Izikiel 18
1 Okwu Onyenwe anyị ruru m ntị, sị, sị,
Yahweh gave me another message. [He said, ]
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.’
“You people quote [RHQ] this proverb [and say that it is] about Israel: ‘Parents/People eat sour grapes, but it is their children who have a very sour taste in their mouths', [which means that you think that it is not fair for you to be punished for your ancestors’ sins].
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.
But [I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that [as surely] as I am alive, you Israeli people will no longer quote that proverb.
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.
Everyone [who is alive] belongs to me. That includes children and their parents; they all belong to me. And it is those who sin who will [because of their sins].
5 “Ọ bụrụ na-enwere otu onye ezi omume nke na-eme naanị ihe ziri ezi na ihe dị mma,
[So, ] suppose there is a righteous person [always] does what is fair and right [DOU].
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 does not [meat sacrificed to idols] on the hilltops, he does not request help from idols. He does not have sex with someone else’s wife or have sex with a woman during her monthly menstrual 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 does not mistreat/oppress people; if [borrows money from him and gives him his cloak to guarantee that he will pay the money back], he always gives the cloak back to that [before the sun goes down]. He does not rob people. He gives food to hungry people. He gives clothing to people who need clothes.
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.
When he lends money to people, he does not [do it just to] charge big interest. He does not do [SYN] things that are evil. He [always] decides things fairly.
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 faithfully obeys all [DOU] my laws. That man is truly righteous; he will remain alive. [That is what I, ] Yahweh the Lord, promise.
10 “Ọ bụrụ na o nwere nwa nwoke na-akpa ike, na-akwafu ọbara, na-emekwa ihe ndị ọzọ dị iche iche,
But suppose that man has a son who acts violently, who murders people and does any of these other things, even though his father has not done any of them:
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;
He [meat sacrificed to idols] on the hilltops. He has sex with other people’s wives.
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 mistreats/oppresses poor and needy people. He robs people. If someone gives him his cloak to [that he will pay the money back], he never gives the cloak back to [before the sun goes down]. He seeks help from idols. He does [other] detestable things.
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.
When he lends money, he [very big] interest. If you think that such a person [be allowed to] remain alive [RHQ], you are certainly wrong. Because he has done those detestable things, he will surely be executed, and it will be his own fault [IDM].
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.
But suppose that man has a son who sees all the sins that his father commits, but he does not do those things:
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 does not [meat sacrificed to idols] on the hilltops. He does not request help from idols. He does not have sex with other people’s wives.
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 does not mistreat/oppress people. If he lends money to someone, he does not require that person to give him his cloak to guarantee that he will pay the money back. He does not rob anyone. He gives food to those who need it. He gives clothes to those who need clothes.
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 does not commit sins, [like his father did], and does not charge big interest [DOU] when he lends money. He faithfully obeys [all] [DOU] my laws. That person will not be executed for his father’s sins; he will surely remain alive.
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 be executed for the sins that he committed, because he cheated people and robbed people and did [other] things that are evil.
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.
[If] you ask, ‘Why should the [man’s] son not (suffer/be punished) for the evil things that his father did?’, [I will answer that] the son has done what is fair and right [DOU] and has obeyed all my laws, so he will surely remain alive.
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 is those who sin who will [because of their sins]. People will not be punished for the sins of their parents, or for the sins of their children. Good/Righteous people will be rewarded for their being good/righteous, and evil people will be punished for [doing] 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.
But if a wicked person (turns away from/quits) doing all the evil things that he did previously, and if he starts to obey faithfully all my laws, and does what is fair and right [DOU], he will surely remain alive; he will not be executed.
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.
He will not be punished for the sins he committed [previously]. Because of the good/righteous things that he has done [since that time], he [be allowed to] remain alive.
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?
[I], Yahweh the Lord, declare that I certainly am not [RHQ] happy about wicked people dying. Instead, I am happy when they turn away from their wicked behavior, [because of that, they] remain alive.
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 a righteous person stops doing righteous things and [starts to] commit sins and does the same detestable things that wicked people do, he will certainly not [RHQ] [be allowed to] remain alive. I will not think about the righteous things that he did previously. Because he did not [do what pleases me], and because of [all] the sins that he has committed, he will be executed.
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?
But you say, ‘Yahweh does not act fairly!’ You Israeli people, listen to what I say: It is certainly not [RHQ] what I do that is unfair, it is what you continually do that is not fair/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 a righteous person (turns away from/quits) doing what is righteous and commits sins, he will [for committing those sins].
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 a wicked person turns away from doing wicked things and does what is just and right [DOU], he will save [from being executed/punished].
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 he has thought about all the evil things that he did and has turned away from doing them, he will [be allowed to] live. He will not be executed [for having done evil things].
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 [you] Israeli people [MTY] say, ‘Yahweh does not act fairly.’ You people of Israel, my behavior is certainly not [RHQ] unfair! It is your behavior that is not right.
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.
Therefore, you Israeli people [MTY], I, Yahweh the Lord, will judge each of you according to what you have done. Repent! Turn [away] from all your wicked behavior! Then you will not be destroyed [PRS] because of your sins.
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 wicked behavior, and get a new way of thinking [IDM, DOU]. You Israeli people [MTY], (do you really want to be executed for your sins?/you act as though you want to be executed [for your sins]) [RHQ].
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], Yahweh the Lord, declare that I am not pleased about your dying. So repent, and remain alive!”
