Ezekiel 18
1 A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
上主的話傳給我說：「
2 “What's this proverb you people are quoting about the country of Israel: ‘The fathers ate the unripe grapes, but their children got the sour taste’?
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, declares the Lord God, you won't quote this proverb in Israel any more.
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 Can't you see that everyone belongs to me? Whether parents or children, they are all mine. It's the person who sins who will 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 Take the example of a man who is a good person, doing what is fair and right.
一個人若正義，必行公道正義的事。
6 He doesn't go to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal, or worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman during her period.
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 He doesn't exploit anyone. He gives back what a debtor has given him as security. He doesn't rob others. He feeds the hungry and clothes 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 He doesn't lend with interest or make a profit from loans. He refuses to do wrong and makes sure he's truly fair in his decisions between people.
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 He follows my rules and keeps my regulations faithfully. Such a man lives by what's right and he will certainly live, declares the Lord God.
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 What if that man has a son who is a violent criminal, who kills and does do such evil things just listed
倘若這人生了一個兒子，性暴好殺，只行這類的事；
11 even though the father doesn't act like that at all. The son goes to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal. He has sex with someone else'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 He exploits the poor and those in need. He robs others, and he doesn't give back what a debtor has given him as security. He worships idols. He commits disgusting sins.
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 He lends with interest and makes a profit from loans. Is someone like this going to live? No, he won't! Because he has done all these offensive things, he will die for certain, and he will be responsible for his own death.
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 Now what if this man has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed. He sees them but doesn't do the same.
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 He doesn't go to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal, or worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else'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 He doesn't exploit anyone. He doesn't demand security for a loan. He doesn't rob others. He feeds the hungry and clothes 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 He refuses to do wrong and does not charge interest or make a profit on loans. He keeps my regulations and follows my laws. A man like that won't die because of his father's sins, he will certainly 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 his father will die for his own sins, because he exploited others, robbed his relatives, and did wrong to his own people.
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 You ask, ‘Why shouldn't the son pay for his father's sins?’ If the son has done what is fair and right, keeping all my laws, then he'll live, he won't be punished.
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 It's the person who sins who will die. A son won't pay for his father's sins, and a father won't pay for his son's sins. The good consequences of living right will come to those who are good; the evil consequences of wickedness will come to those who are evil.
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 However, if someone who is wicked stops sinning and keeps my laws, doing what is fair and right, they will certainly live—they won't 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 their sins will be held against them. Because they are now doing what's right, they will 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 Do I like it when wicked people die? declares the Lord God. Of course not—I would be delighted if they stopped sinning and lived!
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 if someone who is living according to what's right stops and does wrong, doing the same offensive things as the wicked, will that person live? Of course not! In fact, all the good things they did previously will be forgotten. That person will die because of their betrayal of me and the sins they've committed.
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 Even so you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ People of Israel, listen to me! Is it what I'm doing that isn't right? Isn't it what you're doing that isn't right?
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 If someone who lives according to what's right stops doing right and does wrong, they will die. They will die because of wrong things they've done.
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 But if someone wicked stops doing wrong and does what is fair and right, they will save their life.
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 Because they thought about it and gave up their wicked ways, they will certainly live—they won't 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 But the people of Israel say, ‘The Lord's way isn't right.’ Are my ways unfair, people of Israel? Isn't it your ways that aren't fair?
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 Consequently I'm going to judge you, people of Israel! I will judge each of you depending on what you've done, declares the Lord God. Repent and stop rebelling so that your sins won't bring you down.
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 Get rid of all your rebellious sins! Change your way of thinking and have a new spirit. Why do you want to die, people 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 I don't like it when anybody dies, declares the Lord God. So repent so you can live!”
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!
