Hiezechielis Prophetæ 18
1 Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, dicens:
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 Quid est quod inter vos parabolam vertitis in proverbium istud in terra Israel, dicentes: Patres comederunt uvam acerbam, et dentes filiorum obstupescunt?
“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel: ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the children are set on edge’?
3 Vivo ego, dicit Dominus Deus, si erit ultra vobis parabola haec in proverbium in Israel.
As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel.
4 Ecce omnes animae, meae sunt: ut anima patris, ita et anima filii mea est: anima, quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur.
Behold, every soul belongs to Me; both father and son are Mine. The soul who sins is the one who will die.
5 Et vir si fuerit iustus, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam,
Now suppose a man is righteous and does what is just and right:
6 in montibus non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israel: et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit, et ad mulierem menstruatam non accesserit:
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife or approach a woman during her period.
7 et hominem non contristaverit: pignus debitori reddiderit, per vim nihil rapuerit: panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento:
He does not oppress another, but restores the pledge to the debtor. He does not commit robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
8 ad usuram non commodaverit, et amplius non acceperit: ab iniquitate averterit manum suam, et iudicium verum fecerit inter virum et virum:
He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.
9 in praeceptis meis ambulaverit, et iudicia mea custodierit ut faciat veritatem: hic iustus est, vita vivet, ait Dominus Deus.
He follows My statutes and faithfully keeps My ordinances. That man is righteous; surely he will live,
10 Quod si genuerit filium latronem effundentem sanguinem, et fecerit unum de istis:
Now suppose that man has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these things,
11 et haec quidem omnia non facientem, sed in montibus comedentem, et uxorem proximi sui polluentem:
though the father has done none of them: Indeed, the son eats at the mountain and defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12 egenum, et pauperem contristantem, rapientem rapinas, pignus non reddentem, et ad idola levantem oculos suos, abominationem facientem:
He oppresses the poor and needy; he commits robbery and does not restore a pledge. He lifts his eyes to idols; he commits abominations.
13 ad usuram dantem, et amplius accipientem: numquid vivet? non vivet. cum universa haec detestanda fecerit, morte morietur, sanguis eius in ipso erit.
He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.
14 Quod si genuerit filium, qui videns omnia peccata patris sui, quae fecit, timuerit, et non fecerit simile eis:
Now suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, considers them, and does not do likewise:
15 super montes non comederit, et oculos suos non levaverit ad idola domus Israel, et uxorem proximi sui non violaverit:
He does not eat at the mountain or look to the idols of the house of Israel. He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16 et virum non contristaverit, pignus non retinuerit, et rapinam non rapuerit, panem suum esurienti dederit, et nudum operuerit vestimento:
He does not oppress another, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery. He gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing.
17 a pauperis iniuria averterit manum suam, usuram et superabundantiam non acceperit, iudicia mea fecerit, in praeceptis meis ambulaverit: hic non morietur in iniquitate patris sui, sed vita vivet.
He withholds his hand from harming the poor and takes no interest or usury. He keeps My ordinances and follows My statutes. Such a man will not die for his father’s iniquity. He will surely live.
18 Pater eius quia calumniatus est, et vim fecit fratri, et malum operatus est in medio populi sui, ecce mortuus est in iniquitate sua.
As for his father, he will die for his own iniquity, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother, and did what was wrong among his people.
19 Et dicitis: Quare non portabit filius iniquitatem patris? Videlicet, quia filius iudicium, et iustitiam operatus est, omnia praecepta mea custodivit, et fecit illa, vivet vita.
Yet you may ask, ‘Why shouldn’t the son bear the iniquity of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right, carefully observing all My statutes, he will surely live.
20 Anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur: filius non portabit iniquitatem patris, et pater non portabit iniquitatem filii: iustitia iusti super eum erit, et impietas impii erit super eum.
The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him.
21 Si autem impius egerit poenitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis, quae operatus est, et custodierit omnia praecepta mea, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam: vita vivet, et non morietur.
But if the wicked man turns from all the sins he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is just and right, he will surely live; he will not die.
22 Omnium iniquitatum eius, quas operatus est, non recordabor: in iustitia sua, quam operatus est, vivet.
None of the transgressions he has committed will be held against him. Because of the righteousness he has practiced, he will live.
23 Numquid voluntatis meae est mors impii, dicit Dominus Deus, et non ut convertatur a viis suis, et vivat?
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Lord GOD. Wouldn’t I prefer that he turn from his ways and live?
24 Si autem averterit se iustus a iustitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem secundum omnes abominationes, quas operari solet impius, numquid vivet? omnes iustitiae eius, quas fecerat, non recordabuntur: in praevaricatione, qua praevaricatus est, et in peccato suo, quod peccavit, in ipsis morietur.
But if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, committing the same abominations as the wicked, will he live? None of the righteous acts he did will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he has committed, he will die.
25 Et dixistis: Non est aequa via Domini. Audite ergo domus Israel: Numquid via mea non est aequa, et non magis viae vestrae pravae sunt?
Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is it My way that is unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
26 Cum enim averterit se iustus a iustitia sua, et fecerit iniquitatem, morietur in eis: in iniustitia, quam operatus est, morietur.
If a righteous man turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, he will die for this. He will die because of the iniquity he has committed.
27 Et cum averterit se impius ab impietate sua, quam operatus est, et fecerit iudicium, et iustitiam: ipse animam suam vivificabit.
But if a wicked man turns from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he will save his life.
28 Considerans enim, et avertens se ab omnibus iniquitatibus suis, quas operatus est, vita vivet, et non morietur.
Because he considered and turned from all the transgressions he had committed, he will surely live; he will not die.
29 Et dicunt filii Israel: Non est aequa via Domini. Numquid viae meae non sunt aequae, domus Israel, et non magis viae vestrae pravae?
Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are My ways unjust, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30 Idcirco unumquemque iuxta vias suas iudicabo domus Israel, ait Dominus Deus. Convertimini, et agite poenitentiam ab omnibus iniquitatibus vestris: et non erit vobis in ruinam iniquitas.
Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall.
31 Proiicite a vobis omnes praevaricationes vestras, in quibus praevaricati estis, et facite vobis cor novum, et spiritum novum: et quare moriemini domus Israel?
Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 Quia nolo mortem morientis, dicit Dominus Deus, revertimini, et vivite.
For I take no pleasure in anyone’s death, declares the Lord GOD. So repent and live!
