Hezekiel 18
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam.
The word of Jehovah came to me again, 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 mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge”?
3 “Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ be, ‘Zi ale si mele agbe la, miagado lo sia le Israel o.
As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, ye shall not have occasion any more to use 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, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son, is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
5 “Le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe li, si wɔa nu dzɔdzɔe, eye wole eteƒe
But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful 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.
if he eat not upon the mountains, and lift not up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and defile not his neighbor's wife, and come not near a woman during her uncleanness;
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.
if he oppress not any, if he restore to the debtor his pledge, spoil none by violence, give his bread to the hungry, and cover the naked with a garment;
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.
if he give not forth upon usury, and take not increase; if he withdraw his hand from iniquity, and give true judgment between man and man;
9 Ezɔna ɖe nye ɖoɖowo nu, eye wòwɔa nye seawo dzi nyateƒetɔe. Ame ma nye ame dzɔdzɔe, eye wòanɔ agbe godoo.” Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
if he walk in my statutes and keep my commandments, to deal uprightly, —he is just; he shall surely live, saith the Lord Jehovah.
10 “Le kpɔɖeŋu me, ne viŋutsu sẽŋuta aɖe le esi, ame si kɔa ʋu ɖi, eye wòwɔa nu vɔ̃ bubu siawo dometɔ aɖe,
But if he have a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth to his brother 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.
and doeth not all those duties, but eateth upon the mountains, and defileth 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.
oppresseth the poor and needy, spoileth by violence, restoreth not the pledge, lifteth up his eyes to idols, and committeth abomination,
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.
giveth forth upon usury, and taketh increase, shall he live? No! he shall not live. He hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
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.
Yet lo, if he have a son that seeth all the sins which his father committed, that seeth them and doeth not such like,
15 “Meɖua nu le nuxeƒewo, le towo dzi o, alo kpɔa Israel ƒe aƒe ƒe legbawo dzi ɖa o. Medɔa ehavi srɔ̃ gbɔ o.
that eateth not upon the mountains, nor lifteth up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, nor defileth 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.
nor oppresseth any, nor taketh a pledge, nor spoileth by violence, but giveth his food to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a garment,
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.
keepeth back his hand from the poor, and taketh no usury or increase, keepeth my commandments, and walketh in my statutes, he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall 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, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, he shall die for his iniquity.
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 say ye, “Why? Doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father?” When the son doeth that which is lawful and right, keepeth all my statutes and doeth them, he shall 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 that sinneth, it 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 upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be 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 will turn from all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall 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 his transgressions which he hath committed shall be remembered unto him; for his righteousness, which he hath done, he shall 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.
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord Jehovah, and not that he should 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 when the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations which the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; for his trespass which he hath trespassed, and for his sin which he hath sinned, for them shall he 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 ye say, “The way of the Lord is not right.” Hear now, O house of Israel! “Is not my way right?” Is it not your ways that are not right?
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.
When a righteous man turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and on this account dieth, for his iniquity which he hath done doth he die.
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.
And when the wicked man turneth from his iniquity which he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
28 Esi wòbu nu vɔ̃ siwo katã wòwɔ ŋu, eye wòɖe asi le eŋu ta la, anɔ agbe godoo; maku o.
Because he considereth and turneth from all his transgressions which he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall 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 saith the house of Israel, “The way of the Lord is not right.” O house of Israel, are not my ways right? Is it not your ways that are not right?
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 I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord Jehovah. Turn ye, turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not be your ruin.
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 you all your transgressions which ye have committed, and make you a new heart, and a new spirit! For why will ye 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 have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord Jehovah. Wherefore turn yourselves and live!
