Hezekiel 18
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam.
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Nya ka gblɔm amewo le ne wodo lo sia tso Israel ŋu be, “‘Fofowo ɖu waintsetse gbogbowo, eye aɖu nyɔ wo viwo?’”
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
3 “Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ be, ‘Zi ale si mele agbe la, miagado lo sia le Israel o.
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
4 Elabena luʋɔ ɖe sia ɖe nye tɔnye, fofo kple vi, wo ame eveawo siaa nye tɔnye. Luʋɔ si wɔ nu vɔ̃ lae aku!’
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe li, si wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe, eye wole eteƒe
Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
6 Meɖua nu le nuxeƒewo, le tawo dzi loo alo kpɔa Israel ƒe aƒe ƒe legbawo dzi ɖa o. Medɔa nɔvia srɔ̃ gbɔ o. Alo dɔa nyɔnu gbɔ ne ekpɔ dzinu o.
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
7 Metea ame aɖeke ɖe to o. Ke egbugbɔa awɔbanu si wòxɔ ɖe fe nu la na nutɔ. Medaa adzo ame o, ke boŋ enaa eƒe nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔ, eye wònaa nutata amamanɔla.
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
8 Medoa ga, xɔa deme ɖe edzi o, alo baa ame o. Eɖea eƒe asi ɖa le nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ me, eye wòdrɔ̃a ʋɔnu dzɔdzɔe le ame kple ehavi dome.
He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
9 Ezɔna ɖe nye ɖoɖowo nu, eye wòwɔa nye seawo dzi nyateƒetɔe. Ame ma nye ame dzɔdzɔe, eye wòanɔ agbe godoo.” Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
10 “Le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne viŋutsu sẽŋuta aɖe le esi, ame si kɔa ʋu ɖi, eye wòwɔa nu vɔ̃ bubu siawo dometɔ aɖe,
Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
11 togbɔ be fofoa ya mewɔa nu vɔ̃ siawo dometɔ aɖeke o hã. Eɖua nu le nuxeƒewo le towo dzi, Edɔna kple nɔvia srɔ̃.
though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 “Etea ame dahewo kple hiãtɔwo ɖe to. Edaa adzo ame. Megbugbɔa awɔbanu na nutɔ o. Ekpɔa legbawo dzi ɖa. Ewɔa ŋukpenanuwo.
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
13 Edoa ga, xɔa deme ɖe edzi, eye wòbaa ame. Ame sia tɔgbi anɔ agbea? Manɔ agbe o. Esi wòwɔ ŋunyɔnu siawo katã ta la, woawui godoo, eye eƒe ʋu anɔ eya ŋutɔ ƒe ta dzi.
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
14 “Ke ne viŋutsu sia dzi viŋutsu, ame si kpɔa nu vɔ̃ siwo katã fofoa wɔna, gake togbɔ be ekpɔ fofoa ƒe nu vɔ̃wo hã la, mewɔa nu vɔ̃ ma tɔgbiwo o.
Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
15 “Meɖua nu le nuxeƒewo, le towo dzi o, alo kpɔa Israel ƒe aƒe ƒe legbawo dzi ɖa o. Medɔa ehavi srɔ̃ gbɔ o.
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 Metea ame aɖeke ɖe to o, eye mexɔa awɔbanu hafi doa ga na ame o. Medaa adzo ame o, ke boŋ enaa eƒe nuɖuɖu dɔwuitɔwo, eye wònaa nutata amamanɔlawo.
He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
17 Eɖea eƒe asi ɖa le nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ me, eye mexɔa deme alo baa ame o. Ewɔa nye sewo dzi, eye wòzɔna ɖe nye ɖoɖowo nu. Maku ɖe fofoa ƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta o; anɔ agbe godoo.
He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.
18 Ke fofoa ya aku ɖe eya ŋutɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta, elabena exɔa nu sesẽtɔe le ame si, daa adzo nɔvia, eye wòwɔa nu si gblẽ la le eƒe amewo dome.
As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.
19 “Ke miebia be, ‘Nu ka ta viŋutsu maxɔ fofoa ƒe nu vɔ̃ ƒe akpa aɖe o?’ Esi viŋutsu la wɔ nu si le dzɔdzɔe, henyo, eye wòkpɔ egbɔ be yelé nye ɖoɖowo katã me ɖe asi ta la, anɔ agbe godoo.
Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.
20 Luʋɔ si wɔ nu vɔ̃ lae aku. Viŋutsu la maxɔ fofoa ƒe nu vɔ̃ ƒe akpa aɖeke o. Woatsɔ ame dzɔdzɔe ƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ana eya ŋutɔ, eye woatsɔ ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe nu vɔ̃ɖiwo wɔwɔ nɛ.
The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
21 “Ke ne ame vɔ̃ɖi aɖe ɖe asi le nu vɔ̃ siwo katã wòwɔ la ŋuti, eye wòlé nye ɖoɖowo katã me ɖe asi, eye wòwɔ nu si dzɔ, henyo la, anɔ agbe godoo; maku o.
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
22 Womagaɖo ŋku nu vɔ̃ siwo wòwɔ la dometɔ aɖeke dzi ɖe eŋu o. Le nu nyui siwo wòwɔ ta la, anɔ agbe.
None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
23 Ɖe mekpɔa dzidzɔ le ame vɔ̃ɖi ƒe ku ŋutia? Ke boŋ ɖe nyemekpɔa dzidzɔ ne wotrɔ tso woƒe mɔ vɔ̃wo dzi henɔ agbe nyui oa?” Nenemae Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ.
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
24 “Ke ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ŋu, eye wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ kple ŋukpenanu siwo ame vɔ̃ɖiwo wɔna la, ɖe wòanɔ agbea? Womagaɖo ŋku nu dzɔdzɔe siwo wòwɔ la dometɔ aɖeke dzi o. Le nuteƒe si mewɔ o kple nu vɔ̃ siwo wòwɔ ta la, aku.
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
25 “Ke miegblɔna be, ‘Aƒetɔ la ƒe mɔ mele eteƒe o.’” See, O! Israel ƒe aƒe. Ɖe nye mɔ mele eteƒe oa? Menye miawo boŋ ƒe mɔwoe mele eteƒe oa?
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
26 Ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ŋu, eye wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ la, aku le eta. Le nu vɔ̃ si wòwɔ ta la, aku.
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
27 Ke ne nu vɔ̃ wɔla aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo wòwɔ ŋu, eye wòwɔ nu si dzɔ, eye wònyo la, aɖe eƒe agbe.
But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
28 Esi wòbu nu vɔ̃ siwo katã wòwɔ ŋu, eye wòɖe asi le eŋu ta la, anɔ agbe godoo; maku o.
Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
29 Ke Israel ƒe aƒe le gbɔgblɔm be, “Aƒetɔ la ƒe mɔ mele eteƒe o?” Menye miawo ƒe mɔwo boŋue mele eteƒe oa?
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 Eya ta Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ be, “O! Israel ƒe aƒe, esia ta madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu mi, ame sia ame ɖe eƒe mɔwo nu. Mitrɔ dzi me! Miɖe asi le miaƒe dzidadawo katã ŋuti, ekema nu vɔ̃ manye miaƒe anyidzedze o.
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
31 Miɖe miaƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo katã miewɔ la ɖa le mia ɖokuiwo ŋu, eye miaxɔ dzi yeye aɖe kple gbɔgbɔ yeye aɖe. Nu ka ta miaku, O! Israel ƒe aƒe?
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 Elabena nyemekpɔa dzidzɔ le ame aɖeke ƒe ku ŋuti o. Mitrɔ dzi me ne mianɔ agbe. Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
