Izikiel 18
1 Okwu Onyenwe anyị ruru m ntị, sị, sị,
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Gịnị ka unu bụ mmadụ na-ekwu mgbe unu na-atụ ilu a banyere ala Izrel? “‘Ndị bụ nna eriela mkpụrụ vaịnị na-achaghị acha, eze ụmụntakịrị a na-eru ha izizi.’
“What's this proverb you people are quoting about the country of Israel: ‘The fathers ate the unripe grapes, but their children got the sour taste’?
3 “Dịka m na-adị ndụ, otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, unu agaghị atụkwa ilu a ọzọ nʼala Izrel.
As I live, declares the Lord God, you won't quote this proverb in Israel any more.
4 Nʼihi na mkpụrụobi niile bụ nke m, ma nke nna ma nke nwa, ha niile bụ nke m. Mkpụrụobi ọbụla mehiere bụ nke ga-anwụ.
Can't you see that everyone belongs to me? Whether parents or children, they are all mine. It's the person who sins who will die.
5 “Ọ bụrụ na-enwere otu onye ezi omume nke na-eme naanị ihe ziri ezi na ihe dị mma,
Take the example of a man who is a good person, doing what is fair and right.
6 onye na-adịghị eje nʼugwu iri oriri maọbụ welie anya ya nʼebe arụsị niile nke Izrel dị, onye na-adịghị emerụ nwunye onye agbataobi ya, maọbụ dinakwuru nwanyị nọ nʼoge nsọ ya.
He doesn't go to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal, or worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife or with a woman during her period.
7 Onye na-adịghị emegbu ndị mmadụ, kama ọ na-akwụghachi ụgwọ o ji, maọbụ na-enyeghachi ihe ọ naara dịka ihe mbe, ọ dịghị apụnara mmadụ ihe o nwere nʼike, kama ọ na-enye ndị agụụ na-agụ nri, na-enyekwa ndị gbaa ọtọ akwa mkpuchi.
He doesn't exploit anyone. He gives back what a debtor has given him as security. He doesn't rob others. He feeds the hungry and clothes the naked.
8 Ọ dịghị agbazinye mmadụ ego nara mụrụ nwa, ọ dịghị ana ụma site nʼaka ha. Ọ na-esite nʼihe ọjọọ sepụ aka ya, na-ekpekwa ikpe ziri ezi nʼetiti mmadụ na ibe ya.
He doesn't lend with interest or make a profit from loans. He refuses to do wrong and makes sure he's truly fair in his decisions between people.
9 Ọ na-edebezu iwu m niile, na-agbaso ụkpụrụ m niile nʼikwesị ntụkwasị obi. Onye ezi omume ka nwoke ahụ bụ; ọ ghaghị ịdịkwa ndụ, otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
He follows my rules and keeps my regulations faithfully. Such a man lives by what's right and he will certainly live, declares the Lord God.
10 “Ọ bụrụ na o nwere nwa nwoke na-akpa ike, na-akwafu ọbara, na-emekwa ihe ndị ọzọ dị iche iche,
What if that man has a son who is a violent criminal, who kills and does do such evil things just listed
11 ọ bụ ezie na nna ya emeghị ihe ndị a: “Ma ọ na-eri nri nʼụlọ arụsị dị nʼugwu, na-emerụ nwunye onye agbataobi ya;
even though the father doesn't act like that at all. The son goes to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal. He has sex with someone else's wife.
12 Ọ na-emegbu ndị ogbenye na ndị nọ na mkpa. Ọ na-apụnara mmadụ ihe nʼike. Ọ dịghị eweghachi ihe o naara na mbe. Ọ na-efe arụsị, na-emekwa ihe arụ ndị ọzọ dị iche iche.
He exploits the poor and those in need. He robs others, and he doesn't give back what a debtor has given him as security. He worships idols. He commits disgusting sins.
13 Ọ na-anara ndị ọ gbazinyere ego ọmụrụnwa na ụma. O kwesiri ka onye dị otu a dị ndụ? Ọ gaghị adị ndụ. Nʼihi na o meela ihe ndị a niile rụrụ arụ. A ga-egbu ya. Ọbara ya ga-adịkwa nʼisi ya.
He lends with interest and makes a profit from loans. Is someone like this going to live? No, he won't! Because he has done all these offensive things, he will die for certain, and he will be responsible for his own death.
14 “Ọ bụrụkwa na nwoke a nwere nwa nwoke nke hụrụ ihe ọjọọ ndị a niile nna ya na-eme, ma kpebie na ọ gakwaghị ebi ụdị ndụ ahụ.
Now what if this man has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed. He sees them but doesn't do the same.
15 “Ọ dịghị eri nri nʼụlọ arụsị dị nʼelu ugwu maọbụ welie anya lee arụsị niile nke Izrel. Ọ dịghị emerụ nwunye onye agbataobi ya.
He doesn't go to the pagan shrines in the mountains to eat a religious meal, or worship Israel's idols. He doesn't have sex with someone else's wife.
16 Ọ dịghị emegbu onye ọbụla, maọbụ anara ihe mbe nʼihi ego ọ gbazinyere mmadụ. Ọ dịghị apụnara mmadụ ihe o nwere nʼike, kama na ọ na-enye ndị agụ na-agụ ihe oriri ya, na-enyekwa ndị gbaa ọtọ akwa mkpuchi;
He doesn't exploit anyone. He doesn't demand security for a loan. He doesn't rob others. He feeds the hungry and clothes the naked.
17 ọ bụrụ na ọ dịghị etinye aka na mmehie ọbụla, na ọ naghị anara ọmụrụnwa na ụma nʼaka ndị o binyere ego, na ọ na-erubekwara iwu m niile isi, na-agbaso ụkpụrụ m niile. Onye dị otu a agaghị anwụ nʼihi mmehie nke nna ya mere. Ọ ga-adị ndụ.
He refuses to do wrong and does not charge interest or make a profit on loans. He keeps my regulations and follows my laws. A man like that won't die because of his father's sins, he will certainly live!
18 Ma nna ya ga-anwụ nʼihi mmehie niile o mere, nʼihi na ọ bụ onye na-ewe ihe na-abụghị nke ya, onye na-apụnara ndị ọzọ ihe ha nwere nʼike. Ọ bụkwa onye na-eme ihe ọjọọ dị iche iche nʼetiti ndị ya.
But his father will die for his own sins, because he exploited others, robbed his relatives, and did wrong to his own people.
19 “Ma unu na-ajụ, ‘Gịnị mere nwa adịghị eketa oke nʼahụhụ nke ajọ omume nna ya?’ Ihe dị otu ahụ apụghị ime, ebe ọ bụ na nwa ya emeela ihe ziri ezi ma leziekwa anya debezuo ụkpụrụ m niile, ọ ghaghị ịdị ndụ.
You ask, ‘Why shouldn't the son pay for his father's sins?’ If the son has done what is fair and right, keeping all my laws, then he'll live, he won't be punished.
20 Onye ahụ mere mmehie bụ onye ga-anwụ. Nwa agaghị ata ahụhụ nʼihi ihe nna ya metara, nna agakwaghị ata ahụhụ nʼihi ihe nwa ya metara. Onye ezi omume ga-anata ụgwọ ezi omume o mere, ma onye ajọ omume ga-anata ụgwọ nʼihi ajọ ihe o mere.
It's the person who sins who will die. A son won't pay for his father's sins, and a father won't pay for his son's sins. The good consequences of living right will come to those who are good; the evil consequences of wickedness will come to those who are evil.
21 “Ma ọ bụrụ na onye ajọ omume esite na mmehie niile o mere chigharịa, malite idebe ụkpụrụ m niile, ma na-emekwa ihe ziri ezi na nke dị mma, onye ahụ aghaghị ịdị ndụ, ọ gaghị anwụ.
However, if someone who is wicked stops sinning and keeps my laws, doing what is fair and right, they will certainly live—they won't die.
22 Ọ dịghị ajọ omume niile bụ nke ha mere a ga-echeta megide ha. Ha ga-adị ndụ nʼihi ihe ezi omume ha mere.
None of their sins will be held against them. Because they are now doing what's right, they will live.
23 Ọ na-atọ m ụtọ bụ ọnwụ nke ndị ajọ omume? Ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara. Kama, ọ bụghị mgbe ha si nʼụzọ ha chigharịa, dịrị ndụ, ka obi na-atọ m ụtọ?
Do I like it when wicked people die? declares the Lord God. Of course not—I would be delighted if they stopped sinning and lived!
24 “Ma ọ bụrụ na onye ezi omume esite nʼezi omume ya chigharịa, mee mmehie na-emekwa ihe arụ nke ndị ajọ mmadụ na-eme, ha ọ ga-adị ndụ? Mba! Ọ dịghị ihe ezi omume nke onye dị otu a mere nke a ga-echetakwa. Nʼihi ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi ha, ha bụ ndị ikpe mara, nʼihi mmehie ndị ha mere, ha ga-anwụ.
But if someone who is living according to what's right stops and does wrong, doing the same offensive things as the wicked, will that person live? Of course not! In fact, all the good things they did previously will be forgotten. That person will die because of their betrayal of me and the sins they've committed.
25 “Ma unu na-asị, ‘Ụzọ Onyenwe anyị ezighị ezi!’ Geenụ ntị, unu ụlọ Izrel. Ọ bụ nʼụzọ m ezighị ezi? Ọ bụghị ụzọ unu niile bụ nke na-ezighị ezi?
Even so you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ People of Israel, listen to me! Is it what I'm doing that isn't right? Isn't it what you're doing that isn't right?
26 Ọ bụrụ na onye ezi omume esite nʼezi omume ya chigharịa malite ime mmehie, ọ ga-anwụ maka ya; nʼihi mmehie ahụ o mere ka ọ ga-anwụ.
If someone who lives according to what's right stops doing right and does wrong, they will die. They will die because of wrong things they've done.
27 Ọ bụrụ na onye ajọ omume esite nʼajọ omume niile nke o mere chigharịa malite ime ihe ziri ezi na nke dị mma, ọ ga-azọpụta ndụ ya.
But if someone wicked stops doing wrong and does what is fair and right, they will save their life.
28 Nʼihi na ọ tuleela nʼobi ya, kpebiekwa ịhapụ mmehie ya niile, ma malite ibi ndụ ziri ezi. Ndụ ga-abụ nke ya. Ọ gaghị anwụ.
Because they thought about it and gave up their wicked ways, they will certainly live—they won't die.
29 Ma ụlọ Izrel na-asị, ‘Ụzọ Onyenwe anyị ezighị ezi!’ Ọ bụ nʼụzọ m niile ezighị ezi, unu ụlọ Izrel? Ọ bụghị ụzọ unu niile bụ nke na-ezighị ezi?
But the people of Israel say, ‘The Lord's way isn't right.’ Are my ways unfair, people of Israel? Isn't it your ways that aren't fair?
30 “Ya mere, unu ụlọ Izrel, aga m ekpe onye ọbụla nʼime unu ikpe dịka ụzọ ya si dị, otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya. Chegharịanụ, sitenụ na njehie unu niile unu chigharịa, mgbe ahụ, mmehie agaghị a bụrụ unu ihe ịsọ ngọngọ.
Consequently I'm going to judge you, people of Israel! I will judge each of you depending on what you've done, declares the Lord God. Repent and stop rebelling so that your sins won't bring you down.
31 Wezuganụ njehie niile unu jehiere nʼime ya, ka unu nweta obi ọhụrụ na mmụọ ọhụrụ. Ụlọ Izrel, gịnị mere unu ga-eji nwụọ?
Get rid of all your rebellious sins! Change your way of thinking and have a new spirit. Why do you want to die, people of Israel?
32 Nʼihi na ọ dịghị atọ obi m ụtọ ịhụ na onye ọbụla na-anwụ, otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara. Chegharịakwanụ, ka unu dịrị ndụ!
I don't like it when anybody dies, declares the Lord God. So repent so you can live!”
