< Ezekiel 13 >

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying:
2 Son of man, be a prophet against the prophets of Israel, and say to those prophets whose words are the invention of their hearts, Give ear to the word of the Lord;
Son of man. prophesy against the prophets of Israel, who are prophesying, —and say unto them who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear ye the word of Yahweh,
3 This is what the Lord has said: A curse on the foolish prophets who go after the spirit which is in them and have seen nothing!
Thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, Alas for the base prophets, —who follow their own spirit and have seen, nothing.
4 O Israel, your prophets have been like jackals in the waste places.
As jackals, among ruins, thy prophets O Israel have been.
5 You have not gone up into the broken places or made up the wall for the children of Israel to take your place in the fight in the day of the Lord.
Ye have not gone up into the breaches, Nor built a wall about the house of Israel, - to stand in the battle in the day of Yahweh.
6 They have seen visions without substance and made use of secret arts, who say, The Lord has said; and the Lord has not sent them: hoping that the word would have effect.
They have had Visions of falsehood, and Divinations of lies, Who say. Declareth Yahweh, when, Yahweh, hath not sent them, — Yet have they waited for a fulfilling of the word.
7 Have you not seen a vision without substance and have you not falsely made use of secret arts, when you say, The Lord has said; though I have said nothing?
Is it not a Vision of falsehood, ye have seen, and a Divination of lies, ye have spoken, Since ye are saying. Declareth Yahweh! when I have not spoken?
8 So this is what the Lord has said: Because your words are without substance and your visions are false, see, I am against you, says the Lord.
Therefore Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Because ye have spoken falsehood, And have had visions of lies, Therefore behold me! against you, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
9 And my hand will be against the prophets who see visions without substance and who make false use of secret arts: they will not be in the secret of my people, and they will not be recorded in the list of the children of Israel, and they will not come into the land of Israel; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord.
So then my hand shall be against the prophets who have Visions of falsehood and who divine Divinations of lies— In the council of my people, shall they not be found. And in the register of the house of Israel, shall they not be written, And Upon the so of Israel, shall they not enter, — So shall ye know that, I, am The Lord Yahweh,
10 Because, even because they have been guiding my people into error, saying, Peace; when there is no peace; and in the building of a division wall they put whitewash on it:
Because, yea, even because, they have led astray my people saying. Prosperity! when there was no prosperity, —and one man, was building a partition wall, when there they were! eating it with whitewash
11 Say to those who put whitewash on it, There will be an overflowing shower; and you, O ice-drops, will come raining down; and it will be broken in two by the storm-wind.
Say thou unto them who are coating with whitewash It shall fall, - There hath come an overflowing rain And I will make hail-stones fall, And a tempestuous wind shall break it down.
12 And when the wall has come down, will they not say to you, Where is the whitewash which you put on it?
Lo! when the wall hath fallen, shall it not be said unto you, Where is the coating, wherewith ye coated it?
13 For this reason, the Lord has said: I will have it broken in two by a storm-wind in my passion; and there will be an overflowing shower in my wrath, and you, O ice-drops, will come raining angrily down.
Therefore Thus saith my Lord, Yahweh, So will I break down with a tempestuous wind. in mine indignation, — And an overflowing rain in mine anger, shall there be, With hailstones in wrath to make an end;
14 So I will let the wall, which you were covering with whitewash, be broken down; I will have it levelled to the earth so that its base is uncovered: it will come down, and destruction will come on you with it; and it will be clear to you that I am the Lord.
And I will pull down the wall which ye have coated with whitewash And will bring it unto the ground So shall be discovered its foundation, Yea it shall fall And ye shall come to an end in the midst thereof, So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.
15 So I will let loose my passion on the wall in full measure, and on those who put whitewash on it; and I will say to you, Where is the wall, and where are those who put whitewash on it?
Thus will I bring to an end mine indignation against the wall, and against them who were coating it with whitewash, And will say to you No more is the wall, And no more are they who were coating it:
16 Even the prophets of Israel who say words to Jerusalem, who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the Lord.
to wit the prophets of Israel who are prophesying unto Jerusalem, and are seeing, on her behalf, visions of prosperity, — when there is no prosperity, Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
17 And you, son of man, let your face be turned against the daughters of your people, who are acting the part of prophets at their pleasure; be a prophet against them, and say,
And thou, Son of man Set thy face against the daughters of thy people, Those who are prophesying out of their own heart, — And prophesy thou against them;
18 This is what the Lord has said: A curse is on the women who are stitching bands on all arms and putting veils on the heads of those of every size, so that they may go after souls! Will you go after the souls of my people and keep yourselves safe from death?
and say, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Alas! for the women Who sew oracle, cases on all elbows And prepare wraps upon the head of every stature to hunt souls, — the souls ye hunt, are those of my people, Whereas your own souls: , ye keep alive.
19 And you have put me to shame among my people for a little barley and some bits of bread, sending death on souls for whom there is no cause of death, and keeping those souls living who have no right to life, by the false words you say to my people who give ear to what is false.
Thus have ye profaned me unto my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, Putting to death the souls that should not die, and Keeping alive the souls that should not live, — By your lying to my people, who hearken to lies
20 For this cause the Lord has said: See, I am against your bands with which you go after souls, and I will violently take them off their arms; and I will let loose the souls, even the souls whom you go after freely.
Therefore, Thus saith my Lord Yahweh, Behold me! against your oracle-cases wherewith ye are hunting the souls to make them fly, And I will tear them off your arms, And let go the souls of them whose souls ye are hunting as birds;
21 And I will have your veils violently parted in two, and will make my people free from your hands, and they will no longer be in your power for you to go after them; and you will be certain that I am the Lord.
And will tear off your wraps, And deliver my people out of your hand, And they shall be no longer in your hand to be hunted; - So shall ye know that, I, am Yahweh.
22 Because with your false words you have given pain to the heart of the upright man when I had not made him sad; in order to make strong the hands of the evil-doer so that he may not be turned from his evil way and get life:
Because of the paining of the heart of the righteous man with falsehood, whom, I, have not pained, — And strengthening the hands of the lawless man, that he should not turn from his wicked way. by letting him live
23 For this cause you will see no more foolish visions or make false use of secret arts: and I will make my people free from your power; and you will be certain that I am the Lord.
Therefore—of falsehood: , shall ye have no vision, And a divination: , shall ye not divine any more, — So will I deliver my people out of your hand, And ye shall know that, I, am Yahweh.

< Ezekiel 13 >