1
Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2
Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli mithali;
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel
3
useme, Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Tai mkubwa, mwenye mabawa makubwa na manyoya marefu katika mabawa, mwenye kujaa manyoya, yaliyo ya rangi mbalimbali, alifika Lebanoni, akakitwaa kilele cha mwerezi;
and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘A great eagle with great wings and long pinions, full of feathers of many colors, came to Lebanon and took away the top of the cedar.
4
akakikata kitawi kilicho juu katika vitawi vyake, akakichukua mpaka nchi ya biashara, akakiweka katika mji wa wachuuzi.
He plucked off its topmost shoot, carried it to the land of merchants, and planted it in a city of traders.
5
Akatwaa tena mbegu katika mbegu za nchi hiyo, akaipanda katika udongo uzaao sana, akaiweka kando ya maji mengi; aliipandikiza kama mti ukuao karibu na mto.
He took some of the seed of the land and planted it in fertile soil; he placed it by abundant waters and set it out like a willow.
6
Ikakua, ikawa mzabibu wenye kuenea sana, wa kimo kifupi, ambao matawi yake yalimgeukia, na mizizi yake ilikuwa chini yake; basi ukawa mzabibu, ukatoa matawi, ukachipuza vichipuko.
It sprouted and became a spreading vine, low in height, with branches turned toward him; yet its roots remained where it stood. So it became a vine and yielded branches and sent out shoots.
7
Kulikuwa na tai mwingine mkubwa, mwenye mabawa makubwa na manyoya mengi; na tazama, mzabibu huo ukapinda mizizi yake imwelekee yeye, ukachipuza matawi yake yamwelekee yeye, toka matuta yake ulipopandwa; ili yeye apate kuunywesha.
But there was another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. And behold, this vine bent its roots toward him. It stretched out its branches to him from its planting bed, so that he might water it.
8
Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mwema, kando ya maji mengi, upate kutoa matawi, na kuzaa matunda, uwe mzabibu mzuri.
It had been planted in good soil by abundant waters in order to yield branches and bear fruit and become a splendid vine.’
9
Basi nena wewe, Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Je! Huo utafanikiwa? Yeye hataing'oa mizizi yake na kuyakata matunda yake, ili ukauke? Kwamba majani mabichi yake yote yachipukayo yakauke, hata ikiwa hana nguvu nyingi, wala watu wengi wa kuung'oa na mizizi yake?
So you are to tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Will it flourish? Will it not be uprooted and stripped of its fruit so that it shrivels? All its foliage will wither! It will not take a strong arm or many people to pull it up by its roots.
10
Naam, tazama, ingawa umepandwa, je! Utafanikiwa? Hautakauka kabisa, upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga? Naam, utakauka katika matuta hapo ulipopandwa.
Even if it is transplanted, will it flourish? Will it not completely wither when the east wind strikes? It will wither on the bed where it sprouted.’”
11
Tena neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
12
Waambie sasa nyumba hii iliyoasi, Hamjui maana ya mambo haya? Waambie, Tazama, mfalme wa Babeli alifika Yerusalemu, akamtwaa mfalme wake, na wakuu wake, akawachukua pamoja naye mpaka Babeli;
“Now say to this rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, carried off its king and officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon.
13
akawatwaa baadhi ya wazao wa kifalme; kisha akafanya agano naye, akamwapisha; akawaondoa watu wa nchi wenye nguvu;
He took a member of the royal family and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath. Then he carried away the leading men of the land,
14
ili ufalme huo uwe duni usijiinue, lakini usimame kwa kulishika agano lake.
so that the kingdom would be brought low, unable to lift itself up, surviving only by keeping his covenant.
15
Lakini alimwasi kwa kupeleka wajumbe huko Misri, wampe farasi na watu wengi. Je! Atafanikiwa? Afanyaye mambo hayo ataokoka? Atalivunja agano, kisha akaokoka?
But this king rebelled against Babylon by sending his envoys to Egypt to ask for horses and a large army. Will he flourish? Will the one who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and yet escape?’
16
Kama mimi niishivyo, asema Bwana MUNGU, hakika mahali pale akaapo mfalme aliyemmilikisha, ambaye alikidharau kiapo chake, na kulivunja agano lake, ndipo atakapokufa pamoja naye kati ya Babeli.
‘As surely as I live,’ declares the Lord GOD, ‘he will die in Babylon, in the land of the king who enthroned him, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke.
17
Wala Farao na jeshi lake kubwa, na kusanyiko lake kuu la watu, hawatamfaa kitu vitani, watakapofanya maboma, na kujenga ngome, ili kukatilia mbali watu wengi.
Pharaoh with his mighty army and vast horde will not help him in battle, when ramps are built and siege walls constructed to destroy many lives.
18
Kwa maana amekidharau kiapo kwa kulivunja agano; na tazama, ametia mkono wake, na pamoja na hayo ameyatenda mambo hayo yote; hataokoka.
He despised the oath by breaking the covenant. Seeing that he gave his hand in pledge yet did all these things, he will not escape!’
19
Basi Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Kama mimi niishivyo, hakika kiapo changu alichokidharau, na agano langu alilolivunja, nitampatiliza kichwani pake.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘As surely as I live, I will bring down upon his head My oath that he despised and My covenant that he broke.
20
Nami nitatandika wavu wangu juu yake, naye atanaswa katika mtego wangu, nami nitamleta hata Babeli; nami nitateta naye huko kwa sababu ya kosa lake alilonikosa.
I will spread My net over him and catch him in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and execute judgment upon him there for the treason he committed against Me.
21
Na wakimbizi wake wote wa vikosi vyake vyote wataanguka kwa upanga, na hao watakaosalia watatawanyika kwenye kila upepo; nanyi mtajua ya kuwa mimi, Bwana, nimenena neno hili.
All his choice troops will fall by the sword, and those who survive will be scattered to every wind. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken.’
22
Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Mimi nami nitakitwaa kilele kirefu cha mwerezi, na kukipandikiza mahali; na katika vitawi vyake vilivyo juu nitatwaa kitawi kimoja kilicho chororo, nami nitakipanda juu ya mlima mrefu ulioinuka sana;
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar, and I will set it out. I will pluck a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.
23
juu ya mlima wa mahali palipoinuka pa Israeli nitakipanda; nacho kitatoa matawi, na kuzaa matunda, nao utakuwa mwerezi mzuri; na chini yake watakaa ndege wa kila namna ya mbawa; katika uvuli wa matawi yake watakaa.
I will plant it on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.
24
Na miti yote ya mashamba itajua ya kuwa mimi, Bwana, nimeushusha chini mti mrefu, na kuuinua mti mfupi, na kuukausha mti mbichi, na kuusitawisha mti mkavu; mimi, Bwana, nimenena, nami nimelitenda jambo hili.
Then all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD. I bring the tall tree down and make the low tree tall. I dry up the green tree and make the withered tree flourish. I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it.’”