יְחֶזְקֵאל 33

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

2 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶ֕רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ חָ֑רֶב וְלָקְח֨וּ עַם־הָאָ֜רֶץ אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹתֹ֛ו לָהֶ֖ם לְצֹפֶֽה׃

“You human, speak to your fellow Israelis and say this to them: ‘When I bring an enemy army [MTY] to attack a country, and the people of that country choose one of their men and appoint him to be a watchman,

3 וְרָאָ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב בָּאָ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְתָקַ֥ע בַּשֹּׁופָ֖ר וְהִזְהִ֥יר אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

if he sees the enemy army [MTY] coming to attack his country, and he blows a trumpet to warn the people,

4 וְשָׁמַ֨ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ אֶת־קֹ֤ול הַשֹּׁופָר֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּ֥בֹוא חֶ֖רֶב וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ דָּמֹ֥ו בְרֹאשֹׁ֖ו יִֽהְיֶֽה׃

if anyone hears the trumpet and does not heed the warning, and as a result he is killed by the sword [of one of his enemies], he will be responsible for his own death [MTY].

5 אֵת֩ קֹ֨ול הַשֹּׁופָ֤ר שָׁמַע֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר דָּמֹ֖ו בֹּ֣ו יִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְה֥וּא נִזְהָ֖ר נַפְשֹׁ֥ו מִלֵּֽט׃

If he had heeded the warning, he would have (have saved his life/still be alive). But because he heard the sound of the trumpet and did not heed that warning, his death will be his own fault.

6 וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע בַּשֹּׁופָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּבֹ֣וא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ׃ ס

But if the watchman sees the enemy army [MTY] coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people, and one of his people is killed by an enemy sword, that person will die because of his sin, but I will consider that the watchman is responsible for that man’s death.’

7 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

So, you human, I have appointed you to be a watchman for the Israeli people [MTY]. So always listen to what I say and warn the people for me.

8 בְּאָמְרִ֣י לָרָשָׁ֗ע רָשָׁע֙ מֹ֣ות תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א דִבַּ֔רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֖ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

When I say to some wicked person, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die [because of your sins,’ you must tell him that]. If you do not speak to that person to warn him that he should turn away from his sins, that wicked person will die because of his sins, but I will say that you are responsible for his death [MTY].

9 וְ֠אַתָּה כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ רָשָׁ֤ע מִדַּרְכֹּו֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְלֹא־שָׁ֖ב מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃ ס

But if you warn that wicked person that he should turn away from his sins, and he does not do that, he will die because of his sins, but you will have saved your life.

10 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֤ן אֲמַרְתֶּם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּבָ֛ם אֲנַ֥חְנוּ נְמַקִּ֖ים וְאֵ֥יךְ נִֽחְיֶֽה׃

You human, say to the Israeli people, ‘This is what you all are saying: “[The guilt that we have for] disobeying God’s laws and sinning is like a heavy weight on us, and it is hurting us, and we are slowly dying. So what can we do to continue to remain alive?”’

11 אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם חַי־אָ֣נִי ׀ נְאֻ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙ בְּמֹ֣ות הָרָשָׁ֔ע כִּ֣י אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֖ו וְחָיָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ שׁ֜וּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם הָרָעִ֛ים וְלָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּתוּ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

Say to them, ‘Yahweh the Lord says, “As surely as I am alive, I am not happy when wicked people die; I would prefer that they turn away from their wicked behavior and continue to live. So repent! Turn away from your evil behavior! You Israeli people, do you really want to die [RHQ]?”’

12 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֙נּוּ֙ בְּיֹ֣ום פִּשְׁעֹ֔ו וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּיֹ֖ום שׁוּבֹ֣ו מֵֽרִשְׁעֹ֑ו וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְיֹ֥ות בָּ֖הּ בְּיֹ֥ום חֲטֹאתֹֽו׃

Therefore, you human, say to your fellow Israelis, ‘If righteous people start to disobey me, their being righteous previously will not save them [from being punished]. And if wicked people turn away from their wicked behavior, they will not die because of the sins that they committed [previously]. And if righteous people start to sin, they will not be allowed to remain alive because of their formerly being righteous.’

13 בְּאָמְרִ֤י לַצַּדִּיק֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהֽוּא־בָטַ֥ח עַל־צִדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל כָּל־צִדְקָתֹו (צִדְקֹתָיו֙) לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה וּבְעַוְלֹ֥ו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה בֹּ֥ו יָמֽוּת׃

If I tell righteous people that they will surely remain alive, but then they trust/think that because they have been righteous previously, they can start to do evil [and not be punished], I will not think about the righteous things that they did previously; they will die because of the evil things that they are doing.

14 וּבְאָמְרִ֥י לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע מֹ֣ות תָּמ֑וּת וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃

And if I say to some wicked person, ‘You will surely die [because of your sins],’ that person may turn away from his sinful behavior and do what is just and right [DOU].

15 חֲבֹ֨ל יָשִׁ֤יב רָשָׁע֙ גְּזֵלָ֣ה יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם בְּחֻקֹּ֤ות הַֽחַיִּים֙ הָלַ֔ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשֹׂ֣ות עָ֑וֶל חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃

For example, he may return what he took from another person to guarantee [that that person would pay back what he owes], or he may return things that he has stolen, and he may obey the laws that will enable [those who obey them] to remain alive, and he will not continue to do evil things. If that happens, he will surely remain alive; he will not die [because of the sins that he committed previously].

16 כָּל־חַטָּאתֹו (חַטֹּאתָיו֙) אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לֹ֥א תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה לֹ֑ו מִשְׁפָּ֧ט וּצְדָקָ֛ה עָשָׂ֖ה חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

I will not think about the sins that he has committed; he will surely remain alive.

17 וְאָמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְהֵ֖מָּה דַּרְכָּ֥ם לֹֽא־יִתָּכֵֽן׃

Your fellow Israelis say, ‘What Yahweh does is not fair.’ But it is your behavior that is not fair.

18 בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק מִצִּדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל וּמֵ֖ת בָּהֶֽם׃

If a righteous person turns away from doing what is righteous and starts to do what is evil, [it is fair that] he die because of his sins.

19 וּבְשׁ֤וּב רָשָׁע֙ מֵֽרִשְׁעָתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

And if a wicked person turns away from his wicked behavior and does what is right and fair [DOU], [it is fair] for him to remain alive because of doing that.

20 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י אִ֧ישׁ כִּדְרָכָ֛יו אֶשְׁפֹּ֥וט אֶתְכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

But you Israeli people still say, ‘What Yahweh does is not fair.’ But I will judge each of you for what you do.”

21 וַיְהִ֞י בִּשְׁתֵּ֧י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה בָּעֲשִׂרִ֛י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ בָּא־אֵלַ֨י הַפָּלִ֧יט מִירוּשָׁלַ֛͏ִם לֵאמֹ֖ר הֻכְּתָ֥ה הָעִֽיר׃

Almost twelve years [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the fifth day of the tenth month [of that year], a man who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me [in Babylon] and said, “Jerusalem has been captured!”

22 וְיַד־יְהוָה֩ הָיְתָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בָּעֶ֗רֶב לִפְנֵי֙ בֹּ֣וא הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔י עַד־בֹּ֥וא אֵלַ֖י בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּפָּ֣תַח פִּ֔י וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי עֹֽוד׃ פ

The evening before that man arrived, Yahweh took control [MTY] of me, and when that man arrived, Yahweh enabled me to speak again; I was no longer forced to be silent.

23 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

Then Yahweh gave a message to me. He said,

24 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָבֹ֨ות הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמֹורָשָֽׁה׃ ס

“You human, the people who are living in the ruins in Israel are saying, ‘Abraham was only one person, but Yahweh [promised him that he and his descendants] would possess this land. But we are many; so surely this land has been given to us [by Yahweh] to continue to possess.’

25 לָכֵן֩ אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה עַל־הַדָּ֧ם ׀ תֹּאכֵ֛לוּ וְעֵינֵכֶ֛ם תִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם וְדָ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃

So send a message to them. Say, ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: You eat meat that still has the animal’s blood in it. You still worship idols. And you still murder others [MTY]. So, (should this land belong to you?/this land should certainly not belong to you!) [RHQ]

26 עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן תֹּועֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃ ס

You rely on using your swords [to obtain things that you want]. You do many detestable things. Each of you has sex with other men’s wives. So (why should you continue to possess the land of Israel?/you should not continue to possess this land!) [RHQ]’

27 כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֮ חַי־אָנִי֒ אִם־לֹ֞א אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֶּֽחֳרָבֹות֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לַחַיָּ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יו לְאָכְלֹ֑ו וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר בַּמְּצָדֹ֥ות וּבַמְּעָרֹ֖ות בַּדֶּ֥בֶר יָמֽוּתוּ׃

Send this message to them: ‘This is what Yahweh the Lord says: As surely as I am alive, those who are left in the ruins [in Jerusalem] will also be killed by [their enemies’] swords, and those who are living in the countryside will be killed by wild animals, and those who are living in forts and caves will die from a plague.

28 וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת גְּאֹ֣ון עֻזָּ֑הּ וְשָֽׁמְמ֛וּ הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֵ֥ין עֹובֵֽר׃

I will cause your country to become a desolate wasteland. You will no longer be proud of being a strong country. The mountains of Israel will become very desolate, with the result that no one will walk across them.

29 וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּתִתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃ ס

Then, when I have caused your country to become a desolate wasteland because of all the detestable things that you have done, you will know that I, Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’

30 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים בְּךָ֙ אֵ֣צֶל הַקִּירֹ֔ות וּבְפִתְחֵ֖י הַבָּתִּ֑ים וְדִבֶּר־חַ֣ד אֶת־אַחַ֗ד אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֹּֽאוּ־נָ֣א וְשִׁמְע֔וּ מָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר הַיֹּוצֵ֖א מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

As for you, you human, your fellow Israelis [here in Babylon] are talking about you along the city walls and at the doors of their houses. They are saying to each other, ‘Come and listen to the message that has come from Yahweh!’

31 וְיָבֹ֣ואוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבֹוא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאֹותָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃

My people come to you as they often have done, and they sit in front of you to listen to what you say. But they do not do what you tell them that they must do. With their mouths they say that they love me, but in their inner beings they are eager to acquire things by doing what is unjust.

32 וְהִנְּךָ֤ לָהֶם֙ כְּשִׁ֣יר עֲגָבִ֔ים יְפֵ֥ה קֹ֖ול וּמֵטִ֣ב נַגֵּ֑ן וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְעֹשִׂ֥ים אֵינָ֖ם אֹותָֽם׃

To them, you are only a man who sings love songs with a beautiful voice, and you play a musical instrument well. They hear what you say, but they do not do what you tell them to do.

33 וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ הִנֵּ֣ה בָאָ֔ה וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י נָבִ֖יא הָיָ֥ה בְתֹוכָֽם׃ ס

The terrible things that I have said will happen to them will surely happen. And then they will know that a prophet has been among them, [and that you are that prophet].”