Ezekiel 18
1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying,
上主的話傳給我說：「
2 "What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are 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, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb 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 Look, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins, he 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 if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
一個人若正義，必行公道正義的事。
6 and has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbor's wife, neither has come near to a woman in her impurity,
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 has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
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8 he who has not given forth on interest, neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,
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 has walked in my statutes, and has kept my ordinances, to deal truly; he is just, 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 "If he fathers a son who is a robber, a shedder of blood, and who does any one of these things,
倘若這人生了一個兒子，性暴好殺，只行這類的事；
11 and who does not any of those duties, but even has eaten on the mountains, and defiled his neighbor'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 has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge, and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,
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 given forth on interest, and has taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live: he has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be on 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 "Now, look, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;
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 who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor'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 neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment;
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 who has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has executed my ordinances, has walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity 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 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, look, he 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 "Yet you say, 'Why doesn't the son bear the iniquity of the father?' When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all my statutes, and has 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 The soul who sins, he 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 on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on 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 "But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not 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 transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that 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 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked?" says the LORD; "and not rather that he should return from his 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 turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that 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 say, "The way of the LORD is not just." Hear now, house of Israel: "Is my way not just? Aren't your ways unjust?"
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 man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.
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 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
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 he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that 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 says, "The way of the LORD is not just." "House of Israel, aren't my ways just? Aren't your ways unjust?"
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 "'Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, everyone according to his ways,' says the LORD. 'Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
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 you all your transgressions, in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, 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 have no pleasure in the death of him who dies,' says the LORD: 'therefore turn yourselves, and 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!
