Ehekiera 15

1 I puta mai ano te kupu a Ihowa ki ahau, i mea,

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2 E te tama a te tangata, he aha te nuinga ake o te waina i nga rakau katoa, o te manga waina i roto i nga rakau o te ngahere?

Son of man, What shall become of the wood of the vine more than of any other wood, of the branch which was standing among the trees of the forest?

3 E tangohia mai ranei tetahi wahi o reira, hei mahinga i tetahi mahi? e tangohia ranei tetahi titi i reira hei whakairi mo tetahi mea?

Can wood be taken therefrom to employ it for any work? or will men take from it a pin to hang thereon any vessel?

4 Nana, e maka ana ki te ahi hei wahie; pau ake i te ahi ona pito e rua, wera iho a waenganui; he pai ranei mo tetahi mahi?

Behold, if it be given up to the fire to be consumed, —[and] the fire have consumed both its ends, and the middle of it be scorched; will it be fit for any work?

5 Nana, i tona toitutanga, kihai i pai mo tetahi mahi; katahi ka he rawa mo tetahi mahi a muri ake nei, i te mea ka kaia nei e te ahi, a ka wera?

Behold, when it was yet entire, it could not be employed for any work: how much more [must this be] when the fire hath consumed it, and it is scorched, —and shall it yet be employed for any work?

6 Mo reira ko te kupu tenei a te Ariki, a Ihowa, Ka rite ki taua rakau, ki te waina i roto i nga rakau o te ngahere, i tukua ra e ahau ki te ahi hei wahie, ka pera taku tukunga atu i nga tangata o Hiruharama.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given up to the fire to be consumed: so do I give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 Ka u atu ano toku mata hei he mo ratou. Ka puta mai ratou i te ahi, otiia ma te ahi ano ratou e kai: a ka mohio koutou ko Ihowa ahau, ina u atu toku mata ki te he mo ratou.

And I will set my face against them: from the fire have they gone forth, yet the fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.

8 Ka meinga ano e ahau te whenua hei ururua mo te he i he ai ratou, e ai ta te Ariki, ta Ihowa.

And I will render the land a desert; because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord Eternal.