以西結書 18
1 上主的話傳給我說：「
The LORD’s word came to me again, saying,
2 在以色列地區內，你們有這樣流行的俗話說：『祖先吃了酸葡萄，而子孫的牙酸倒』這話有什麼意思﹖
“What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning Eretz-Israel, saying, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3 我指著我的生命起誓──吾主上主的斷語──在以色列決不能再容許這俗話流行。
“As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall not use this proverb any more in Israel.
4 所有的生命都屬於我，祖先的生命與子孫的生命全屬於我；誰犯罪，誰喪亡。
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.
5 一個人若正義，必行公道正義的事。
“But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
6 他不上山吃祭物，不舉目瞻仰以色列家族的偶像，不污辱近人的妻子，不接近經期中的婦女，
and has not eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbour’s wife, hasn’t come near a woman in her impurity,
7 不欺壓任何人，清還債戶的抵押，不搶劫，施給饑餓者食物，給赤身者衣穿，
and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
8 不放重利，不取息金，使自己的手遠避邪惡，在人與人之間執行公正的審斷，
he who hasn’t lent to them with interest, hasn’t taken any increase from them, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
9 遵行我的法度，謹守我的誡命，行事忠信：這樣的人纔是正義的，必得生存──吾主的斷語──
has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live,” says the Lord GOD.
10 倘若這人生了一個兒子，性暴好殺，只行這類的事；
“If he fathers a son who is a robber who sheds blood, and who does any one of these things,
11 對上述的事不但不作，反而上山吃祭物，污辱近人的妻子，
or who does not do any of those things but has eaten at the mountain shrines and defiled his neighbour’s wife,
12 欺壓貧窮無告的人，搶劫，不清還抵押，舉目瞻仰偶像，行醜惡之事，
has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
13 放重利，取利息：這樣的人決不能生存，因為他行了這些醜事，必要喪亡，他的血債必由他自己來負。
has lent with interest, and has taken increase from the poor, shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die. His blood will be on him.
14 倘若這人生了一個兒子，這兒子雖看見了他父親所行的一切罪過，但考慮之後，卻未依照去做；
“Now, behold, if he fathers a son who sees all his father’s sins which he has done, and fears, and doesn’t do likewise,
15 不在山上吃祭物，不舉目瞻仰以色列家族的偶像，不污辱近人的妻子，
who hasn’t eaten on the mountains, hasn’t lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hasn’t defiled his neighbour’s wife,
16 不欺壓，不索取抵押，不搶劫，施給饑餓者食物，給赤身者衣穿，
hasn’t wronged any, hasn’t taken anything to pledge, hasn’t taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
17 使自己的手戒絕邪惡，不取重利和利息，謹守我的法律，遵行我的法度：這人必不因他父親的罪而喪亡，必得生存。
who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who hasn’t received interest or increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father. He shall surely live.
18 至於他的父親，由於暴行，搶劫，在自己人民中從未行過善。看，他必因自己的罪而喪亡。
As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good amongst his people, behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19 你們或問：兒子為什麼不承當父親的罪過﹖因為兒子遵行法律和正義，謹守了我一切法度，而一一遵行，他必得生存。
“Yet you say, ‘Why doesn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has done them, he will surely live.
20 誰犯罪，誰就該喪亡；兒子不承當父親的罪過，父親不承當兒子的罪過；義人的正義歸於義人自己，惡人的邪惡也歸於惡人自己。
The soul who sins, he 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 on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.
21 若惡人悔改，遠離所犯的罪過，遵守我的法度，遵行我的法律和正義，必得生存，不至喪亡。
“But if the wicked turns from all his sins that he has committed, and keeps all my statutes, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
22 他所行的一切邪惡必被遺忘；他必因所行的正義而得生存。
None of his transgressions that he has committed will be remembered against him. In his righteousness that he has done, he shall live.
23 我豈能喜歡惡人的喪亡﹖──吾主上主的斷語──我豈不更喜歡他離開舊道而得生存﹖
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?” says the Lord GOD, “and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?
24 若義人離棄了正義而行惡，一如惡人所慣行的醜惡，他豈能生存﹖他行過的正義必被遺忘，因為他背信違約，犯了罪過，必要喪亡。
“But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, should he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done will be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them he shall die.
25 你們或說：上主的作法不公平! 以色列家族，請聽我說：是我的作法不公平嗎﹖豈不是你們的作法不公平﹖
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
26 若是義人離棄正義而行惡，因而喪亡，是因為他所行的惡而喪亡。
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.
27 若惡人遠離他所行的惡事，而遵行法律和正義，必能保全自己的生命，
Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
28 因為他考慮之後，離棄了所行的一切惡事，他必生存，不至喪亡。
Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.
29 若以色列家族還說：吾主的作法不公平。以色列家族! 是我的作法不公平嗎﹖豈不是你們的作法不公平﹖
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ House of Israel, aren’t my ways fair? Aren’t your ways unfair?
30 以色列家族! 我要照各人的行為裁判你們──吾主上主的斷語──你們應回心轉意，離開你們的一切罪惡，避免它們再做你們犯罪的絆腳石。
“Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord GOD. “Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 由你們身上拋契一切得罪我的惡行罷! 你們應改造一個新心，一種新的精神! 以色列家族，為何你們偏要喪亡﹖
Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, house of Israel?
32 因為我不喜歡任何人喪亡──吾主上主的斷語－－你們回心轉意罷! 你們必得生存!
For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,” says the Lord GOD. “Therefore turn yourselves, and live!
