The Eagle and the Cedar
1 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
Mwanadamu, tega kitendawili, ukawaambie nyumba ya Israeli mithali;
3 and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:
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;
4 he cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffick; he set it in a city of merchants.
akakikata kitawi kilicho juu katika vitawi vyake, akakichukua mpaka nchi ya biashara, akakiweka katika mji wa wachuuzi.
5 He took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.
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.
6 And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.
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.
7 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.
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.
8 It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.
Ulikuwa umepandwa katika udongo mwema, kando ya maji mengi, upate kutoa matawi, na kuzaa matunda, uwe mzabibu mzuri.
9 Say thou, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof.
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?
10 Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.
Naam, tazama, ingawa umepandwa, je! Utafanikiwa? Hautakauka kabisa, upepo wa mashariki utakapoupiga? Naam, utakauka katika matuta hapo ulipopandwa.
11 Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Tena neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
12 Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them , Behold, the king of Babylon is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes thereof, and led them with him to Babylon;
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;
13 and hath taken of the king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land:
akawatwaa baadhi ya wazao wa kifalme; kisha akafanya agano naye, akamwapisha; akawaondoa watu wa nchi wenye nguvu;
14 that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.
ili ufalme huo uwe duni usijiinue, lakini usimame kwa kulishika agano lake.
15 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered?
Lakini alimwasi kwa kupeleka wajumbe huko Misri, wampe farasi na watu wengi. Je! Atafanikiwa? Afanyaye mambo hayo ataokoka? Atalivunja agano, kisha akaokoka?
16 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.
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.
17 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company make for him in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons:
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.
18 seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things , he shall not escape.
Kwa maana amekidharau kiapo kwa kulivunja agano; na tazama, ametia mkono wake, na pamoja na hayo ameyatenda mambo hayo yote; hataokoka.
19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.
Basi Bwana MUNGU asema hivi; Kama mimi niishivyo, hakika kiapo changu alichokidharau, na agano langu alilolivunja, nitampatiliza kichwani pake.
20 And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.
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.
21 And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds: and ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it .
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.
22 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it ; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
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;
23 in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
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.
24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it .
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.
