Ezekiel 20

1 Saning sarihto haih, khrah pangato thung ih ni hato naah, Angraeng to dueng hanah, thoemto Israel kacoehtanawk angzoh o moe, ka hmaa ah anghnut o.

On the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year, some of the elders of Israel came to ask advice from the Lord, and they sat down with me.

2 To naah Angraeng ih lok kai khaeah angzoh,

Then a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

3 kami capa, kacoehta Israel caanawk khaeah na thuih pae han ih lok loe, Angraeng Sithaw mah hae tiah thuih: Kai lokdueng hanah maw nang zoh o? Kai ka hing baktiah, lok nang dueng o thai mak ai, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah thuih, tiah thui paeh, tiah ang naa.

“Son of man, tell these elders of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Have you come to ask my advice? As I live, I'm not going to answer you, declares the Lord God.

4 Kami capa, nihcae lokcaek han na koeh maw? Nihcae to lok na caek han maw? Nihcae ampanawk mah sak ih panuet thok hmuennawk to panoeksak ah:

Are you going to condemn them—will you do that, son of man? Remind them about the disgusting things their forefathers did,

5 Angraeng Sithaw mah, Israel ka qoih na niah, Jakob imthung takoh ih caanawk khaeah ban ka phok moe, lokkamhaih ka sak pacoengah Izip prae ah nihcae khaeah kam tueng pae, ban ka phok moe, nihcae khaeah, Kai loe nangcae ih Angraeng Sithaw ah ka oh, tiah thuih, tiah thui paeh, tiah ang naa.

and then tell them that this is what the Lord God says: At the time I chose Israel, I held up my hand and made a solemn promise to Jacob's descendants and revealed myself to them when they were in Egypt. I held up my hand and told them, ‘I am the Lord your God.’

6 To na niah Izip prae hoiah ka zaeh moe, nihcae han ka qoih pae ih prae boih pong kahoih koek, tahnutui hoi khoitui longhaih prae ah kang caeh o haih han, tiah nihcae khaeah ban phok hoiah lokkamhaih to ka sak.

I promised them on that day to lead them out of Egypt and take them to a country that I had chosen for them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country.

7 To pacoengah nihcae khaeah, Nangcae boih mah na khet o ih panuet thok hmuennawk to takhoe o boih ah loe, Izip prae ih krangnawk hoiah amhnong o hmah; Kai loe nangcae ih Angraeng Sithaw ah ka oh, tiah a thuih, tiah ka naa.

I told them: ‘All of you have to get rid of your disgusting pagan images. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

8 Toe nihcae mah kai to misa ah suek o, ka lok tahngai o ai; mi mah doeh mik hoiah sak ih panuet thok hmuennawk, Izip prae ih krangnawk to toeng o ai; to pongah Izip prae ah nihcae khae palungphuihaih koepsak hanah, nihcae nuiah palungphuihaih to ka kraih han, tiah ka poek.

But they rebelled against me and wouldn't do what I told them. None of them got rid of their disgusting pagan images, and they didn't give up worshiping the idols of Egypt. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in Egypt.

9 To langlacadoeh Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk salakah ka hmin sethaih thuih han ai ah, nihcae ohhaih prae ih kaminawk boih hmaa ah Israel caanawk khaeah kam tueng pae moe, nihcae to Izip prae thung hoiah ka tacawt haih.

But I did act so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations living near them who had seen me reveal myself to Israel by leading them out of Egypt.

10 Nihcae to Izip prae thung hoiah ka tacawtsak moe, praezaek ah ka hoih.

So I led them out of Egypt and took them into the wilderness.

11 Nihcae khaeah zaehhoihaih lok to ka paek moe, ka lokcaekhaihnawk to ka patuk, sah kami loe hing tih.

There I gave them my laws and explained to them my regulations so that those who kept them would live.

12 Nihcae ciimsakkung loe Angraeng, Kai ni, tiah a panoek o hanah, Kai hoi nihcae salak angmathaih ah Ka Sabbath to ka paek.

I also gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, so that they would acknowledge that I am the Lord who makes them holy.

13 Toe Israel imthung takoh mah praezaek ah kai misa angthawk o thuih; sah kami mah hing hanah ka paek ih, Ka lokcaekhaihnawk to patoek o moe, ka patuk ih loknawk to pazui o ai; kai ih Sabbath doeh amhnong o sak; to pongah nihcae to paduek hanah, praezaek ah nihcae nuiah palungphuihaih ka kraih han, tiah ka poek.

But the people of Israel rebelled against me in the desert, refusing to observe my laws and rejecting my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them and wipe them out there in the desert.

14 Toe Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk salakah ka hmin sethaih thuih han ai ah, a oh o haih prae kaminawk boih hmaa ah Israel caanawk to Izip prae thung hoiah ka tacawt haih.

But I still acted for them so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

15 Toe nihcae han ka paek ih prae boih pong kahoih koek, tahnutui hoi khoitui longhaih prae ah ka caeh haih mak ai, tiah praezaek ah nihcae nuiah ban payangh hoiah lokkamhaih ka sak boeh;

So I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I wouldn't take them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey—better than any other country—

16 tipongah tih nahaeloe nihcae loe ka lokcaekhaihnawk patoek o moe, ka patuk ih loknawk to pazui o ai, kai ih Sabbath doeh amhnong o sak; a poek o haih palungthin doeh krangnawk bangah ni a suek o.

because they repeatedly rejected my regulations, refused to observe my laws, and violated my Sabbaths, and because they chose to continue worshiping idols.

17 Toe nihcae to ka tahmen pongah kang hmaasak ai, praezaek ah doeh ka duehsak ai.

Even so I was sorry for them and I didn't destroy them; I didn't wipe them out in the desert.

18 Praezaek ah a caanawk khaeah kai mah, Nam panawk patukhaih lok to pazui o hmah, nihcae lokcaekhaih doeh pakuem o hmah loe, a sak o ih krangnawk hoi doeh amhnong o hmah:

I told their children in the desert: ‘Don't do what your fathers told you to do. Don't follow their practices. Don't make yourselves unclean by worshiping their idols.

19 Kai loe na Angraeng Sithaw ah ka oh; ka patuk ih lok to pazui oh, ka lokcaekhaihnawk to pakuem oh loe, sah oh.

I am the Lord your God. Do what I tell you to do. Follow my regulations and make sure to practice them.

20 Nangcae hoi kai salakah angmathaih oh hanah, ka Sabbath ninawk to kaciim ah zaa oh; to naah Kai loe nangcae ih Angraeng Sithaw ni, tiah na panoek o tih, tiah ang naa.

Keep my Sabbaths holy so they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may acknowledge that I am the Lord your God.’

21 Toe a caanawk mah ka lok to aek o; sah kami loe hinghaih ah kaom, ka patuk ih loknawk to pazui o ai, ka lokcaekhaih doeh pakuem o ai, sah doeh sah o ai, kai ih Sabbathnawk to amhnong o sak; to pongah praezaek ah nihcae khaeah palungphuihaih ka koepsak hanah, palungphuihaih nihcae nuiah ka kraih han, tiah ka poek.

But their children also rebelled against me. They didn't follow my laws and didn't keep my regulations, even though they would have given them life. They violated my Sabbaths. So I warned them that I would punish them in my anger there in the desert.

22 Toe Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk salakah ka hmin sethaih thuih han ai ah, ban ka zuh let moe, a oh o haih prae kaminawk boih hmaa ah Israel caanawk to ka tacawt haih.

But I held back and did what I did so I would not be misrepresented, so that I wouldn't lose respect in the eyes of the other nations who had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

23 Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk salakah kang haehsak phang moe, prae boih ah kam hetsak han tiah, nihcae khaeah ban ka phok moe, praezaek ah lokkamhaih to ka sak;

However, I held up my hand and vowed to them in the desert that I was going to scatter them among the various countries of different nations.

24 tipongah tih nahaeloe nihcae loe am panawk ih krangnawk bangah mik padai o moe, ka lokcaekhaih to pazui o ai, ka patuk ih loknawk to patoek o moe, ka Sabbath doeh kaciim ah zaa o ai.

For they didn't keep my regulations, instead they rejected my laws and violated my Sabbaths, always looking to worship their fathers' idols.

25 To pongah kahoih ai lokcaekhaih hoi hinghaih kapaek ai lok takroekhaih to nihcae hanah ka paek boeh;

I also let them follow the regulations they wanted that weren't good; laws that wouldn't help them live.

26 Kai loe Angraeng ah ka oh, tiah nihcae mah panoek o thai hanah, nihcae mah caa lu hoi hmai angbawnhaih a sak o naah, nihcae kam rosak hanah, nihcae mah angbawnhaih ah paek ih tangqumnawk to kam hnongsak.

I let them make themselves unclean by their offerings to idols, including their firstborn sons. I allowed this to happen so that they would be so appalled that they would acknowledge that I am the Lord.

27 To pongah kami capa, Israel imthung takoh khaeah na thuih han ih lok loe Angraeng Sithaw mah, Hae pongah nam panawk mah kai kasae ang thuih o moe, ka koeh ai ih zaehaih to a sak o boeh.

So, son of man, tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: You're acting in exactly the same way your forefathers insulted me by being unfaithful to me.

28 Nihcae to ban phok moe, hmuen paek hanah lokkamhaih prae thungah ka caeh haih naah, maesang hoi kabuk thingnawk to a hnuk o naah, to ahmuen ah angbawnhaih to a sak o, kai palungphuisak hanah hmuen paekhaih to a sak o; hmuihoih to thlaek o moe, naek han koi hmuennawk to a kraih o, tiah thuih.

After I led them into the land that I had promised to give them, on any high hill or under any leafy tree they saw there they offered their pagan sacrifices and presented offerings to idols that made me angry, burning their sweet-smelling incense and pouring out their drink offerings.

29 To naah nihcae khaeah, Tih sak han ih maw hmuensang ah na caeh o? tiah ka naa. To hmuensang loe vaihni ni khoek to Bamah, tiah kawk o.

So I asked them: ‘What's this high place you're going to?’ (Even today it's still called Bamah.)

30 To pongah Israel imthung takoh khaeah thuih han ih lok loe, Angraeng Sithaw mah, Nam panawk mah sak o ih baktih toengah kamhnong hmuen to maw na sak o? Nihcae mah sak o ih panuet thok zaehaih hmuennawk to na sak o maw?

Therefore tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: Are you going to make yourselves unclean like your forefathers, turning yourselves into prostitutes, acting the way they did with the same disgusting practices?

31 Tangqum paekhaih to na sak o, na capanawk to hmai angbawnhaih ah na paek o; vaihni ni khoek to krangnawk hoi nam hnong o vop pongah, Aw Israel imthung takohnawk, kai khaeah lok nang dueng o thai tih maw? Kai ka hing baktiah, nangcae mah lok nang dueng o thai mak ai, tiah thui ah, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah ang naa.

When you present your offerings to idols and sacrifice your children in the fire, you continue to make yourselves unclean with all your idols right up until now. So should I give you advice when you ask me, people of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God, I'm not going to answer you!

32 Nangcae mah, Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk baktiah, thing hoiah sak ih sithaw, thlung hoiah sak ih sithaw bok, prae kaminawk baktiah ka oh o han, tiah na poek o ih baktiah angcoeng thai mak ai.

When you say to yourselves, ‘Let's be like the other nations, like people in other countries who worship idols made of wood and stone,’ what you're thinking is never going to happen.

33 Kai ka hing baktiah, thacak ban, ban ka payangh moe, palungphuihaih kang kraih o thuih pacoengah, nangcae to kang uk han, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah thuih.

As I live, declares the Lord God, I will rule you with all my strength and power, and in my anger.

34 Kaminawk salak hoiah kang zaeh o han, nam het o haih prae thung hoi thacak kaminawk ban thung hoiah kang zaeh o pacoengah, ban payangh moe, palungphui kraih thuihaih thung hoiah doeh kang tacuu o han.

With all my strength and power, and in my anger, I will lead you out from among the nations and gather you from the countries where you were scattered.

35 Praezaek ah kaom congca kaminawk khaeah kang hoih o moe, to ah mikhmai kangtong ah lok kang caek o han.

I will bring you before me for judgment face to face in the desert of the nations.

36 Nam panawk Izip praezaek ah lok ka caek baktih toengah, nangcae doeh lok kang caek o han, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah thuih.

In the same way I judged your forefathers in the Egyptian desert after I'd led them out of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Lord God.

37 Kaimah ih cunghet tlim ah kang caeh o sak moe, lokkamhaih thungah kang kun o sak han:

I will decide about you as you pass under the rod and see if you kept our solemn agreement.

38 Ka nuiah sethaih sah kaminawk, kai tuh kaminawk to nangcae salak hoiah ka tapraek moe, nihcae to a oh o haih prae thung hoiah ka tacawt haih han, toe nihcae loe Israel prae thungah akun o mak ai; to naah Kai loe Angraeng Sithaw ni, tito na panoek o tih.

I will get rid of those of you who rebel against me, those who sin against me. I will lead them out of the country where they're currently living, but they won't enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.

39 Aw Israel imthung takoh, nangcae hanah Angraeng Sithaw mah hae tiah thuih; Caeh o boih ah loe, na bok o ih krangnawk hanah toksah pae oh! Ka lok na tahngai o ai cadoeh, akra ai ah na sin o ih tangqumnawk, krangnawk hoiah kai ih ciimcai ahmin to nam hnong o sak mak ai boeh.

This is what the Lord God says to you, you people of Israel: All of you, go ahead and worship your idols. But after that if you don't listen to me you won't continue to disgrace me with your pagan offerings and idols.

40 Tipongah tih nahaeloe kai ih kaciim mae, Israel maesang ah, Israel imthung takoh boih, prae thungah kaom kaminawk boih mah kai ih tok to sah o tih boeh; to ah nihcae to ka talawk moe, to ahmuen ah hmuen paekhaih, athai tangsuek, kahoih koek thingthainawk hoi ciimcai hmuennawk to kang talawk pae o boih han, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah thuih.

For there on my holy mountain, Israel's high mountain, declares the Lord God, every single person in the whole country of Israel will worship me. That's where I'll accept them and will ask for your offerings and your best gifts, together with all your holy sacrifices.

41 Prae kaminawk salak hoiah kang zaeh o moe, nam het o haih prae congca thung hoiah kang pakhueng o let naah, na sin o ih hmuihoihnawk hoiah kang talawk o han, to naah loe nangcae rang hoiah Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk hmaa ah ka ciimcaihaih to amtueng tih boeh.

When I bring you back from the nations and gather you from countries where you were scattered, I will accept you as a suitable offering to me. I will reveal my holiness through you so the nations can see.

42 Ban ka payangh moe, nam panawk khaeah paek han lokkam ih Israel prae thungah kang caeh o haih naah, Kai loe Angraeng Sithaw ni, tiah na panoek o tih.

Then you will acknowledge that I am the Lord when I bring you back to the country of Israel, the land that I promised to give your forefathers.

43 To ah nangmacae ih tuinuen, na sak o ih panuet thok hmuennawk to na panoek o boih tih boeh; to naah loe na sak o ih kasae hmuennawk boih to na panuet o tih.

That's where you will remember your bad ways and everything you've done to make yourselves unclean, and you will hate yourselves for the evil things you did.

44 Aw Israel imthung takoh, nangcae tuinuen sethaih hoi kasae toksakhaih pongah na ai ah, kaimah ih ahmin hanah nangcae nuiah hmuen ka sak naah, Kai loe Angraeng ni, tiah na panoek o tih, tiah Angraeng Sithaw mah thuih.

Then you people of Israel will acknowledge that I am the Lord, because I have treated you well because of who I am, and not because of your evil ways and terrible things you've done, declares the Lord God.”

45 Angraeng ih lok kai khaeah angzoh,

Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,

46 kami capa, aloih bangah anghae ah, aloih bang misa tukhaih lok to thui ah loe, aloih bang prae ih taw khaeah misa tukhaih lok to taphong ah;

“Son of man, face towards the south and preach against it. Prophesy against the forest of the Negev.

47 aloih bang prae ih taw khaeah, Angraeng ih lok to tahngai oh; Angraeng Sithaw mah, Khenah, hmai hoi kang thlaek han boeh, nang ih kahing thing hoi kangqo thingnawk to kangh boih tih; hmai kangqong loe paduek thai mak ai, aloih bang hoi aluek bang khoek to long ah kaom hmuennawk to kangh boih tih.

Tell the forest of the Negev: Listen to the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord God says: I am going to set you on fire, and it will burn up all your trees, both those that are living and those that are dead. The blaze won't be put out, and everything from the north to the south will be burned.

48 Hmai loe Kai Angraeng mah ni thlaek, tiah kaminawk boih mah hnu o tih, tiah thui paeh, tiah ang naa.

Then everyone will recognize that it was me, the Lord, who started the fire, and it won't be put out.”

49 To naah kai mah, Aw, Angraeng Sithaw! Nihcae mah, Hae kami loe patahhaih na ai maw a thuih, tiah na naa o mak ai maw? tiah ka naa.

But then I said, “Oh no, Lord God! People already say, ‘He's just telling stories!’”