Personal Responsibility
1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,
Neno la Bwana likanijia tena, kusema,
2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
Je! Maana yake ni nini hata mkatumia mithali hii katika Israeli, mkisema, Baba wamekula zabibu mbichi, nao watoto wakatiwa ganzi la meno?
3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Kama mimi niishivyo, asema Bwana MUNGU, hamtakuwa na sababu ya kuitumia tena mithali hii katika Israeli.
4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
Tazama, roho zote ni mali yangu; kama vile roho ya baba ni mali yangu, ndivyo ilivyo roho ya mwana mali yangu; roho ile itendayo dhambi itakufa.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,
Bali kama mtu ni mwenye haki, na kuyatenda yaliyo halali na haki;
6 and hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,
hakula juu ya milima, wala hakuviinulia macho vinyago vya nyumba ya Israeli, wala hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake, wala hakumkaribia mwanamke wakati wa kutengwa kwake;
7 and hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;
wala hakumdhulumu mtu, bali amemrudishia mdeni wake rehani yake, wala hakumnyang'anya mtu mali yake kwa nguvu, naye amewapa wenye njaa chakula chake, na kuwavika nguo walio uchi;
8 he that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,
ambaye hakumkopesha mtu ili apate faida, wala hakupokea ziada ya namna yo yote; naye ameuepusha mkono wake na uovu, na kufanya hukumu ya haki kati ya mtu na mwenzake;
9 hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
tena ikiwa amezifuata sheria zangu, na kuzishika hukumu zangu; mtu huyu ni mwenye haki; hakika ataishi, asema Bwana MUNGU.
10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things ,
Walakini akizaa mwana aliye mnyang'anyi, mmwaga damu, atendaye mambo hayo mojawapo;
11 and that doeth not any of those duties , but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour's wife,
wala hakutenda mojawapo la mambo hayo yampasayo, bali amekula juu ya milima, na kumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake,
12 hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination,
na kuwadhulumu maskini na wahitaji, na kuwanyang'anya watu mali yao kwa nguvu, wala hakurudisha rehani, naye ameviinulia macho vinyago, na kufanya machukizo,
13 hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
naye amekopesha watu ili apate faida, na kupokea ziada; je! Ataishi baada ya hayo? La, hataishi; amefanya machukizo hayo yote; hakika atakufa; damu yake itakuwa juu yake.
14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,
Na kama yeye huyo akizaa mwana, naye ameona dhambi zote za baba yake alizozitenda, akaogopa, asifanye neno lo lote kama hayo;
15 that hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife,
hakula juu ya milima, wala hakuviinulia macho vinyago vya nyumba ya Israeli, wala hakumtia unajisi mke wa jirani yake,
16 neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment,
wala hakumdhulumu mtu, wala hakutwaa kitu kiwekwe rehani, wala hakumnyang'anya mtu mali yake kwa nguvu, bali amewapa wenye njaa chakula chake, na kuwafunika nguo walio uchi;
17 that hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.
tena ikiwa ameuzuia mkono wake asimwonee maskini, wala hakupokea faida na ziada, naye amezifanya hukumu zangu, na kuzifuata sheria zangu; hatakufa huyu kwa sababu ya uovu wa baba yake, hakika ataishi.
18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
Kwa habari za yule baba yake, kwa sababu aliwaonea watu kwa ukali mwingi, na kumnyang'anya ndugu yake mali yake kwa nguvu; na kuyatenda yasiyo mema kati ya watu wake, tazama, atakufa katika uovu wake.
19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.
Lakini ninyi mwasema, Kwani yule mwana asiuchukue uovu wa baba yake? Yule mwana atakapofanya yaliyo halali na haki, na kuzishika amri zangu na kuzitenda, hakika ataishi.
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Roho itendayo dhambi, ndiyo itakayokufa; mwana hatauchukua uovu wa baba yake, wala baba hatauchukua uovu wa mwanawe, haki yake mwenye haki itakuwa juu yake, na uovu wake mwenye uovu utakuwa juu yake.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Lakini mtu mbaya akighairi, na kuacha dhambi zake zote alizozitenda, na kuzishika amri zangu zote, na kutenda yaliyo halali na haki, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
Dhambi zake zote alizozitenda hazitakumbukwa juu yake hata mojawapo; katika haki yake aliyoitenda ataishi.
23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Je! Mimi ninafurahia kufa kwake mtu mwovu? Asema Bwana MUNGU; si afadhali kwamba aghairi, na kuiacha njia yake, akaishi?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
Bali mwenye haki atakapoghairi, na kuiacha haki yake, na kutenda uovu, na kufanya machukizo yote kama yale afanyayo mtu mwovu, je, ataishi? Katika matendo yake yote ya haki aliyoyatenda halitakumbukwa hata mojawapo. Katika kosa lile alilolikosa, naam, katika dhambi yake aliyoitenda, atakufa.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
Lakini ninyi mwasema, Njia ya Bwana si sawa. Sikilizeni sasa, Enyi nyumba ya Israeli; Je! Njia yangu siyo iliyo sawa? Njia zenu sizo zisizo sawa?
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
Mwenye haki atakapoghairi, na kuiacha haki yake, na kutenda uovu, akafa katika uovu huo; katika uovu wake alioutenda atakufa.
27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
Tena, mtu mwovu atakapoghairi, na kuuacha uovu wake alioutenda, na kutenda yaliyo halali na haki, ataponya roho yake, nayo itakuwa hai.
28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
Kwa sababu atafakari, na kughairi, na kuyaacha makosa yake yote aliyoyatenda, hakika ataishi, hatakufa.
29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
Lakini nyumba ya Israeli husema, Njia ya Bwana si sawa. Ee nyumba ya Israeli, je! Njia zangu sizo zilizo sawa? Njia zenu sizo zisizo sawa?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Basi, nitawahukumu ninyi, nyumba ya Israeli, kila mmoja kwa kadiri ya njia zake, asema Bwana MUNGU. Rudini, mkaghairi, na kuyaacha makosa yenu yote; basi hivyo uovu wenu hautakuwa uharibifu wenu.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Tupilieni mbali nanyi makosa yenu yote mliyoyakosa; jifanyieni moyo mpya na roho mpya; mbona mnataka kufa, enyi nyumba ya Israeli?
32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves , and live ye.
Maana mimi sikufurahii kufa kwake afaye, asema Bwana MUNGU; basi ghairini, mkaishi.
