Ezekiel 33
1 Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,
2 “You human, speak to your fellow Israelis and say this to them: ‘When I bring an enemy army [MTY] to attack a country, and the people of that country choose one of their men and appoint him to be a watchman,
“Ame vi, ƒo nu na wò dukɔmetɔwo, eye nàgblɔ na wo be ne metsɔ yi ɖe dukɔ aɖe ŋu, eye dukɔa me tɔwo tia wo dometɔ ɖeka wòzu gbetakplɔla,
3 if he sees the enemy army [MTY] coming to attack his country, and he blows a trumpet to warn the people,
eye wòkpɔ yi la wògbɔna ɖe dukɔ la ŋu, ne eku kpẽ be yeaxlɔ̃ nu eƒe amewo la,
4 if anyone hears the trumpet and does not heed the warning, and as a result he is killed by the sword [of one of his enemies], he will be responsible for his own death [MTY].
ekema ne ame aɖe se kpẽ la, gake melé fɔ ɖe nuxlɔ̃ame la ŋu o, eye yi la va wui la, eƒe ʋu anɔ eya ŋutɔ ƒe ta dzi.
5 If he had heeded the warning, he would have (have saved his life/still be alive). But because he heard the sound of the trumpet and did not heed that warning, his death will be his own fault.
Esi wòse kpẽ la ƒe ɖiɖi, gake mewɔ nuxlɔ̃ame la dzi o ta la, eƒe ʋu anɔ eya ŋutɔ ƒe ta dzi. Nenye ɖe wòwɔ ɖe nuxlɔ̃ame la dzi la, anye ne eɖe eɖokui.
6 But if the watchman sees the enemy army [MTY] coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people, and one of his people is killed by an enemy sword, that person will die because of his sin, but I will consider that the watchman is responsible for that man’s death.’
Ke ne gbetakpɔla la kpɔ yi la wògbɔna, eye meku kpẽ la be yeaɖo afɔ afɔta na ameawo o, eye yi la va wu wo dometɔ ɖeka la, woakplɔ ame la adzoe le eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta, gake mana gbetakpɔla la nana akɔnta le eƒe ʋu ŋuti.
7 So, you human, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the Israeli people [MTY]. So always listen to what I say and warn the people for me.
“Ame vi, mewɔ wò gbetakpɔla na Israel ƒe aƒe la, eya ta se nya si magblɔ la, eye nàna nuxɔxlɔ̃ wo tso gbɔnye.
8 When I say to some wicked person, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die [because of your sins,’ you must tell him that]. If you do not speak to that person to warn him that he should turn away from his sins, that wicked person will die because of his sins, but I will say that you are responsible for his death [MTY].
Ne megblɔ na ame vɔ̃ɖi la be, ‘O ame vɔ̃ɖi, èle kuku ge godoo,’ eye ne mègbe nɛ be wòaɖe asi le eƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo ŋu o la, ame vɔ̃ɖi ma aku ɖe eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta, eye mana nàna akɔnta le eƒe ʋu ŋu.
9 But if you warn that wicked person that he should turn away from his sins, and he does not do that, he will die because of his sins, but you will have saved your life.
Ke ne ègblɔ na ame vɔ̃ɖi la be wòaɖe asi le eƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo ŋu, eye wògbe la, aku ɖe eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta, ke wò ya la, àɖe ɖokuiwò.
10 You human, say to the Israeli people, ‘This is what you all are saying: “[The guilt that we have for] disobeying God’s laws and sinning is like a heavy weight on us, and it is hurting us, and we are slowly dying. So what can we do to continue to remain alive?”’
“Ame vi, gblɔ na Israel ƒe aƒe la be nya si gblɔm mele enye, ‘Míaƒe dzidadawo kple míaƒe nu vɔ̃wo zu agba na mí, eye wona míele tsɔtsrɔ̃m le wo ta. Ekema aleke míate ŋu anɔ agbee?’
11 Say to them, ‘Yahweh the Lord says, “As surely as I am alive, I am not happy when wicked people die; I would prefer that they turn away from their wicked behavior and continue to live. So repent! Turn away from your evil behavior! You Israeli people, do you really want to die [RHQ]?”’
Gblɔ na wo be Aƒetɔ Yehowa be, ‘Meta ɖokuinye ƒe agbe be, ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe ku medoa dzidzɔ nam o, ke boŋ medina be woaɖe asi le woƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo ŋu, eye woanɔ agbe. Mitrɔ dzi me! Miɖe asi le miaƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo ŋu! Nu ka ta miaku, O! Israel ƒe aƒe?’
12 Therefore, you human, say to your fellow Israelis, ‘If righteous people start to disobey me, their being righteous previously will not save them [from being punished]. And if wicked people turn away from their wicked behavior, they will not die because of the sins that they committed [previously]. And if righteous people start to sin, they will not be allowed to remain alive because of their formerly being righteous.’
“Eya ta Ame vi, gblɔ na wò dukɔmetɔwo be, ‘Ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye maɖee, ne egbe toɖoɖo o, eye ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi mana wòaku, ne etrɔ dzi me o. Ne ame dzɔdzɔe wɔ nu vɔ̃ la, womaɖe mɔ nɛ be wòanɔ agbe le eƒe tsã ƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ta o.’
13 If I tell righteous people that they will surely remain alive, but then they trust/think that because they have been righteous previously, they can start to do evil [and not be punished], I will not think about the righteous things that they did previously; they will die because of the evil things that they are doing.
Ne megblɔ na ame dzɔdzɔe la be aku godoo, ke wòɖo ŋu ɖe eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ŋu, eye wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ la, womaɖo ŋku nu dzɔdzɔe siwo wòwɔ va yi la dometɔ aɖeke dzi o; aku le nu vɔ̃ si wòwɔ la ta.
14 And if I say to some wicked person, ‘You will surely die [because of your sins],’ that person may turn away from his sinful behavior and do what is just and right [DOU].
Eye ne megblɔ na ame vɔ̃ɖi la be, ‘Èle kuku ge godoo’ ke wòɖe asi le eƒe nu vɔ̃ ŋu, eye wòwɔ nu si dzɔ, eye wònyo,
15 For example, he may return what he took from another person to guarantee [that that person would pay back what he owes], or he may return things that he has stolen, and he may obey the laws that will enable [those who obey them] to remain alive, and he will not continue to do evil things. If that happens, he will surely remain alive; he will not die [because of the sins that he committed previously].
ne egbugbɔ awɔbanu na nutɔ, ɖo nu si wòfi teƒe, eye wòwɔ nu si naa agbe, eye mewɔ nu vɔ̃ aɖeke o la, anɔ agbe kokoko, maku o.
16 I will not think about the sins that he has committed; he will surely remain alive.
Womaɖo ŋku eƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo wòwɔ la dometɔ aɖeke dzi nɛ o. Ewɔ nu si dzɔ, eye wòle eteƒe; anɔ agbe kokoko.
17 Your fellow Israelis say, ‘What Yahweh does is not fair.’ But it is your behavior that is not fair.
“Ke wò dukɔmetɔwo gblɔna be, ‘Aƒetɔ la ƒe mɔ mele eteƒe o,’ le esime wònye woawo boŋ ƒe mɔe mele eteƒe o.
18 If a righteous person turns away from doing what is righteous and starts to do what is evil, [it is fair that] he die because of his sins.
Ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe nu dzɔdzɔe wɔwɔ ŋuti, eye wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ la, aku ɖe eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta.
19 And if a wicked person turns away from his wicked behavior and does what is right and fair [DOU], [it is fair] for him to remain alive because of doing that.
Nenema ke ne ame vɔ̃ɖi aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ŋuti, eye wòwɔ nu si dzɔ, eye wòle eteƒe la, anɔ agbe to nu sia wɔwɔ me.
20 But you Israeli people still say, ‘What Yahweh does is not fair.’ But I will judge each of you for what you do.”
Ke, O! Israel ƒe aƒe, ègblɔna be, ‘Aƒetɔ la ƒe mɔ mele eteƒe o.’ Ke madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu mia dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe, ɖe eya ŋutɔ ƒe zɔzɔme nu.”
21 Almost twelve years [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the fifth day of the tenth month [of that year], a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me [in Babylon] and said, “Jerusalem has been captured!”
Le míaƒe aboyomenɔnɔ ƒe ƒe wuievelia ƒe ŋkeke atɔ̃lia gbe la, ŋutsu aɖe si si tso Yerusalem la va tum, eye wògblɔ nam be, “Wogbã du la!”
22 The evening before that man arrived, Yahweh took control [MTY] of me, and when that man arrived, Yahweh enabled me to speak again; I was no longer forced to be silent.
Azɔ la, fiẽ si do ŋgɔ na ŋutsu la ƒe vava la, Yehowa ƒe asi nɔ dzinye, eʋu nye nu hafi ŋutsu la va gbɔnye le ŋdi me. Ale nye nu ʋu, eye nyemegazi ɖoɖoe o.
23 Then Yahweh gave a message to me. He said,
Eye Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,
24 “You human, the people who are living in the ruins in Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person, but Yahweh [promised him that he and his descendants] would possess this land. But we are many; so surely this land has been given to us [by Yahweh] to continue to possess.’
“Ame vi, ame siwo le du gbagbã mawo me le Israelnyigba dzi la le gbɔgblɔm be, ‘Ame ɖeka pɛ koe nye Abraham, ke anyigba la nye etɔ. Ke míawo ya, míesɔ gbɔ. Eme kɔ ƒãa be míawoe wotsɔ anyigba la na be wòanye mía tɔ.’
25 So send a message to them. Say, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: You eat meat that still has the animal’s blood in it. You still worship idols. And you still murder others [MTY]. So, (should this land belong to you?/this land should certainly not belong to you!) [RHQ]
Eya ta gblɔ na wo be, aleae Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ. ‘Esi mieɖua lã si me ʋu gale, miekpɔa miaƒe legbawo dzi ɖa, eye miekɔa ʋu ɖi la, ekema ɖe anyigba la anye mia tɔa?
26 You rely on using your swords [to obtain things that you want]. You do many detestable things. Each of you has sex with other men’s wives. So (why should you continue to possess the land of Israel?/you should not continue to possess this land!) [RHQ]’
Mieɖoa ŋu ɖe miaƒe yi ŋu, miewɔa ŋunyɔnuwo, eye mia dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe gblẽ kɔ ɖo na nɔvia srɔ̃. Ekema ɖe anyigba la anye mia tɔa?’”
27 Send this message to them: ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: As surely as I am alive, those who are left in the ruins [in Jerusalem] will also be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who are living in the countryside will be killed by wild animals, and those who are living in forts and caves will die from a plague.
Gblɔ na wo be, alea Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ. “Meta ɖokuinye ƒe agbe be, ame siwo susɔ ɖe du gbagbãwo me la atsi yi nu; matsɔ ame siwo le gbedzi la ade asi na lã wɔadãwo woavuvu wo, eye ame siwo le mɔ sesẽwo me kple agadowo me la, dɔvɔ̃ awu wo.
28 I will cause your country to become a desolate wasteland. You will no longer be proud of being a strong country. The mountains of Israel will become very desolate, with the result that no one will walk across them.
Mana anyigba la nazu aƒedo kple gbegbe, eye eƒe ŋusẽ si ŋu wòƒoa adegbe le la nu atso. Israel ƒe towo atsi ƒuƒlu ale be ame aɖeke magate ŋu ato wo dzi ayi o.
29 Then, when I have caused your country to become a desolate wasteland because of all the detestable things that you have done, you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’
Ekema woanya be, nyee nye Yehowa, ne mena anyigba la zu aƒedo kple gbegbe le ŋunyɔnu siwo katã wowɔ la ta.
30 As for you, you human, your fellow Israelis [here in Babylon] are talking about you along the city walls and at the doors of their houses. They are saying to each other, ‘Come and listen to the message that has come from Yahweh!’
“Ke wò ya la, Ame vi, wò dukɔmetɔwo le nu ƒom le ŋuwò le gliwo ŋu kple le woƒe aƒetɔ ƒe ʋɔtruwo nu. Wole gbɔgblɔm na wo nɔewo be, ‘Miva se gbedeasi si tso Yehowa gbɔ.’
31 My people come to you as they often have done, and they sit in front of you to listen to what you say. But they do not do what you tell them that they must do. With their mouths they say that they love me, but in their inner beings they are eager to acquire things by doing what is unjust.
Nye amewo vaa gbɔwò abe ale si wowɔna ɖaa ene, wonɔa anyi ɖe ŋgɔwò be yewoase wò nyawo, gake womewɔa wò nyawo dzi o. Wofiaa nyadziwɔwɔ kple woƒe nuyiwo, ke woƒe dzi klẽa ŋu ɖe viɖe ƒoɖiwo ŋu.
32 To them, you are only a man who sings love songs with a beautiful voice, and you play a musical instrument well. They hear what you say, but they do not do what you tell them to do.
Le nyateƒe me la, le wo gbɔ la, mènye naneke wu ame si tsɔa gbe vivi dzia lɔlɔ̃hawo, eye nèƒoa haƒonu aɖe nyuie ale be woase wò nyawo, ke womewɔa wo dzi o.
33 The terrible things that I have said will happen to them will surely happen. And then they will know that a prophet has been among them, [and that you are that prophet].”
“Ne nu siawo katã va eme, eye woava eme hã la, ekema woanya be nyagblɔɖila aɖe nɔ yewo dome.”
