Ezekiel 24

1 And the word of the Lord came to me in the ninth year, in the tenth month, the tenth day of the month, saying:

On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Son of man, write thee the name of this day, on which the king of Babylon hath set himself against Jerusalem today.

“Son of man, write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.

3 And thou shalt speak by a figure a parable to the provoking house, and say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: Set on a pot, set it on, I say, and put water into it.

Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some water.

4 Heap together into if the pieces thereof, every good piece, the thigh and the shoulder, choice pieces and full of bones.

Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.

5 Take the fattest of the flock, and lay together piles of bones under it: the seething thereof is boiling hot, and the bones thereof are thoroughly sodden in the midst of it.

Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.

6 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose rust is in it, and its rust is not gone out of it: cast it out piece by piece, there hath no lot fallen upon it.

So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.

7 For her blood is in the midst of her, she hath shed it upon the smooth rock: she hath not shed it upon the ground, that it might be covered with dust.

For the blood she shed is still inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.

8 And that I might bring my indignation upon her, and take my vengeance: I have shed her blood upon the smooth rock, that it should not be covered.

In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.

9 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city, of which I will make a great bonfire.

So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.

10 Heap together the bones, which I will burn with Are: the flesh shall be consumed, and the whole composition shall be sodden, and the bones shall be consumed.

Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.

11 Then set it empty upon burning coals, that it may be hot, and the brass thereof may be melted: and let the filth of it be melted in the midst thereof, and let the rust of it be consumed.

Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.

12 Great pains have been taken, and the great rust thereof is not gone out, not even by fire.

So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.

13 Thy uncleanness is execrable: because I desired to cleanse thee, and thou art not cleansed from thy filthiness: neither shalt thou be cleansed, before I cause my indignation to rest in thee.

Because of your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.

14 I the Lord have spoken: it shall come to pass, and I will do it: I will not pass by, nor spare, nor be pacified: I will judge thee according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, saith the Lord.

I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”

15 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

A message from the Lord came to me, saying,

16 Son of man, behold I take from thee the desire of thy eyes with a stroke: and thou shalt not lament, nor weep: neither shall thy tears run down.

“Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.

17 Sigh in silence, make no mourning for the dead: let the tire of thy head be upon thee, and thy shoes on thy feet, and cover not thy face, nor eat the meat of mourners.

Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by mourners.”

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening: and I did in the morning as he had commanded me.

I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.

19 And the people said to me: Why dost thou not tell us what these things mean that thou doest?

The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”

20 And I said to them: The word of the Lord came to me, saying:

So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:

21 Speak to the house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will profane my sanctuary, the glory of your realm, and the thing that your eyes desire, and for which your soul feareth: your sons, and your daughters, whom you have left, shall fall by the sword.

Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed by the sword.

22 And you shall do as I have done: you shall not cover your faces, nor shall you eat the meat of mourners.

Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.

23 You shall have crowns on your heads, and shoes on your feet: you shall not lament nor weep, but you shall pine away for your iniquities, and every one shall sigh with his brother.

You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.

24 And Ezechiel shall be unto you for a sign of things to come: according to all that he hath done, so shall you do, when this shall come to pass: and you shall know that I am the Lord God.

In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then you will know that I am the Lord God.

25 And thou, O son of man, behold in the day wherein I will take away from them their strength, and the joy of their glory, and the desire of their eyes, upon which their souls rest, their sons and their daughters.

You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—

26 In that day when he that escapeth shall come to thee, to tell thee:

when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.

27 In that day, I say, shall thy mouth be opened to him that hath escaped, and thou shalt speak, and shalt be silent no more: and thou shalt be unto them for a sign of things to come, and you shall know that I am the Lord.

On that day you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”