Ezekiel 17
1 Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
2 “You human, tell this story/parable [DOU] to the people [MTY] of Israel.
“Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli fumbo.
3 [Say to them, ] ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: A huge eagle that had strong wings and long beautiful feathers of many colors flew to Lebanon. It grasped the top of a cedar [tree]
Waambie hivi, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Tai mkubwa mwenye mabawa yenye nguvu, yaliyojaa manyoya marefu ya rangi mbalimbali, alikuja Lebanoni. Akatua kwenye kilele cha mwerezi,
4 and broke it off. Then the eagle carried it away to [Babylonia], a country that had many merchants/businessmen, and planted it in one of the cities there.
akakwanyua ncha yake na kuichukua mpaka nchi ya wafanyabiashara, akaipanda huko katika mji wa wachuuzi.
5 Then that eagle took a seedling from [your] country and planted it in a fertile field. He planted it like people plant a willow tree, alongside [a stream that had] plenty of water.
“‘Akachukua baadhi ya mbegu za nchi yako na kuziweka katika udongo wenye rutuba. Akazipanda kama mti umeao kando ya maji mengi,
6 It grew and became a low grapevine that spread [along the ground]. Its branches turned up towards the eagle, but its roots grew down into the ground. So it became a [good] vine and produced [lots of] branches and leaves.
nazo zikaota na kuwa mzabibu mfupi, unaoeneza matawi yake. Matawi yake yakamwelekea huyo tai, mizizi yake ikabaki chini ya huo mzabibu. Kwa hiyo ukawa mzabibu na kutoa matawi na vitawi vyenye majani mengi.
7 But there was another huge eagle that had strong wings and beautiful feathers. And [some of] the roots of the vine grew toward that eagle, and its branches [also] turned toward it, hoping that the eagle would bring more water to it.
“‘Lakini kulikuwa na tai mwingine mkubwa, mwenye mabawa yenye nguvu yaliyojaa manyoya. Tazama! Huu mzabibu ukatoa mizizi yake kumwelekea huyo tai kutoka mle kwenye shamba lile ulikopandwa na kutanda matawi yake kumwelekea kwa ajili ya kupata maji.
8 [That happened in spite of the fact that] the vine had [already] been planted in good soil, where there was plenty of water, with the result that it had produced branches and produced grapes and had become a very healthy/productive vine.’
Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mzuri wenye maji mengi ili uweze kutoa matawi, kuzaa matunda na uweze kuwa mzabibu mzuri sana.’
9 Then [after you have told that to the people, say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: That vine] will certainly not [RHQ] remain healthy/productive. It will be [RHQ] pulled up by its roots by the eagle [that planted it], and all its fruit will be stripped off and its leaves will wither. And it will not need someone with strong arms or many people to pull it out by its roots.
“Waambie, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Je, utastawi? Je, hautangʼolewa na kuondolewa matunda yake, ili uweze kunyauka? Majani yake mapya yanayochipua yote yatanyauka. Hautahitaji mkono wenye nguvu au watu wengi kuungʼoa na mizizi yake.
10 Even if that vine is transplanted, it certainly will not continue to grow [RHQ]. When the hot wind from the east blows against it, it will completely wither, there where it was planted! [RHQ]’”
Hata kama utapandwa pengine, Je, utastawi? Je, hautanyauka kabisa wakati upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga, yaani, hautanyauka kabisa katika udongo mzuri ambamo ulikuwa umestawi vizuri?’”
11 Then Yahweh gave this message to me:
Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
12 “Ask these rebellious [Israeli] people, ‘Do you know what this parable/story means?’ Tell them that it signifies that the King of Babylon went to Jerusalem [with his army] and captured the King of Judah and his officials, and took them back to Babylon.
“Waambie nyumba hii ya kuasi, ‘Je, mnajua hii ina maana gani?’ Waambie: ‘Mfalme wa Babeli alikwenda Yerusalemu na kumchukua mfalme na watu maarufu, akarudi nao na kuwaleta mpaka Babeli.
13 Then he took one of the king’s close relatives [and appointed him to be the king], and made an agreement with him, forcing him to solemnly promise [to remain loyal]. The King of Babylon also took to Babylon the other important citizens of Judah,
Ndipo akamchukua mmoja wa jamaa ya mfalme na kufanya mapatano naye, akamfanya aape. Akawachukua pia viongozi wa nchi,
14 in order that the kingdom of Judah would not be able to become powerful again. The King of Babylon intended that the kingdom [of Judah] would not continue to exist if the people did not obey that agreement [that he made with the King of Babylon].
ili kuudhoofisha ufalme huo, usiweze kuinuka tena, ila uweze kuendelea tu chini ya mapatano yake.
15 But the King of Judah rebelled against the King of Babylon by sending officials to Egypt to request from them horses and a large army [to fight against the army of Babylonia]. But the King of Judah will certainly not [RHQ] be sucessful. Rulers who [rebel like that and] and refuse to obey solemn agreements will never [RHQ] escape.
Lakini mfalme aliasi dhidi yake kwa kutuma wajumbe wake kwenda Misri ili kupatiwa farasi na jeshi kubwa. Je, atashinda? Je, atafanikiwa? Je, mtu afanyaye mambo kama hayo ataokoka? Je, atavunja mapatano na bado aokoke?
16 [I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that [as surely] as I am alive, the King of Judah will die in Babylon, in the city where the King of Babylon appointed him to be the King [MTY] [of Judah]. He will die because he despised the solemn agreement and refused to do what he promised to do.
“‘Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, atafia huko Babeli, katika nchi ya mfalme aliyemketisha katika kiti cha enzi, ambaye alidharau kiapo chake na kuvunja mapatano yake.
17 The King of Egypt with all his very huge army [DOU] will not [be able to] help the King of Judah: [The soldiers from Babylonia] will build ramps up against the walls of Jerusalem and set up devices to batter the walls. They will [enter Jerusalem and] kill many of its people.
Farao na jeshi lake kubwa, na wingi wake wa watu hawataweza kusaidia chochote katika vita, wakati watakapozungukwa na jeshi ili kukatilia mbali maisha ya watu wengi.
18 The King of Judah despised the solemn agreement by disregarding the treaty. Although he had solemnly promised to be under the control of the King of Babylon, [he sent officials to request help from Egypt]. Therefore he will not escape being punished [by the King of Babylon].
Alidharau kiapo kwa kuvunja Agano. Kwa sababu aliahidi kwa mkono wake mwenyewe na bado akafanya mambo haya yote, hataokoka.
19 Therefore this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: 'Just as surely as I am alive, I will cause the King of Judah to be punished [IDM] for ignoring the solemn agreement that he made [with the King of Babylon] and then refusing to obey it.
“‘Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Hakika kama niishivyo, nitaleta juu ya kichwa chake kiapo changu, alichokidharau na Agano langu lile alilolivunja.
20 [It will be as though] I will spread a net to capture him, and he will be caught in it. He will [be captured and] taken to Babylon and punished because he rebelled against me.
Nitautandaza wavu wangu kwa ajili yake, naye atanaswa katika mtego wangu. Nitamleta mpaka Babeli na kutekeleza hukumu juu yake huko kwa kuwa hakuwa mwaminifu kwangu.
21 Most [HYP] of his soldiers who try to escape will be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who survive will be scattered in all directions. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].'”
Askari wake wote wanaotoroka wataanguka kwa upanga, nao watakaonusurika watatawanyika katika pande zote za dunia. Ndipo utakapojua kuwa Mimi Bwana nimesema.
22 This is [also] what Yahweh the Lord says: “[It will be as though] I will take a shoot from the top of a very tall cedar [tree] and plant it [DOU] in another place. I will plant it on a very high [DOU] mountain.
“‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Mimi mwenyewe nitachukua chipukizi kutoka kwenye kilele cha juu sana cha mwerezi na kukipanda, nitavunja kitawi kichanga kutoka matawi yake ya juu kabisa na kukipanda juu ya mlima mrefu ulioinuka sana.
23 [It will be as though] I will plant it on a mountain in Israel, and it will grow and become a beautiful cedar [tree]. Many [HYP] kinds of birds will make their nests in the tree, and they will have shade in its branches.
Katika vilele vya mlima mrefu wa Israeli nitakipanda, kitatoa matawi na kuzaa matunda na kuwa mwerezi mzuri sana. Ndege wa kila aina wataweka viota vyao ndani yake, nao watapata makazi katika kivuli cha matawi yake.
24 And [it will be as though] all the trees in the field will know that I, Yahweh, get rid of tall trees and make little ones grow. I cause [big] green trees to wither, and I cause dry trees to become green. I, Yahweh have said this, and I will [certainly] do what I have said that I will do.”
Miti yote ya kondeni itajua kuwa Mimi Bwana ninaishusha miti mirefu na kuikuza miti mifupi kuwa miti mirefu. Mimi naikausha miti mibichi na kuifanya miti mikavu istawi. “‘Mimi Bwana nimesema, nami nitatenda.’”
