Israel's Leaders Are Worthless Shepherds
1 The Lord God said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, Israel's leaders are like shepherds taking care of my sheep, the people of Israel. But I want you to condemn these leaders and tell them:
I, the Lord God, say you shepherds of Israel are doomed! You take care of yourselves while ignoring my sheep. 3 You drink their milk and use their wool to make your clothes. Then you butcher the best ones for food. But you don't take care of the flock! 4 You have never protected the weak ones or healed the sick ones or bandaged those that get hurt. You let them wander off and never look for those that get lost. You are cruel and mean to my sheep. 5 They strayed in every direction, and because there was no shepherd to watch them, they were attacked and eaten by wild animals. 6 So my sheep were scattered across the earth. They roamed on hills and mountains, without anyone even bothering to look for them.
7-8 Now listen to what I, the living Lord God, am saying to you shepherds. My sheep have been attacked and eaten by wild animals, because you refused to watch them. You never went looking for the lost ones, and you fed yourselves without feeding my sheep. 9-10 So I, the Lord, will punish you! I will rescue my sheep from you and never let you be their shepherd again or butcher them for food. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Is the Good Shepherd
11 The Lord God then said:
I will look for my sheep and take care of them myself, 12 just as a shepherd looks for lost sheep. My sheep have been lost since that dark and miserable day when they were scattered throughout the nations. But I will rescue them 13 and bring them back from the foreign nations where they now live. I will be their shepherd and will let them graze on Israel's mountains and in the valleys and fertile fields. 14 They will be safe as they feed on grassy meadows and green hills. 15 I promise to take care of them and keep them safe, 16 to look for those that are lost and bring back the ones that wander off, to bandage those that are hurt and protect the ones that are weak. I will also slaughter those that are fat and strong, because I always do right.
Judgment on the Strong Sheep
17 The Lord God said to his sheep, the people of Israel:
I will carefully watch each one of you to decide which ones are the strong sheep and which ones are weak. 18 Some of you eat the greenest grass, then trample down what's left when you finish. Others drink clean water, then step in the water to make the rest of it muddy. 19 That means my other sheep have nothing fit to eat or drink.
20 So I, the Lord God, will separate you strong sheep from the weak. 21 You strong ones have used your powerful horns to chase off those that are weak, 22 but I will rescue them and no longer let them be mistreated. I will separate the good from the bad.
23 After that, I will give you a shepherd from the family of my servant King David. All of you, both strong and weak, will have the same shepherd, and he will take good care of you. 24 He will be your leader, and I will be your God. I, the Lord, have spoken.
A Bright Future for the Lord's Sheep
The Lord God said:
25 The people of Israel are my sheep, and I solemnly promise that they will live in peace. I will chase away every wild animal from the desert and the forest, so my sheep will not be afraid. 26 They will live around my holy mountain, and I will bless them by sending more than enough rain 27 to make their trees produce fruit and their crops to grow. I will set them free from slavery and let them live safely in their own land. Then they will know that I am the Lord. 28 Foreign nations will never again rob them, and wild animals will no longer kill and eat them. They will have nothing to fear. 29 I will make their fields produce large amounts of crops, so they will never again go hungry or be laughed at by foreigners. 30 Then everyone will know that I protect my people Israel. I, the Lord, make this promise. 31 They are my sheep; I am their God, and I take care of them.
Banisirayila maralilaalu
1 Yaawe* la kumoo naata n kaŋ ko: 2 “Ite hadamadiŋo, ñiŋ kiilaariyaa kumoo fo Banisirayila maralilaalu ye, nte Yaawe, ì Maariyo ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: Kooroo boyita ali kaŋ. Alitolu Banisirayila kantalaalu, ali be ali faŋolu dammaa le konoo fandi kaŋ. Aduŋ ali ñinata ali ka mennu kanta. Fo kantarilaa le maŋ ñaŋ na a la saajiyolu daañini la baŋ? 3 Alitolu le ka nonoo feenewo bee miŋ aniŋ ka ali faŋolu feetoofata n na saajiyolu tiyolu la. Ali ka saajii kendiŋolu le faa ka i baluu ì la, bari ali buka saajiyolu ñiŋ topatoo. 4 Ali maŋ n na saajii lamfuriŋolu maakoyi, ali buka ì saasaatoolu jaara, ali buka ì la baramoolu siti, aduŋ ali buka ì filiriŋolu murundi naŋ. Ali buka taa hani ka ì ñini naŋ. Bari ali ka n na saajiyolu mara semboo niŋ tilimbaliyaa le la. 5 Wo kamma la ì janjanta le, kaatu kantarilaa te ì kunna. Ì naata ke wulakono daafeŋolu ye domoroo ti. 6 N na saajiyolu janjanta le, ì be yaayi kaŋ konko baalu niŋ konkoriŋolu kaŋ santo. Ì janjanta le ka taa duniyaa bankoolu bee kaŋ taariŋ. Moo maŋ soto, meŋ si bula ì nooma waraŋ ka taa ì ñini.
7 “Wo kamma la, alitolu Banisirayila kantalaalu, ali i lamoyi nte Yaawe la kumoo la: 8 A be koyiriŋ ñaameŋ ko nte be baluuriŋ ne, n na saajiyolu keta le ko ñapinkaŋ feŋolu aniŋ ì naata ke wulakono daafeŋolu bee ye domoroo ti, baawo kantarilaa te ì kunna. Kantarilaalu maŋ taa ka n na saajiyolu ñini. Ì ka ì faŋolu le konoolu fandi ì la doroŋ, bari ì maŋ n na saajiyolu hati.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
9 “Wo kamma la, alitolu kantarilaalu, ali i lamoyi nte Yaawe la kumoo la: 10 A fele, m buloo be laa la Banisirayila kantalaalu kaŋ ne, m be ì kaniŋ na n na saajiyolu la le. M be daŋ ke la ì la n na saajiyolu balundoo la le, aniŋ ì te ì faŋolu konoo fandi la n na saajiyolu la kotenke. M be n na saajiyolu kanandi la ì daalu ma le, fo i si a je ì te ke noo la ì la baluuraŋo ti kotenke.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
Yaawe faŋo le mu kantarilaa ti
11 Maarii Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: “A fele, nte faŋo le be n na saajiyolu ñini la, ŋa ì topatoo. 12 Ko kantarilaa ka a la saajii filiriŋolu ñini ñaameŋ, niŋ a la saajii doolu janjanta ka taa kara doo la, m be taa n na saajiyolu ñini la wo le ñaama. M be ì bondi la naŋ dulaalu bee to le ì be janjandiŋ daamennu to, kasaaroo luŋo la, minaayoo niŋ dibi feŋ baa luŋo la. 13 M be ì bondi la naŋ wo moo doolu kono le, wo bantala bankoolu* kaŋ, ka ì samba naŋ ì fansuŋ bankoo kaŋ. M be ì daañini la Banisirayila konkoolu le kaŋ, woyoolu be daameŋ to, aniŋ moolu be wo bankoo maafaŋo meŋ bee la. 14 M be ì balundi la daañini dulaa betoo le to. Banisirayila konkoolu kaŋ santo le be ke la ì la daañini dulaa ti. Jee to ì be tara la laariŋ kayiroo le kono, ka baluu Banisirayila konkoolu kaŋ, mennu mu daañini dulaa kendiŋolu ti. 15 Nte faŋo le be ke la n na saajiyolu ye kantarilaa ti, aduŋ m be a ke la le, ì ye tara laariŋ kayira kono.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
16 “M be wo saajii filiriŋolu ñini la le, aduŋ mennu janjanta, m be ì murundi la naŋ ne. M be ì la baramoolu siti la le aniŋ ka ì lamfuriŋolu maakoyi. Bari wo nunkumaalu niŋ bambandiŋolu, m be wolu kasaara la le, kaatu m be ì daañini la tiliŋo le kono, bayiri ì jarita meŋ na, i be wo le soto la.”
17 Maarii Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: “N na saajiyolu la karoo la, a fele, m be kiitiyo ke la saajii niŋ saajii teema, saakotoŋo niŋ baakotoŋo teema. 18 Fo ali maŋ wasa ka i baluu dulaa kendiŋo to baŋ? Fo ali ka wo ñaamoolu bee doriŋ-doriŋ mennu be ali la daañini dulaalu to? Fo ali maŋ wasa ka i miŋ jii seneyaariŋo la baŋ? Fo ali ñanta wo jiyo duundi la niŋ ali siŋolu la le baŋ? 19 Fo n na saajiyolu ñanta wo ñaama doriŋ-dorindiŋo le domo la baŋ, aniŋ ka wo jii duuriŋo miŋ ali ye mennu duundi ali siŋolu la?”
20 Maarii Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: “A fele, m be kiitiyo ke la saajii sembemaalu niŋ saajii sembentaŋolu teema le. 21 Baawo ali ka ñoo ñoriŋ-ñoriŋ ne, ka ñiŋ sembentaŋolu junku niŋ ali binoolu la, fo ali ye ì bee janjandi, 22 m be n na saajiyolu tanka la le. Ì te ke la ñapinkaŋ feŋolu ti kotenke, aduŋ m be kiitiyo teyi la saajii niŋ saajii teema le. 23 M be kantarilaa kiliŋ ne ke la ì kunna, meŋ mu n na dookuulaa Dawuda koomalanka kiliŋ ti. A be ì daañini la le, ka ke ì la kantarilaa ti. 24 Nte faŋo le be ke la ì la Alla ti, aduŋ n na dookuulaa Dawuda koomalankoo le be ke la maralilaa ti ì kunna.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
25 “N niŋ n na moolu be kayira kambeŋo le siti la. M be wulakono daafeŋ jawoolu bee bondi la ì ye bankoo kaŋ ne, i si a je n na moolu si tara kayiroo kono, ka i laa noo ka siinoo kayira kono wo keñewuloo* niŋ wula kaamaa kono. 26 M be wo dulaalu aniŋ n na konko senuŋo* niŋ a dandaŋolu bee ke la ì ye neemoo le ti, aduŋ m be n na samaa neemoo dii la ì la a waatoo le la. M be neemoo sanjimaa le boŋ na ì kaŋ. 27 Yiroolu mennu be wuloo kono be diŋ betoolu diŋ na le. Bankoo be neemafeŋolu fintindi la ka siyaa, aduŋ n na moolu be tanka la ì la bankoo kaŋ ne. Ŋa yookoo* kati meŋ be laariŋ ì toŋolu kaŋ, aniŋ ŋa ì kanandi wo moolu bulu mennu ye ì joŋyandi. Wo to le ì be a loŋ na ko, nte le mu Yaawe ti, ì Maariyo. 28 Ì te ke la ñapinkaŋ feŋolu ti bantala bankoolu ye kotenke. Wulakono daafeŋ jawoolu te ñapi la ì kaŋ kotenke, ka ì domo. Ì be tara la kayiroo le kono jee, aduŋ moo te ì silandi noo la kotenke. 29 M be senedulaa yiriwaariŋ baa le dii la ì la, i si a je konkoo te ì muta la ì la bankoo kaŋ, aniŋ wo bantala bankoolu te jutunnayaa kuwolu tiliŋ na ì la kotenke. 30 Niŋ wo keta le, ì be a loŋ na ko, nte Yaawe le mu ì la Alla ti, aniŋ m be ì fee le fanaa, aduŋ itolu Banisirayilankoolu mu nte faŋo la moolu le ti.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
31 A ko: “Alitolu le mu n na saajiyolu ti, saajiyolu mennu be n na daañini dulaa to, aduŋ nte le mu ali la Alla ti.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
