Jezekiel 18
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
上主的話傳給我說：「
2 Son of man, what mean you by this parable amongst the children of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten unripe grapes, and the children's teeth have been set on edge?
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﹖
3 [As] I live, says the Lord, surely this parable shall no more be spoken in Israel.
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。
4 For all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, they are mine: the soul that sins, it shall die.
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。
5 But the man who shall be just, who executes judgement and righteousness,
一個人若正義，必行公道正義的事。
6 who shall not eat upon the mountains, and shall not at all lift up his eyes to the devices of the house of Israel, and shall not defile his neighbour's wife, and shall not draw near to her that is removed,
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，
7 and shall not oppress any man, [but] shall return the pledge of the debtor, and shall be guilty of no plunder, shall give his bread to the hungry, and clothe the naked;
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，
8 and shall not lend his money upon usury, and shall not receive usurious increase, and shall turn back his hand from injustice, shall execute righteous judgement between a man and his neighbour,
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，
9 and has walked in my commandments and kept mine ordinances, to do them; he is righteous, he shall surely live, says the Lord.
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──
10 And if he beget a mischievous son, shedding blood and committing sins,
倘若這人生了一個兒子，性暴好殺，只行這類的事；
11 who has not walked in the way of his righteous father, but has even eaten upon the mountains, and has defiled his neighbour's wife,
對上述的事不但不作，反而上山吃祭物，污辱近人的妻子，
12 and has oppressed the poor and needy, and has committed robbery, and not restored a pledge, and has set his eyes upon idols, has wrought iniquities,
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，
13 has lent upon usury, and taken usurious increase; he shall by no means live: he has wrought all these iniquities; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
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。
14 And if he beget a son, and [the son] see all his father's sins which he has wrought, and fear, and not do according to them,
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；
15 and [if he] has not eaten on the mountains, and has not set his eyes on the devices of the house of Israel, and has not defiled his neighbour's wife,
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，
16 and has not oppressed a man, and has not retained the pledge, nor committed robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has clothed the naked,
不欺壓，不索取抵押，不搶劫，施給饑餓者食物，給赤身者衣穿，
17 and has turned back his hand from unrighteousness, has not received interest or usurious increase, has wrought righteousness, and walked in mine ordinances; he shall not die for the iniquities of his father, he shall surely live.
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。
18 But if his father grievously afflict, or plunder, he has wrought enmity in the midst of my people, and shall die in his iniquity.
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。
19 But you will say, Why has not the son borne the iniquity of the father? Because the son has wrought judgement and mercy, has kept all my statues, and done them, he shall surely live.
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。
20 But the soul that sins shall die: and the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, nor shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the iniquity of the transgressor shall be upon him.
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。
21 And if the transgressor turn away from all his iniquities which he has committed, and keep all my commandments, and do justice and mercy, he shall surely live, and shall by no means die.
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。
22 None of his trespasses which he has committed shall be remembers: in his righteousness which he has done he shall live.
他所行的一切邪惡必被遺忘；他必因所行的正義而得生存。
23 Shall I at all desire death of the sinner, says the Lord, as I [desire] that he should turn from [his] evil way, and live?
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﹖
24 But when the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, according to all the transgressions which the transgressor has wrought, none of his righteousness which he has wrought shall be at all remembered: in his trespass wherein he has trespassed, and in his sins wherein he has sinned, in them shall he die.
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。
25 Yet you have said, The way of the Lord is not straight. Hear now, all the house of Israel; will not my way be straight? Is your way straight?
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﹖
26 When the righteous turns away from his righteousness and commits a trespass, and dies in the trespass he has committed, he shall [even] die in it.
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。
27 And when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and shall do judgement and justice, he has kept his soul,
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，
28 and has turned away from all his ungodliness which he has committed: he shall surely live, he shall not die.
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。
29 Yet the house of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not right. Is not my way right, O house of Israel? is not your way wrong?
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﹖
30 I will judge you, O house of Israel, says the Lord, each one according to his way: be converted, and turn from all your ungodliness, and it shall not become to you the punishment of iniquity.
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。
31 Cast away from yourselves all your ungodliness wherein you have sinned against me; and make to yourselves a new heart and a new spirit: for why should you die, O house of Israel?
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﹖
32 For I desire not the death of him that dies, says the Lord.
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!
