Ezekiel 18
1 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
2 “What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
“Sɛ mo saa nkurɔfo yi bu saa bɛ a ɛfa Israel asase yi ho a, na mopɛ sɛ mokyerɛ dɛn: “‘Agyanom di bobe bun, na mma se afem ana?’
3 As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
“Nokware, sɛ mete ase yi, sɛɛ na Awurade se, moremmu saa bɛ yi bio wɔ Israel.
4 Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
Ɔkra teasefo biara yɛ me de, agya ne ɔba barima nyinaa, wɔn nyinaa yɛ me de. Ɔkra a ɔyɛ bɔne no, ɔne ne nea obewu.
5 Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
“Sɛ ɛba sɛ onipa trenee bi wɔ hɔ a ɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ na ɛyɛ pɛ;
6 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
onnidi wɔ mmepɔw so abosonnan mu na ɔnsom ahoni a wɔwɔ Israelfi. Ongu ne yɔnko yere ho fi na ɔne ɔbea a wabu ne nsa nna.
7 He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
Ɔnhyɛ obiara so, na ɔde boseagyefo awowaside san ma no. Ɔmmɔ korɔn mmom ɔde nʼaduan ma nea ɔkɔm de no na ofura nea ɔda adagyaw no ntama.
8 He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
Ɔmmɔ bosea nnye nsiho na onnye mfɛntom mmoroso. Ɔtwe ne ho fi bɔneyɛ ho na obu nipa baanu ntam atɛntrenee.
9 He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
Odi mʼahyɛde so na odi me mmara so nokware. Saa onipa no na ɔteɛ; na ampa ara obenya nkwa Awurade asɛm ni.
10 Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
“Sɛ ɛba sɛ ɔwɔ ɔba barima a odi akakabensɛm na ohwie mogya gu anaasɛ ɔyɛ saa nneɛma yi mu biara a
11 though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
(ɛwɔ mu, agya no nyɛɛ eyinom mu biara ɛ): “Odidi wɔ mmepɔw so abosonnan mu. Ogu ne yɔnko yere ho fi.
12 He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
Ɔhyɛ ahiafo ne mmɔborɔfo so. Ɔbɔ korɔn. Ɔmmfa boseagyefo awowaside mma no. Ɔde ne ho to abosom so. Ɔyɛ akyiwade.
13 He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
Ɔbɔ bosea gye nsiho na ogye mfɛntom mmoroso. Saa onipa yi benya nkwa ana? Dabi da! Esiane sɛ wayɛ saa akyiwade yi nyinaa nti, ampa ara wobekum no na ne mogya bɛbɔ nʼankasa ti so.
14 Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
“Nanso sɛ ɛba sɛ saa ɔbabarima yi wɔ ɔbabarima a ohu bɔne a nʼagya yɛ no nyinaa nanso ɔnyɛ saa nneɛma no bi:
15 He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
“Onnidi wɔ mmepɔw so abosonnan mu na ɔmfa ne ho nto ahoni a ɛwɔ Israelfi so. Ongu ne yɔnko yere ho fi.
16 He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
Ɔnhyɛ obiara so na onnye boseagyefo hɔ awowaside. Ɔmmɔ korɔn, mmom ɔde nʼaduan ma nea ɔkɔm de no na ofura nea ɔda adagyaw no ntama.
17 He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.
Ɔtwe ne ho fi bɔne ho, na onnye nsiho anaa mfɛntom mmoroso. Odi me mmara ne mʼahyɛde so. Ɔrenwu wɔ nʼagya no bɔne nti; ampa ara obenya nkwa.
18 As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.
Nanso nʼagya no bewu wɔ ɔno ara bɔne nti, efisɛ osisii nnipa, bɔɔ ne yɔnko korɔn, na ɔyɛɛ bɔne wɔ ne nkurɔfo mu.
19 Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.
“Nanso mubisa se, ‘Adɛn nti na ɔbabarima no nnya nʼagya afɔdi no bi ho asotwe?’ Esiane sɛ ɔbabarima no ayɛ nea ɛteɛ na ɛyɛ pɛ na wahwɛ yiye adi mʼahyɛde nyinaa so no nti, ampa ara obenya nkwa.
20 The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
Ɔkra a ɔyɛ bɔne no, ɔno ne nea obewu. Ɔbabarima no rennya nʼagya afɔdi no ho asotwe bi, saa ara na agya no nso rennya ɔbabarima no afɔdi ho asotwe no bi. Wɔde ɔtreneeni adetreneeyɛ so aba bɛma no, na wobebu omumɔyɛfo amumɔyɛsɛm atia no.
21 But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
“Na sɛ omumɔyɛfo twe ne ho fi bɔne a wayɛ nyinaa ho, na odi mʼahyɛde so, na afei ɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ ne nea ɛyɛ papa a, ampa ara obenya nkwa na ɔrenwu.
22 None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
Wɔrennyina bɔne a wayɛ no mu biara so mmu no atɛn. Ne trenee nneyɛe nti obenya nkwa.
23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
Mʼani gye amumɔyɛfo wu ho ana? Otumfo Awurade bisa. Sɛ wɔtwe wɔn ho fi wɔn akwammɔne ho na wonya nkwa a, mʼani nnye ana?
24 But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
“Na sɛ ɔtreneeni twe ne ho fi ne trenee nneyɛe ho, kɔyɛ bɔne, na ɔyɛ akyiwade a amumɔyɛfo yɛ a, obenya nkwa ana? Wɔrenkae ne trenee nneyɛe no. Esiane sɛ odi nokwaredi ho fɔ na wayɛ bɔne nti, obewu.
25 Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
“Nanso moka se, ‘Awurade kwan nteɛ.’ Muntie! Mo, Israelfi. Me kwan nteɛ ana? Ɛnyɛ mo akwan mmom na ɛnteɛ?
26 If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
Sɛ ɔtreneeni twe ne ho fi ne trenee nneyɛe ho na ɔkɔyɛ bɔne a, ɛno nti obewu, bɔne a wayɛ nti obewu.
27 But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
Nanso sɛ omumɔyɛfo twe ne ho fi amumɔyɛsɛm a wadi ho, na ɔyɛ nea ɛteɛ ne nea ɛyɛ papa a, obegye ne kra nkwa.
28 Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
Esiane sɛ wahu ne mmarato na watwe ne ho afi ho no nti, obenya nkwa na ɔrenwu.
29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
Nanso Israelfi ka se, ‘Awurade kwan nteɛ.’ Mʼakwan nteɛ! Mo, Israelfi! Ɛnyɛ mo akwan mmom na ɛnteɛ ana?
30 Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
“Ɛno nti, mo Israelfo, mebu mo mu biara atɛn sɛnea nʼakwan te, Otumfo Awurade na ose. Monsakra mo adwene! Montwe mo ho mfi mo mmarato nyinaa ho; na afei bɔne remfa mo nkɔ asehwe mu bio.
31 Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
Montow mfomso a moayɛ nyinaa ngu na moanya koma foforo ne honhom foforo. Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ muwu, Israelfifo?
32 For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
Mʼani nnye obiara wu ho, Otumfo Awurade na ose. ‘Monsakra mo adwene na moanya nkwa!’
