1
Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2
Mwanadamu, uelekeze uso wako kuelekea Yerusalemu, ukadondoze neno lako upande wa mahali patakatifu, ukatabiri juu ya nchi ya Israeli;
“Son of man, set your face against Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries. Prophesy against the land of Israel
3
uiambie nchi ya Israeli, Bwana asema hivi; Tazama, mimi ni juu yako, nami nitautoa upanga wangu alani, nami nitamkatilia mbali nawe mtu mwenye haki na mtu mbaya.
and tell her that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am against you, and I will draw My sword from its sheath and cut off from you both the righteous and the wicked.
4
Basi, kwa kuwa nitamkatilia mbali nawe mtu mwenye haki na mtu mbaya, upanga wangu utatoka alani mwake, uwe juu ya watu wote wenye mwili toka kusini hata kaskazini,
Because I will cut off both the righteous and the wicked, My sword will be unsheathed against everyone from south to north.
5
na watu wote wenye mwili watajua ya kuwa mimi, Bwana, nimeufuta upanga wangu alani mwake; hautarudi tena.
Then all flesh will know that I, the LORD, have taken My sword from its sheath, not to return it again.’
6
Ugua, basi, Ee mwanadamu; kwa kuvunjika kwake viuno vyako, na kwa uchungu, utaugua mbele ya macho yao.
But you, son of man, groan! Groan before their eyes with a broken heart and bitter grief.
7
Na itakuwa, wakuambiapo, Mbona unaugua? Ndipo utakaposema, Kwa sababu ya habari hizo, maana linakuja; na kila moyo utayeyuka, na mikono yote itakuwa dhaifu, na kila roho itazimia, na magoti yote yatalegea kama maji; tazama, linakuja, nalo litatendeka, asema Bwana MUNGU.
And when they ask, ‘Why are you groaning?’ you are to say, ‘Because of the news that is coming. Every heart will melt, and every hand will go limp. Every spirit will faint, and every knee will turn to water.’ Yes, it is coming and it will surely happen, declares the Lord GOD.”
8
Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
9
Mwanadamu, tabiri, useme, Bwana asema hivi; Nena, Upanga, upanga, umenolewa na kusuguliwa,
“Son of man, prophesy and tell them that this is what the Lord says: ‘A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—
10
umenolewa ili kufanya machinjo; umesuguliwa ili uwe kama umeme; basi je! Tufanye furaha? Upanga unadharau fimbo ya mwanangu, kama unavyodharau kila mti.
it is sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning! Should we rejoice in the scepter of My son? The sword despises every such stick.
11
Nao umenolewa usuguliwe, upate kushikwa mkononi; upanga umenolewa, naam, umesuguliwa, ili kutiwa katika mkono wake auaye.
The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped in the hand. It is sharpened and polished, to be placed in the hand of the slayer.
12
Piga kelele, utoe sauti ya uchungu, Ee mwanadamu, kwa maana upanga u juu ya watu wangu, u juu ya wakuu wote wa Israeli; wametolewa wauawe na upanga pamoja na watu wangu, basi, jipige pajani.
Cry out and wail, O son of man, for the sword is wielded against My people; it is against all the princes of Israel! They are tossed to the sword with My people; therefore strike your thigh.
13
Kwa maana kuna kujaribiwa; itakuwaje, basi, ikiwa upanga unaidharau hiyo fimbo? Haitakuwapo tena; asema Bwana MUNGU.
Surely testing will come! And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue?’ declares the Lord GOD.
14
Basi, wewe mwanadamu, tabiri, ukapige makofi; upanga huo na uongezwe mara mbili, hata mara tatu; upanga wao waliotiwa jeraha kiasi cha kuwaua; ni upanga wa mkuu aliyetiwa jeraha kiasi cha kumwua; uwazungukao pande zote.
‘So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike two times, even three. It is a sword that slays, a sword of great slaughter closing in on every side!
15
Nimeweka ncha ya upanga huo juu ya malango yao yote, ili mioyo yao iyeyuke, yakaongezeke makwazo yao; aha! Umefanywa kuwa kama umeme, umenolewa, ili uchinje.
So that their hearts may melt and many may stumble, I have appointed at all their gates a sword for slaughter. Yes, it is ready to flash like lightning; it is drawn for slaughter.
16
Jiweke tayari, enenda upande wa kuume; jipange, enenda upande wa kushoto; mahali po pote utakapouelekeza uso wako.
Slash to the right; set your blade to the left—wherever your blade is directed.
17
Mimi nami nitapiga makofi, mimi nami nitashibisha ghadhabu yangu; mimi, Bwana, nimenena neno hili.
I too will strike My hands together, and I will satisfy My wrath.’ I, the LORD, have spoken.”
18
Neno la Bwana likanijia tena, kusema,
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
19
Tena, mwanadamu, ujiwekee njia mbili, upanga wa mfalme wa Babeli upate kuja; hizo mbili zitatoka katika nchi moja; ukaandike mahali, upaandike penye kichwa cha njia iendayo mjini.
“Now you, son of man, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take, both starting from the same land. And make a signpost where the road branches off to each city.
20
Utaagiza njia, upanga upate kufikilia Raba wa wana wa Amoni, na kufikilia Yuda katika Yerusalemu, wenye maboma.
Mark out one road for the sword to come against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and another against Judah into fortified Jerusalem.
21
Maana mfalme wa Babeli alisimama penye njia panda, penye kichwa cha njia hizo mbili, ili atumie uganga; aliitikisa mishale huko na huko, akaziuliza terafi, akayatazama maini.
For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
22
Katika mkono wake wa kuume alikuwa na kura ya Yerusalemu, kuviweka vyombo vya kubomolea, kufumbua kinywa katika machinjo, kuiinua sauti kwa kupiga kelele sana, kuweka vyombo vya kubomolea juu ya malango, kufanya maboma, na kujenga ngome.
In his right hand appears the portent for Jerusalem, where he is to set up battering rams, to call for the slaughter, to lift a battle cry, to direct the battering rams against the gates, to build a ramp, and to erect a siege wall.
23
Jambo hili litakuwa kwao kama uganga wa ubatili, mbele ya macho yao waliowaapia viapo lakini ataufanya uovu ukumbukwe, ili kwamba wakamatwe.
It will seem like a false omen to the eyes of those who have sworn allegiance to him, but it will draw attention to their guilt and take them captive.
24
Basi Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Kwa kuwa mmeufanya uovu wenu ukumbukwe, kwa maana makosa yenu yamefunuliwa, hata dhambi zenu zikaonekana kwa matendo yenu; kwa sababu mmekumbukwa, mtakamatwa kwa mkono.
Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you have drawn attention to your guilt, exposing your transgressions, so that your sins are revealed in all your deeds—because you have come to remembrance—you shall be taken in hand.
25
Na wewe, Ewe mtu mwovu, uliyetiwa jeraha kiasi cha kukuua, mkuu wa Israeli, ambaye siku yako imekuja, katika wakati wa uovu wa mwisho;
And you, O profane and wicked prince of Israel, the day has come for your final punishment.’
26
Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Kiondoe kilemba, ivue taji; haya hayatakuwa tena kama yalivyo; kikweze kilicho chini, kakishushe kilichoinuka.
This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Remove the turban, and take off the crown. Things will not remain as they are: Exalt the lowly and bring low the exalted.
27
Nitakipindua, nitakipindua, nitakipindua; hiki nacho hakitakuwa tena, hata atakapokuja yeye ambaye ni haki yake; nami nitampa.
A ruin, a ruin, I will make it a ruin! And it will not be restored until the arrival of Him to whom it belongs, to whom I have assigned the right of judgment.’
28
Nawe, mwanadamu, tabiri useme, Bwana MUNGU asema hivi, katika habari za wana wa Amoni, na katika habari za aibu yao; Nena, Upanga; upanga umefutwa; umesuguliwa, ili kuua, ili kuufanya uue sana, upate kuwa kama umeme;
Now prophesy, son of man, and declare that this is what the Lord GOD says concerning the Ammonites and their contempt: ‘A sword! A sword is drawn for slaughter, polished to consume, to flash like lightning—
29
wakati wakuoneapo ubatili, wakati wakufanyiao uganga wa uongo, ili kukuweka juu ya shingo zao waliotiwa jeraha kiasi cha kuwaua, ambao siku yao imekuja, katika wakati wa uovu wa mwisho.
while they offer false visions for you and lying divinations about you—to be placed on the necks of the wicked who are slain, whose day has come, the time of their final punishment.
30
Uurudishe alani mwake. Mahali pale ulipoumbwa, katika nchi uliyozaliwa; nitakuhukumu wewe.
Return the sword to its sheath! In the place where you were created, in the land of your origin, I will judge you.
31
Nami nitamwaga ghadhabu yangu juu yako; nitakupulizia moto wa hasira yangu; nami nitakutia katika mikono ya watu walio kama hayawani, wajuao sana kuangamiza.
I will pour out My anger upon you; I will breathe the fire of My fury against you; I will hand you over to brutal men, skilled in destruction.
32
Utakuwa kuni za kutiwa motoni; damu yako itakuwa katikati ya nchi; hutakumbukwa tena; maana mimi, Bwana, nimenena neno hili.
You will be fuel for the fire. Your blood will stain your own land. You will not be remembered, for I, the LORD, have spoken.’”