Hezekiel 34
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
Yahweh gave me another message. He said,
2 “Ame vi, gblɔ nya ɖi ɖe Israel ƒe alẽkplɔlawo ŋu. Gblɔ nya ɖi be nu si Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye, ‘Babaa na Israel ƒe alẽkplɔlawo, ame siwo léa be na woawo ŋutɔ ɖokuiwo ko! Ɖe alẽkplɔlawo makpɔ alẽhawo dzi oa?
“You human, prophesy about [leaders] of Israel. [They should be taking care of my people like] [MET] shepherds [take care of their sheep]. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: Terrible things will happen to you leaders [MET] of Israel who only take care of yourselves! You should certainly [RHQ] take care of [your people like] [MET] a shepherd takes care of his flock of sheep!
3 Mienoa woƒe notsi, miedoa awu siwo wotsɔ woƒe alẽfu wɔe, eye miewua lã damitɔwo, ke mieléa be na alẽhawo o.
[It is as though] you eat the curds, you slaughter the very good animals and wear clothes made from their wool. But you do not take care of the flock.
4 Miedo ŋusẽ alẽ siwo gbɔdzɔ o, mieda gbe le alẽ siwo dze dɔ la ŋu o, eye miebla abi na esiwo nu vevi wɔ o. Miekplɔ esiwo tra mɔ la gbɔe o, eye miedi esiwo bu o. Miekplɔ wo kple dzimagbɔɖi, eye miewɔ funyafunya wo.
You have not enabled those who are weak to become strong. You have not healed those who were sick. You have not bandaged those who were wounded/injured. You have not brought back those who went astray. You have not searched for those who became lost. You have ruled your people harshly and cruelly.
5 Ale wokaka, elabena alẽkplɔla aɖeke mele wo si o, eye esi wokaka la, wozu nuɖuɖu na lã wɔadãwo.
So they were scattered, because you did not [take care of them like] [MET] a shepherd [takes care of his sheep]. And when they were scattered, [it was as though] wild animals attacked and [killed them and ate] their flesh.
6 Nye alẽwo tsa tsaglalã le towo kple togbɛ kɔkɔ ɖe sia ɖe dzi. Wokaka ɖe afi sia afi le anyigba dzi, eye ame aɖeke medi wo o.’
My people wandered like sheep all over the high hills and mountains. They were scattered all over the earth, and no one searched for them [DOU].
7 “Eya ta, mi alẽkplɔlawo, mise Yehowa ƒe nya.
Therefore, you [who should be acting like] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh the Lord say:
8 ‘Nye Aƒetɔ Yehowa, meta nye agbe be, esi alẽkplɔla meli na nye alẽawo o, zi ale si woha nye alẽawo, eye wozu nuɖuɖu na lã wɔadãwo, eye esi nye alẽkplɔlawo medi nye alẽawo o, ke boŋ wolé be na woawo ŋutɔ ɖokui, eye menye na nye alẽawo o ta la,
As surely as I am alive, my people [are like a flock of sheep that has] no shepherd, and as a result [it is as though] wild animals have attacked my people and eaten them. You did not search for them; instead, you only wanted to provide food for yourselves.
9 eya ta o, alẽkplɔlawo, mise Yehowa ƒe nyawo.’
Therefore, you [who should be like] [MET] shepherds, listen to what I, Yahweh say:
10 Alea Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Metso ɖe alẽkplɔlawo ŋu, eye mana woana akɔnta tso nye alẽha ŋu. Mana woadzudzɔ alẽawo kpɔkplɔ ale be, alẽkplɔlawo magate ŋu ana nuɖuɖu wo ɖokuiwo o. Maɖe nye alẽha tso woƒe nu me, eye womaganye nuɖuɖu na wo o.’
I am opposed to [you leaders who should be like] [MET] shepherds for my people. I will remove you from taking care of my people, with the result that you will no longer feed yourselves [instead of feeding them]. I will rescue my people from you, with the result that you will longer be able to [butcher them and] eat them.
11 “Elabena esiae nye nya si Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ, ‘Nye ŋutɔ madi nye alẽwo, eye makpɔ wo dzi.
This is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you leaders: I myself will search for my sheep and take care of them.
12 Abe ale si alẽkplɔla kpɔa eƒe alẽ siwo ka hlẽ dzi ne ele wo gbɔ ene la, nenemae makpɔ nye alẽawo dzii. Maɖe wo tso teƒe siwo katã woka hlẽ yi la le lilikpowo kple viviti ƒe ŋkeke aɖe dzi.
Like a shepherd finds his scattered sheep, I will rescue my people from all the places to which they have been scattered, at a time when things were very gloomy and they experienced disasters.
13 Maɖe wo tso dukɔwo me, maƒo ƒu wo tso anyigbawo dzi, eye makplɔ wo ava woawo ŋutɔ ƒe anyigba dzi. Mana woaɖu gbe le Israel towo dzi, le Israel ƒe baliwo me kple amenɔƒewo katã le anyigba la dzi.
I will bring them back from many countries and gather them together again in their own land. [Because my people are like sheep] [MET], [it is as though] I will enable them to find good pastureland on the hills of Israel, and in the ravines, and in the villages of Israel.
14 Makpɔ wo dzi le lãnyiƒe nyui aɖe, eye Israel ƒe tonyigbawo anye woƒe gbeɖuƒe. Afi ma woatsyɔ akɔ anyi ɖe gbeɖuƒe nyui aɖe, eye afi ma woaɖu gbe le lãnyiƒe dama aɖe le Israel ƒe towo dzi.
[It is as though] I will allow them to graze in good pastures on the mountaintops. They will lie down in good (grazing areas/grassy fields) there [DOU].
15 Nye ŋutɔ makpɔ nye alẽwo dzi, eye mana woamlɔ anyi.’ Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
I myself will take care of my people and enable them to lie down and rest.
16 Madi nye alẽ bubuawo, eye makplɔ mɔtralawo agbɔe. Mabla abi na esiwo nu vevi wɔ, mado ŋusẽ esiwo gbɔdzɔ, ke mawu esiwo da ami kple esiwo nye lãmesẽtɔwo la. Makpɔ nye alẽawo dzi kple dzɔdzɔenyenye.
I will search for those who are lost and bring back the ones who have strayed away. I will bandage those who have been injured and strengthen those who are weak. But I will get rid of those who are fat and powerful. I will act fairly toward [the people who are like] [MET] my sheep. That is what I, Yahweh, promise.
17 “Ke na mi, nye alẽawo la, aleae Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔe nye esi. ‘Madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu le alẽ ɖeka kple alẽ bubu dome kple le agbowo kple gbɔ̃wo dome.
And as for you who are like [MET] my sheep, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say: I will judge between each of you; and I will separate [those that are peaceful like] sheep from [those that are always trying to dominate others like] goats.
18 Ɖe mesɔ gbɔ na mi be miaɖu gbe le lãnyiƒe damawo oa? Ɖe wòle be miatu afɔ miaƒe lãnyiƒe si susɔ la dzia? Mesɔ gbɔ na mi be miano tsi nyui oa? Ɖe wòle be miatsɔ miaƒe afɔ ablu ba ɖe tsi si susɔ la mea?
It is bad that [RHQ] some of you keep the best pastures for yourselves. It is even worse that [RHQ] you trample the good grass with your feet. You yourselves drink the clear water [RHQ]. But with your feet you cause the other water to become muddy [RHQ].
19 Ɖe wòle be nye alẽha naɖu gbe si dzi mietu afɔe eye woano tsi si me miefa ba ɖo kple miaƒe afɔwoa?’
[It is as though] you [RHQ] are forcing my flock to eat the grass that you have trampled and to drink the water that you have caused to become muddy!
20 “Eya ta nu si Aƒetɔ Yehowa gblɔ na woe nye, ‘Kpɔ ɖa, nye ŋutɔ madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu le alẽ damiwo kple alẽ ɖikuwo dome.
Therefore, this is what I, Yahweh the Lord, say to you: I myself will judge between [those of you who are like] [MET] the fat sheep and [those of you who are like] the thin sheep.
21 Esi mietsɔ axadame kple abɔta mimi lã ŋusẽmanɔŋutɔwo katã ɖo, eye mietu dzo wo va se ɖe esime mienya wo de gbe la,
[who are like] strong sheep, [it is as though] with your shoulders and buttocks you have shoved away [those who are like] thin sheep, and you have butted them with your horns, until you have chased them all away [from the good pastureland].
22 maɖe nye alẽha la, eye womagaha wo azɔ o. Madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu le alẽ ɖeka kple bubu dome.
But I will rescue my people, and they no longer will be (harassed/treated cruelly). I will judge between one person and another.
23 Mana alẽkplɔla ɖeka nye dɔla David nakplɔ wo, eye wòakpɔ wo dzi abe woƒe alẽkplɔla ene.
And I will appoint one leader [MET] for them, [someone who will be like] King David, who served me [very well]. That leader will take care of them and be like their shepherd.
24 Nye, Yehowa, manye woƒe Mawu, eye nye dɔla, David anye fiavi ŋutsuvi anɔ wo dome.’ Nye, Yehowae gblɔe.
I, Yahweh, will be their God, and [the one who is like] [MET] King David will be their king. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.
25 “‘Mabla ŋutifafa ƒe nu kpli wo, eye maɖe lã wɔadãwo ɖa le anyigba la dzi, ale be woanɔ gbegbe, eye woadɔ alɔ̃ le avewo me le dedinɔnɔ me.
I will make a peace agreement with the people of Israel. In this agreement I will promise to get rid of all the wild animals in Israel, in order that my people may live safely, even in the desert and in the forests.
26 Mayra wo kpe ɖe teƒe siwo ƒo xlã nye to la ŋu. Mana tsi nadza le tsidzaɣi, yayra ƒe agbafie anɔ anyi.
I will bless them, and I will bless the places close to my sacred hill. I will bless them by sending them rain showers at the right season; they will be showers to bless them.
27 Atiwo le gbedzi atse ku, eye anyigba ana nuku nyuiwo, eye amewo anɔ dedie le woƒe anyigba dzi. Woanya be nyee nye Yehowa, ne meŋe woƒe kɔkutimegawo, eye meɖe wo tso ame siwo wɔ wo kluviwoe la ƒe asi me.
The fruit trees will produce fruit and the ground will produce crops. And my people will live safely in their land. When I rescue them from people who caused them to be slaves [MET, DOU], they will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].
28 Dukɔwo magaha wo azɔ o, eye lã wɔadãwo magavuvu wo o. Woanɔ anyi le dedinɔnɔ me, eye ame aɖeke magado ŋɔdzi na wo o.
[Soldiers from] other nations will no longer take away their valuable possessions, and wild animals will no longer attack them. They will live safely, and no one will cause them to be afraid.
29 Mana anyigba si xɔ ŋkɔ le eƒe nukuwo ta la wo, womagakpe fu le dɔwuame ƒe asi me le woƒe anyigba dzi o, eye dukɔwo magaɖu fewu le wo ŋu azɔ o.
I will cause their land to be famous/well-known for its good crops. There will no longer be famines in the land, and people in other nations will no longer ridicule them.
30 Ekema woanya be nye, Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la meli kpli wo, eye woawo, Israel ƒe aƒe la me tɔwo, nye nye amewo. Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
Then they will know that I, Yahweh their God, am helping them, and they will know that they, the Israeli people, are my people.
31 Mi, nye alẽwo, alẽwo le nye lãnyiƒe mienye, eye nyee nye miaƒe Mawu. Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.’”
[It will be as though] [MET] my people are my sheep whom I will take care of, and I will be their God. That is what I, Yahweh the Lord, declare.’”
