Ezekiel 18

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What is the meaning?

The word of Jehovah came to me again, saying:

2 That you use among you this parable as a proverb in the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge.

What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge”?

3 As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall be no more to you a proverb in Israel.

As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

4 Behold all souls are mine: as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, the same shall die.

Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

5 And if a man be just, and do judgment and justice,

But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right;

6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman:

if he eat not upon the mountains, and lift not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defile not his neighbor's wife, and come not near a woman during her uncleanness;

7 And hath not wronged any man: but hath restored the pledge to the debtor, hath taken nothing away by violence: hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment:

if he oppress not any, if he restore to the debtor his pledge, spoil none by violence, give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment;

8 Hath not lent upon usury, nor taken any increase: hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, and hath executed true judgment between man and man:

if he give not forth upon usury, and take not increase; if he withdraw his hand from iniquity, and give true judgment between man and man;

9 Hath walked in my commandments, and kept my judgments, to do truth: he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

if he walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, to deal uprightly, —he is just; he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah.

10 And if he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that hath done some one of these things:

But if he have a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth to his brother any of these things,

11 Though he doth not all these things, but that eateth upon the mountains, and that defileth his neighbour’s wife:

and doeth not all those duties, but eateth upon the mountains, and defileth his neighbor's wife,

12 That grieveth the needy and the poor, that taketh away by violence, that restoreth not the pledge, and that lifteth up his eyes to idols, that committeth abomination:

oppresseth the poor and needy, spoileth by violence, restoreth not the pledge, lifteth up his eyes to idols, and committeth abomination,

13 That giveth upon usury, and that taketh an increase: shall such a one live? he shall not live. Seeing he hath done all these detestable things, he shall surely die, his blood shall be upon him.

giveth forth upon usury, and taketh increase, shall he live? No! he shall not live. He hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

14 But if he beget a son, who, seeing all his father’s sins, which he hath done, is afraid, and shall not do the like to them:

Yet lo, if he have a son that seeth all the sins which his father committed, that seeth them and doeth not such like,

15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife:

that eateth not upon the mountains, nor lifteth up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defileth his neighbor's wife,

16 And hath not grieved any man, nor withholden the pledge, nor taken away with violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and covered the naked with a garment:

nor oppresseth any, nor taketh a pledge, nor spoileth by violence, but giveth his food to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment,

17 That hath turned away his hand from injuring the poor, hath not taken usury and increase, but hath executed my judgments, and hath walked in my commandments: this man shall not die for the iniquity of his father, but living he shall live.

keepeth back his hand from the poor, and taketh no usury or increase, keepeth my commandments, and walketh in my statutes, he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.

18 As for his father, because he oppressed and offered violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, behold he is dead in his own iniquity.

As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, he shall die for his iniquity.

19 And you say: Why hath not the son borne the iniquity of his father? Verily, because the son hath wrought judgment and justice, hath kept all my commandments, and done them, living, he shall live.

Yet say ye, “Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?” When the son doeth that which is lawful and right, keepeth all my statutes and doeth them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, the same shall die: the son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, and the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son: the justice of the just shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

The soul that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

21 But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die.

But if the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

22 I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live.

None of his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered unto him; for his righteousness, which he hath done, he shall live.

23 Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live?

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

24 But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die.

But when the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; for his trespass which he hath trespassed, and for his sin which he hath sinned, for them shall he die.

25 And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse?

Yet ye say, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel! “Is not my way right?” Is it not your ways that are not right?

26 For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die.

When a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and on this account dieth, for his iniquity which he hath done doth he die.

27 And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive.

And when the wicked man turneth from his iniquity which he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.

28 Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.

Because he considereth and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

29 And the children of Israel say: The way of the Lord is not right. Are not my ways right, O house of Israel, and are not rather your ways perverse?

Yet saith the house of Israel, “The way of the Lord is not right.” O house of Israel, are not my ways right? Is it not your ways that are not right?

30 Therefore will I judge every man according to his ways, O house of Israel, saith the Lord God. Be converted, and do penance for all your iniquities: and iniquity shall not be your ruin.

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Turn ye, turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not be your ruin.

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, by which you have transgressed, and make to yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit: and why will you die, O house of Israel?

Cast away from you all your transgressions which ye have committed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit! For why will ye die, O house of Israel?

32 For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God, return ye and live.

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah. Wherefore turn yourselves and live!