< Hezekiel 23 >
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2 “Ame vi, nyɔnu eve aɖewo, dada ɖeka ƒe vinyɔnuviwo nɔ anyi.
“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.
3 Wozu gbolowo le Egipte, eye wowɔ gbolo tso keke woƒe ɖetugbime ke. Le anyigba ma dzi la, wolé no na wo, eye woli asi woƒe akɔnu.
They acted as prostitutes in Egypt in the time of their youth. They acted as prostitutes there. Their breasts were squeezed and their virgin nipples were fondled there.
4 Tsitsitɔ ŋkɔe nye Ohola, eye nɔvia tɔe nye Oholiba. Wonye tɔnyewo, eye wodzi viŋutsuwo kple vinyɔnuwo nam. Oholae nye Samaria, eye Oholiba nye Yerusalem.
Their names were Oholah—the older sister—and Oholibah—her younger sister. Then they became mine and bore sons and daughters. Their names mean this: Oholah means Samaria, and Oholibah means Jerusalem.
5 “Ohola nɔ gbolo wɔm le esime wòganye tɔnye ko, eye wòtiaa eƒe ahiãviwo yome vevie. Ame siawo nye aʋawɔlawo tso Asiria,
But Oholah acted as a prostitute even when she was mine; she lusted for her lovers, for the Assyrians who were dominant,
6 wodoa awu blɔtɔwo, wonye mɔmefiawo kple amegãwo, wonye nye ɖekakpui dzeɖekɛwo kple sɔdolawo.
the governor who wore blue, and for his officials, who were strong and handsome, all of them men riding on horses.
7 Etsɔ eɖokui abe gbolo ene na Asiriatɔwo ƒe ame ŋkutawo katã, eye wòtsɔ ame sia ame si yome wòtina vevie la ƒe legbawo do gu eɖokui.
So she gave herself as a prostitute to them, to all the best of Assyria's men, and she made herself unclean with everyone she lusted for—and with all their idols.
8 Meɖe asi le gbolowɔwɔ si gɔme wòdze le Egipte la ŋu o. Le eƒe ɖetugbime la, ŋutsuwo dɔna kplii, lia asi eƒe akɔnu hewɔa ahasi kplii vivivo.
For she had not left her prostitute behavior behind in Egypt, when they had slept with her when she had been a young girl, when they first began to fondle her virgin breasts, when they first began to pour out their promiscuous behavior on her.
9 “Eya ta metsɔe na eƒe ahiãviwo, Asiriatɔwo, ame siwo yome wòtina vevie.
Therefore I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians for whom she lusted.
10 Woɖe amamae, kplɔ via ŋutsuwo kple via nyɔnuwo dzoe, eye wowui kple yi. Ezu lodonya le nyɔnuwo dome, eye wohe to nɛ.
They uncovered her nakedness, took her sons and daughters, killed her with the sword, and she became notorious among other women, so they executed judgment on her.
11 “Nɔvia nyɔnu Oholiba kpɔ nu sia, gake ede ŋgɔ le eƒe ŋutsuwo yometiti kple gbolowɔwɔ me wu nɔvia nyɔnu.
Her sister Oholibah saw this, but she lusted even more passionately and acted like a prostitute even more than her sister.
12 Eya hã ti Asiriatɔwo, mɔmefiawo kple aʋafia gãwo, aʋawɔla, siwo le asrafowu me, sɔdolawo; ame siwo katã nye ɖekakpui dzeɖekɛwo yome.
She lusted for the Assyrians, the governors and the dominating officials who dressed impressively, who were men riding horses. All of them were strong, handsome men.
13 Mekpɔe be eya hã do gu eɖokui, eye wo ame eve la siaa to mɔ ɖeka ma.
I saw that she had made herself unclean. It was the same for both sisters.
14 “Gake eya gatsɔ gbolowɔwɔ yi ŋgɔe wu. Ekpɔ wota ŋutsuwo ɖe gli aɖe ŋu. Wota Babiloniatɔwo kple aŋɔ dzĩ,
Then she increased her prostitution even more. She saw men carved on walls, figures of Chaldeans painted in red,
15 alidziblanu le ali dzi na wo, eye tablanu gã le ta na wo. Wo katã woɖi Babiloniatɔwo ƒe tasiaɖamkulawo ƒe amegãwo, eye wonye Babiloniatɔwo.
wearing belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads. All of them had the appearance of officers of chariot troops, the likeness of sons of Babylonia, whose native land is Chaldea.
16 Esi wòkpɔ wo ko la, wodzroe, eye wòdɔ amewo ɖe wo le Babilonia.
As soon as her eyes saw them, she lusted for them, so she sent out messengers to them in Chaldea.
17 Babiloniatɔwo do gui. Esi wodo gui vɔ la, etrɔ le wo yome kple dɔmedzoe.
Then the Babylonians came to her and to her bed of lust, and they made her unclean with their promiscuousness. By what she had done she was made unclean, so she turned herself away from them in disgust.
18 Esi wòyi eƒe gbolowɔwɔ dzi le gaglãgbe, eye wòɖe amama fia amewo ta la, meɖe asi le eŋu kple dɔmedzoe abe ale si meɖe asi le nɔvia nyɔnu ŋu kple dɔmedzoe ene.
When she displayed her acts of prostitution and uncovered her nakedness, I turned away from her, just as I had turned away in disgust from her sister.
19 Ke egayi gbolowɔwɔ dzi wu esi wòɖo ŋku eƒe ɖetugbimeŋkekewo dzi, esime wònye gbolo le Egipte.
Then she increased her prostitution as she remembered the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in the land of Egypt.
20 Le afi ma la, eti eƒe ahiãviwo yome. Woƒe ŋutsu le abe tedzitsuwo tɔ ene, eye woƒe ŋutsunu le abe sɔtsuwo tɔ ene.
So she lusted for her lovers, whose private parts were like those of donkeys, and whose reproductive emissions were like those of horses.
21 Ale ŋukpenanu siwo nèwɔ le wò ɖetugbime gadzro wò esime nènɔ Egipte, woli asi wò akɔnu, eye wolé wò ɖetugbimeno.
This is how you committed shameful acts of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.
22 “Eya ta Oholiba, ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si, ‘Made ada ta me na wò ahiãviwo, ame siwo yome nètrɔ le kple dɔmedzoe, eye makplɔ wo vɛ woatso ɖe ŋuwò tso axa ɖe sia ɖe dzi.
Therefore, Oholibah, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will turn your lovers against you. Those from whom you turned away, I will bring them against you from every side:
23 Babiloniatɔwo, ame siwo katã tso Babilonianyigba dzi, ŋutsuwo tso Pekod kple Soa kple Koa kple Asiriatɔwo katã, kpe ɖe wo ŋu. Wonye ɖekakpui dzeɖekɛwo. Wo katã wonye mɔmefiawo, dumegãwo, tasiaɖamkulawo ƒe amegãwo kple ame ŋkutawo, eye wo katã woganye sɔdolawo.
the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, strong, handsome men, governors and commanders, all of them are officers and men of reputation, all of them riding on horses.
24 Woatsɔ aʋawɔnuwo ɖe ŋuwò ava tu wò kple tasiaɖamwo, kekewo kple ameha gã aɖe. Woanɔ axa ɖe sia ɖe dzi, atsi tsitre ɖe ŋuwò kple akpoxɔnu gãwo kple suewo kple gakukuwo. Matsɔ wò ade asi na wo hena tohehe, eye woahe to na wò le woƒe sewo nu.
They will come against you with weapons, and with chariots and wagons, and with a great crowd of people. They will set large shields, small shields, and helmets against you all around. I will give them the opportunity to punish you, and they will punish you with their actions.
25 Matrɔ nye ŋuʋaʋã ƒe dɔmedzoe ɖe ŋuwò, eye woatu nu kpli wò kple dɔmedzoe. Woakpa ŋɔti kple towo na wò, eye mia dometɔ siwo atsi anyi la, atsi yinu. Woakplɔ viwò ŋutsuwo kple viwò nyɔnuwo adzoe, eye dzo afia mi ame siwo asusɔ.
For I will set my jealous anger on you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and your survivors will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and your daughters, and your survivors will be devoured by fire.
26 Woaɖe wò avɔwu ɖa le ŋuwò, eye woatsɔ wò sikanuwo adzoe.
They will strip you of your clothes and take away all of your jewelry.
27 Ale matɔ te ŋukpenanuwo wɔwɔ kple gbolowɔwɔ si gɔme nèdze le Egipte. Nu siawo magadzro wò o, eye màgaɖo ŋku Egipte dzi azɔ o.’
So I will remove your shameful behavior from you and your acts of prostitution from the land of Egypt. You will not lift up your eyes toward them with longing, and you will think of Egypt no longer.'
28 “Elabena alea Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si, ‘Esusɔ vie matsɔ wò ade asi na ame siwo nèlé fui, ame siwo yome nètrɔ le kple dɔmedzoe.
For the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Behold! I will give you into the hand of the ones you hate, back into the hand of the ones from whom you had turned away.
29 Woatu nu kpli wò kple fuléle, eye woatsɔ wò nu siwo katã nèwɔ dɔ hekpɔ la adzoe. Woagblẽ wò ɖi nànɔ amama, anɔ ƒuƒlu, eye woahe wò gbolowɔwɔ ƒe ŋukpe ɖe go. Wò ŋukpenanuwo wɔwɔ kple gbolowɔwɔ woe
They will deal with you hatefully; they will take all your possessions and abandon you naked and bare, and your nakedness will be uncovered just as when you engaged in promiscuity and prostitutions.
30 he nu siawo va dziwò, elabena èdze dukɔwo yome, eye nèdo gu ɖokuiwò kple woƒe legbawo.
These things will be done to you in your acting like a prostitute, lusting after nations by which you became unclean with their idols.
31 Èdze nɔviwò nyɔnu yome, eya ta matsɔ eƒe kplu ade asi na wò.’
You have walked in the way of your sister, so I will put her cup of punishment into your hand.'
32 “Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si, “Àno nɔviwò nyɔnu ƒe kplu, kplu si lolo, eye wòde eme, ahe vlododo kple koko vɛ, elabena nu geɖewo le eme.
The Lord Yahweh says this, 'You will drink your sister's cup that is deep and large. You will become a laughingstock and a subject for derision—this cup contains a great amount.
33 Ahamumu kple nuxaxa ayɔ mewò. Nɔviwò nyɔnu, Samaria, ƒe kplu nye tsɔtsrɔ̃ kple aƒedozuzu ƒe kplu.
You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of horror and devastation; the cup of your sister Samaria.
34 Ànoe wòavɔ le eme ƒiaƒiaƒia, aɖuɖɔ eƒe gbagbãwo eye nàde abi wò nowo ŋu. Aƒetɔ Yehowa be, yee gblɔe.
You will drink it and drain it empty; then you will shatter it and tear your breasts with the pieces. For I have declared it—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.'
35 “Eya ta ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: Esi nèŋlɔm be, eye nètsɔm ƒu gbe ɖe megbe ta la, ele na wò be nàtsɔ wò ŋukpenanuwɔwɔwo kple wò gbolowɔwɔ ƒe yomedzenuwo.”
Therefore, the Lord Yahweh says this, 'Because you have forgotten me and thrown me away behind your back, so also you will bear the consequences of your shameful behavior and acts of sexual immorality.'”
36 Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Ame vi, ɖe nàdrɔ̃ ʋɔnu Ohola kple Oholiba mahã? Ekema tsɔ woƒe ŋukpenanuwɔwɔwo ɖo woƒe ŋkume,
Yahweh said to me, “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? So present to them their disgusting actions,
37 elabena wowɔ ahasi, eye ʋu ƒo asi na wo. Wowɔ ahasi kple woƒe legbawo; wotsɔ wo vi siwo wodzi nam la sa vɔe gɔ̃ hã abe nuɖuɖu na woƒe legbawo ene.
since they have committed adultery, and since there is blood on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and they have even caused their sons to pass through the fire, as food for their idols.
38 Wogawɔ esia ɖe ŋunye. Le ɣeyiɣi ma ke me la, wodo gu nye kɔkɔeƒe la, eye wogblẽ kɔ ɖo na nye Dzudzɔgbewo.
Then they continue to do this to me: They make my sanctuary unclean, and on the same day they defile my Sabbaths.
39 Le ŋkeke si dzi wotsɔ wo viwo sa vɔe na woƒe legbawo la, gbe ma gbe tututue woge ɖe nye kɔkɔeƒe la, eye wodo gui. Nu mae wowɔ le nye aƒe me.
For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, then they came to my sanctuary on the same day to defile it! So behold! This is what they have done in the middle of my house.
40 “Gawu la, woɖo du ɖe ŋutsuwo, ame siwo va tso didiƒe, eye esi wova ɖo la, miele tsi na mia ɖokuiwo, miesi nu yibɔ ɖe miaƒe aɖaba te, eye miede miaƒe sikanuwo.
You sent out for men who came from far away, to whom messengers had been sent—now behold. They indeed came, those for whom you bathed, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with jewelry.
41 Mienɔ anyi ɖe nye abati nyuitɔ dzi, kplɔ̃ le eŋgɔ, kplɔ̃ si dzi míetsɔ dzudzɔdonu kple ami siwo nye tɔnye la da ɖo.
There you sat on a beautiful bed and at a table arranged before it where you placed my incense and my oil.
42 “Ameha aɖe ƒe howɔwɔ ƒo xlãe. Wokplɔ Sabeatɔwo tso gbegbe kpli wo vɛ, eye wotsɔ abɔgɛwo de abɔwo na nyɔnu la kple nɔvia nyɔnu, eye woɖɔ fiakuku dzeaniwo na wo.
So the sound of a noisy crowd was around her; including all kinds of men, even Sabeans were brought in from the wilderness, and they put bracelets on their hands and beautiful crowns on their heads.
43 Megblɔ tso ame si ŋu wɔna vɔ le le ahasiwɔwɔ ta be, ‘Azɔ la, mina woazãe abe gbolo ene, elabena eya koe nye nu si wònye.’
Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, 'Now they will be sexually immoral with her, and she with them.'
44 Eye wodɔ egbɔ. Abe ale si ŋutsuwo dɔa gbolo gbɔ ene la, nenema wodɔ nyɔnu ŋukpenanuwɔla, Ohola kple Oholiba gbɔe.
They went in to her and slept with her as men go in to be with a prostitute. In this way they slept with Oholah and Oholibah, who were immoral women.
45 Ke ŋutsu dzɔdzɔewo ada nyɔnu ahasitɔwo kple ʋukɔɖilawo ƒe tohehe ɖe wo dzi, elabena wonye ahasitɔwo, eye ʋu ƒo asi na wo.
But righteous men will pass judgment and punish them as adulteresses, and they will punish them with the sentence for those who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.
46 “Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Kplɔ ameha aɖe vɛ ɖe wo ŋu, eye nàtsɔ wo ade asi na ŋɔdzinuhaha.’
So the Lord Yahweh says this: I will raise up a company against them and give them up to be terrorized and plundered.
47 Ameha la aƒu kpe wo, eye woadza wo kple woƒe yiwo, woawu wo viŋutsuwo kple wo vinyɔnuwo, eye woatɔ dzo woƒe xɔwo.
Then that company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords. They will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.
48 “Ale matsi ŋukpenanuwɔwɔ nu le anyigba la dzi, ale be nyɔnuwo katã nakpɔ nuxɔxlɔ̃, eye womaganɔ agbe abe woawo ene o.
For I will remove shameful behavior from the land and discipline all the women so they will no longer act like prostitutes.
49 Miaxɔ miaƒe ŋukpenanuwɔwɔwo ƒe tohehe, eye miatsɔ miaƒe legbasubɔsubɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃ ƒe yomedzenu. Ekema mianya be nyee nye Aƒetɔ Yehowa.”
So they will set your shameful behavior against you. You will bear the guilt of your sins with your idols, and in this way you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.”