyangʼanya ndugu yake na kufanya yaliyo mabaya miongoni mwa watu wake.
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, look, he shall die in his iniquity.
19 “Lakini mnauliza, ‘Kwa nini mwana asiadhibiwe kwa uovu wa baba yake?’ Kwa vile mwana ametenda yaliyo haki na sawa na amekuwa mwangalifu kuzishika amri zangu zote, hakika ataishi.
"Yet you say, 'Why doesn't the son bear the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.
20 Roho itendayo dhambi ndiyo itakayokufa. Mwana hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya baba yake, wala baba hataadhibiwa kwa ajili ya makosa ya mwanawe. Haki ya mtu mwenye haki itahesabiwa juu yake na uovu wa mtu mwovu utalipizwa juu yake.
The soul who sins, he shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21 “Lakini mtu mwovu akiacha dhambi zake zote alizozitenda na kushika amri zangu zote na kufanya lililo haki na sawa, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
"But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
22 Hakuna kosa lolote alilotenda litakalokumbukwa juu yake. Kwa ajili ya mambo ya haki aliyoyatenda, ataishi.
None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.
23 Je, mimi ninafurahia kifo cha mtu mwovu? Asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Je, si mimi ninafurahi wanapogeuka kutoka njia zao mbaya na kuishi?
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" says Jehovah; "and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24 “Lakini kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi na kufanya mambo ya machukizo ambayo mtu mwovu hufanya, Je, ataishi? Hakuna hata mojawapo ya matendo ya haki aliyotenda litakalokumbukwa. Kwa sababu ya kukosa uaminifu kwake anayo hatia na kwa sababu ya dhambi alizozitenda, atakufa.
But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.
25 “Lakini mnasema, ‘Njia ya Bwana si ya haki.’ Sikia, ee nyumba ya Israeli: Njia yangu siyo iliyo ya haki? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?
"'Yet you say, "The way of Jehovah is not equal." Hear now, house of Israel: "Is my way not equal? Aren't your ways unequal?"
26 Kama mtu mwenye haki akiacha haki yake na kutenda dhambi, atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi yake, kwa sababu ya dhambi alizotenda, atakufa.
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
27 Lakini mtu mwovu akigeuka kutoka maovu aliyoyatenda na kufanya yaliyo haki na sawa, ataokoa maisha yake.
Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Kwa kuwa anayafikiria na kugeuka kutoka makosa yake yote aliyoyatenda na kuyaacha, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
29 Lakini nyumba ya Israeli inasema, ‘Njia za Bwana si haki.’ Je, njia zangu si za haki, ee nyumba ya Israeli? Je, si njia zenu ndizo ambazo si za haki?”
Yet the house of Israel says, "The way of Jehovah is not fair." "House of Israel, aren't my ways fair? Aren't your ways unfair?"
30 “Kwa hiyo, ee nyumba ya Israeli, nitawahukumu, kila mmoja sawasawa na njia zake, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni! Geukeni kutoka makosa yenu yote, ndipo dhambi haitakuwa anguko lenu.
"'Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,' says Jehovah. 'Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Tupilieni mbali makosa yenu yote mliyoyatenda, nanyi mpate moyo mpya na roho mpya. Kwa nini mfe, ee nyumba ya Israeli?
Cast away from you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?
32 Kwa maana sifurahii kifo cha mtu awaye yote afaye katika uovu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Tubuni basi, mkaishi!
For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,' says Jehovah: 'therefore turn yourselves, and live.'"
