Hezekiel 24
1 Le ƒe asiekelia ƒe ɣleti ewolia ƒe ŋkeke ewolia gbe la, Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
2 “Ame vi, ŋlɔ ŋkeke sia, ŋkeke sia tututu da ɖi, elabena Babilonia fia ɖe to ɖe Yerusalem le ŋkeke sia tututu dzi.
“You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
3 Do lo aɖe na ƒome dzeaglã la me tɔwo, eye nàgblɔ na wo be, ‘Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si.’ “Tsɔ nuɖaze la ɖo dzo dzi, tsɔe ɖo dzo dzi, eye nàku tsi ɖe eme.
Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
4 Tsɔ lã la de ze la me. Tsɔ eƒe akpa xɔasitɔwo, lãkɔ nyuitɔwo katã kpe ɖe ata kple abɔgba ŋuti. Na be ze la nayɔ fũu kple lã la ƒe akpa siawo ƒe ƒu nyuitɔwo.
Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
5 Tsɔ wò lã nyuitɔ tso lãha la me, eye nàde nake ete hena ƒuawo ɖaɖa. Na tsi la nafie, eye nàɖa ƒuawo le eme.
Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
6 “Elabena aleae Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si. “Babaa na hlɔ̃dodu la, babaa na nuɖaze si lé ɣebia, eye ɣebialéle maɖe ɖa le eŋu o! Ɖe lãkɔawo ɖeka ɖeka le ze la me, gake mègadzidze nu ɖe wo dzi o.
[Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
7 “Elabena ʋu si wòkɔ ɖi la le edome. Ekɔe ɖe agakpe ƒuƒlu dzi, mekɔe ɖe anyigba dzi, afi si ʋuʋudedi atsyɔ edzi le o.
The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
8 Be nye dziku nafla, eye mabia hlɔ̃ ta la, mekɔ eƒe ʋu ɖe agakpe ƒuƒlu dzi, ale be ʋuʋudedi matsyɔ edzi o.
But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
9 “Eya ta ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si, “Babaa na du si me ʋukɔkɔɖi le. Nye hã mali kɔ nake wòakɔ.
Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
10 Eya ta fɔ nake da ɖe nakekɔ la dzi, eye nàdo dzo. Ɖa lã la nyuie, nàde detsiƒonu ʋeʋĩwo eme, eye nàna ƒuawo nafia.
[So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
11 Ekema nàtsɔ ze ƒuƒlu la da ɖe dzokawo dzi va se ɖe esime wòaxɔ dzo nyuie, eye eƒe akɔbli naklẽ, ale be eƒe nu makɔmakɔwo nalolo, eye etenuwo nafia.
Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
12 Ena agbagbadzedzewo katã zu dzodzro; womeɖe nu siwo ɖo aƒa titri ɖe ete la ɖa kple dzo gɔ̃ hã o.
[It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
13 “‘Azɔ la, wò nu makɔmakɔe nye ŋukpenanuwɔwɔ. Esi medze agbagba be makɔ ŋuwò, ke esi mèna be woakɔ ŋuwò le wò makɔmakɔnyenye me o ta la, màgakɔ azɔ o va se ɖe esime nye dɔmedzoe helĩhelĩ ɖe ŋuwò nu nabɔbɔ.
The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
14 “‘Nye Yehowae ƒo nu. Ɣeyiɣi la ɖo be mawɔ edzi. Nyematɔ o, eye nyemakpɔ nublanui loo alo adzudzɔ nu si meɖo la wɔwɔ o. Woadrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wò le wò nɔnɔme kple wɔnawo nu. Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.’”
I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
15 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
[One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
16 “Ame vi, mele nu si doa dzidzɔ na wò ŋkuwo la ɖe ge ɖa kpata. Ke mègafa konyi alo afa avi loo alo ana wò aɖatsi nado o.
“You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
17 Ɖe hũu ɖɔɖɔɖɔ; mègafa ame kukuwo o. Sa wò tablanu sesĩe, eye nàdo wò tokota; mègatsɔ nu bla wò glã loo alo nàɖu konyifalawo ƒe nuɖuɖu o.”
Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
18 Ale meƒo nu na ameawo le ŋdi me, eye le fiẽ me la, srɔ̃nye ku. Esi ŋu ke ŋdi la, mewɔ nu si Yehowa ɖo nam be mawɔ la.
[one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
19 Ameawo biam be, “Màgblɔ nu si nu siawo awɔ kple mí la na mí oa?”
Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
20 Ale megblɔ na wo be, “Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
21 Gblɔ na Israel ƒe aƒe la be, ‘Ale Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye si. Mele kɔ gblẽ ge ɖo na nye kɔkɔeƒe la, ŋusẽteƒe si dzi miedana ɖo, teƒe si doa dzidzɔ na miaƒe ŋkuwo kple teƒe si mielɔ̃. Viŋutsu kple vinyɔnu siwo miegble ɖi la atsi yinu
‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
22 Miawɔ nu si mewɔ. Miatsɔ nu abla glã loo alo aɖu konyifalawo ƒe nuɖuɖu o.
[When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
23 Mina miaƒe tablanu nanɔ ta na mi, eye miaƒe tokota nanɔ afɔ na mi; miaƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta, eye miaɖe hũu le mia ɖokuiwo dome.
[You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
24 Hezekiel anye kpɔɖeŋu na mi. Miawɔ nu abe ale si wòwɔ tututu la ene. Ne esia va eme la, mianya be nyee nye Aƒetɔ Yehowa.’
Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
25 “Eye wò, Ame vi, gbe si gbe maɖe woƒe sitsoƒe, woƒe dzidzɔ kple ŋutikɔkɔe, nu si nya kpɔna na woƒe ŋkuwo, woƒe dzi ƒe didi, wo viŋutsuwo kple vinyɔnuwo ɖa la,
[Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
26 gbe ma gbe la, sisila aɖe ava be yeaka nyadzɔdzɔ la ta na wò.
On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
27 Ɣe ma ɣi me la, woaʋu nu na wò, wò kple sisila la miaƒo nu, màgazi ɖoɖoe o. Ale ànye kpɔɖeŋu na wo, eye woanya be nyee nye Yehowa.”
When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
