Hezekiel 33

1 Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,

And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

2 “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,

'Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them: When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

3 eye wòkpɔ yi la wògbɔna ɖe dukɔ la ŋu, ne eku kpẽ be yeaxlɔ̃ nu eƒe amewo la,

if, when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the horn, and warn the people;

4 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.

then whosoever heareth the sound of the horn, and taketh not warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head;

5 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.

he heard the sound of the horn, and took not warning, his blood shall be upon him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.

6 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.

But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the horn, and the people be not warned, and the sword do come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

7 “Ame vi, mewɔ wò gbetakpɔla na Israel ƒe aƒe la, eya ta se nya si magblɔ la, eye nàna nuxɔxlɔ̃ wo tso gbɔnye.

So thou, son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore, when thou shalt hear the word at My mouth, warn them from Me.

8 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.

When I say unto the wicked: O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, and thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.

9 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.

Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.

10 “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?’

Therefore, O thou son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Thus ye speak, saying: Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?

11 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?’

Say unto them: As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

12 “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.’

And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people: The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not stumble thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall he that is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sinneth.

13 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.

When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, for it shall he die.

14 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,

Again, when I say unto the wicked: Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

15 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.

if the wicked restore the pledge, give back that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

16 Womaɖo ŋku eƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo wòwɔ la dometɔ aɖeke dzi nɛ o. Ewɔ nu si dzɔ, eye wòle eteƒe; anɔ agbe kokoko.

None of his sins that he hath committed shall be remembered against him; he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

17 “Ke wò dukɔmetɔwo gblɔna be, ‘Aƒetɔ la ƒe mɔ mele eteƒe o,’ le esime wònye woawo boŋ ƒe mɔe mele eteƒe o.

Yet the children of thy people say: The way of the Lord is not equal; but as for them, their way is not equal.

18 Ne ame dzɔdzɔe aɖe ɖe asi le eƒe nu dzɔdzɔe wɔwɔ ŋuti, eye wòwɔ nu vɔ̃ la, aku ɖe eƒe nu vɔ̃ ta.

When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

19 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.

And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

20 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.”

Yet ye say: The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.'

21 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!”

And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying: 'The city is smitten.'

22 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.

Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and He had opened my mouth against his coming to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

23 Eye Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

24 “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.’

'Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying: Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

25 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?

Wherefore say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD. Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes unto your idols, and shed blood; and shall ye possess the land?

26 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?’”

Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife; and shall ye possess the land?

27 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.

Thus shalt thou say unto them: Thus saith the Lord GOD: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

28 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.

And I will make the land most desolate, and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.

29 Ekema woanya be, nyee nye Yehowa, ne mena anyigba la zu aƒedo kple gbegbe le ŋunyɔnu siwo katã wowɔ la ta.

Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land most desolate, because of all their abominations which they have committed.

30 “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.’

And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people that talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying: Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD;

31 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.

and come unto thee as the people cometh, and sit before thee as My people, and hear thy words, but do them not — for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness;

32 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.

and, lo, thou art unto them as a love song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; so they hear thy words, but they do them not —

33 “Ne nu siawo katã va eme, eye woava eme hã la, ekema woanya be nyagblɔɖila aɖe nɔ yewo dome.”

when this cometh to pass — behold, it cometh — then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.'