Ezekiela 33

1 Ary tonga tamiko ny tenin’ i Jehovah nanao hoe:

Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

2 Ry zanak’ olona, mitenena amin’ ny zanaky ny firenenao, ka lazao aminy hoe: Raha mahatonga sabatra amin’ ny tany anankiray Aho, ary ny tompon-tany maka lehilahy anankiray ao aminy ka manendry azy ho mpitily,

“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 ary hitan-dralehilahy fa, indro, avy ny sabatra, ka mitsoka ny anjomara hampitaitra ny olona izy,

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

4 nefa tsy mety taitr izay mandre ny feon’ ny anjomara, dia tonga ny sabatra ka mandripaka azy, dia ho eo an-dohany ihany ny ràny.

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 Nandre ny feon’ ny anjomara ihany izy, nefa tsy nety taitra; ho ao aminy ihany ny ràny; fa raha nety taitra izy, dia ho nahavonjy ny ainy ihany.

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 Fa raha hitan’ ilay mpitily kosa fa, indro, avy ny sabatra, nefa tsy nitsoka ny anjomara izy, ka tsy notairina ny olona, ary tonga ny sabatra ka mandringana olona ao aminy, dia matin’ ny helony ihany iny; nefa ny ràny dia hadiniko amin’ ny tànan’ ilay mpitily.

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 Koa ianao, ry zanak’ olona, dia efa notendreko ho mpitily ho an’ ny taranak’ Isiraely, ka raha mandre ny teny aloaky ny vavako ianao, dia izany no ho entinao mananatra azy.

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 Raha hoy Izaho amin’ ny ratsy fanahy: He! ry ilay ratsy fanahy, ho faty tokoa ianao! nefa tsy mety mananatra azy ianao hiala amin’ ny alehany, dia ho fatin’ ny helony ihany izany ratsy fanahy izany, fa ny ràny dia hadiniko amin’ ny tananao.

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 Fa raha mananatra ny ratsy fanahy ihany kosa ianao hiala amin’ ny lalany ratsy; fa izy no tsy mety miala amin’ izany, dia ho fatin’ ny helony ihany izy, nefa voavonjinao ny ainao.

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 Ary ianao, ry zanak’ olona, mitenena amin’ ny taranak’ Isiraely hoe: Izao no fiteninareo: Eto aminay ny fahadisoanay sy ny fahotanay, ka mihalevona amin’ izany izahay, dia nahoana no mbola velona izahay?

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 Lazao aminy hoe: Raha velona koa Aho, hoy Jehovah Tompo, dia tsy sitrako ny hahafatesan’ ny ratsy fanahy, fa ny hialan’ ny ratsy fanahy amin’ ny lalany, mba ho velona izy. Mialà, mialà amin’ ny lalan-dratsinareo, fa nahoana moa no te-ho faty ianareo, ry taranak’ Isiraely?

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 Ary ianao, ry zanak’ olona’ lazao amin’ ny zanaky ny firenenao hoe: Ny fahamarinan’ ny marina tsy hahavonjy azy, raha mby amin’ ny andro ahadisoany; ary ny faharatsian’ ny ratsy fanahy tsy hahavoa azy, raha mby amin’ ny andro ialany amin’ ny faharatsiany; ary ny marina tsy ho velona noho ny fahamarinany, raha mby amin’ ny andro anotany.

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 Raha lazaiko amin’ ny marina hoe: Ho velona tokoa ianao, nefa izy mitoky amin’ ny fahamarinany ka manao meloka, dia tsy hotsarovana ny fahamarinana rehetra izay nataony, fa ny heloka nataony no hahafaty azy.

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 Ary koa, raha hoy Izaho kosa amin’ ny ratsy fanahy: Ho faty tokoa ianao, nefa miala amin’ ny fahotany izy sady manao izay marina sy mahitsy.

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 ka mamerina ny natao tsatòka sady mampody izay nangalariny ary mandeha araka ny didy mahavelona ka tsy manao meloka, dia ho velona tokoa izy, fa tsy ho faty.

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 Ny fahotana rehetra izay nataony dia tsy hotsarovana aminy intsony; manao izay marina sy mahitsy izy, ka dia ho velona tokoa.

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

17 Kanefa, hoy ny zanaky ny firenenao: Tsy marina ny fitondran’ ny Tompo; nefa ny fitondran’ ny tenany no tsy marina.

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

18 Raha ny marina miala amin’ ny fahamarinany ka manao meloka, dia ho faty amin’ izany izy.

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 Ary raha ny ratsy fanahy miala amin’ ny faharatsiany ka manao izay marina sy mahitsy, dia ho velona amin’ izany izy.

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 Kanefa, hoy ianareo: Tsy marina ny fitondran’ ny Tompo. He! ry taranak’ Isiraely, samy hotsaraiko araka ny alehany avy ianareo.

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

21 Ary nony tamin’ ny andro fahadimy tamin’ ny volana fahafolo tamin’ ny taona faharoa ambin’ ny folo taorian’ ny namaboana antsika, dia nisy olona efa nandositra avy tany Jerosalema tonga tao amiko ka nanao hoe: Afaka ny tanàna.

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 Dia efa tonga tamiko ny tànan’ i Jehovah tamin’ ny omaly harivan’ ny andro nahatongavan’ ilay nandositra izay tonga tao amiko, ka nosokafany ny vavako mandra-pahatongan’ ilay nandositra, izay tonga tao amiko nony maraina; dia efa nisokatra ny vavako, ka tsy moana intsony aho.

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 Dia tonga tamiko ny tenin’ i Jehovah nanao hoe:

Then Yahweh gave a message to me. He said,

24 Ry zanak’ olona, ny monina amin’ ireny rava amin’ ny tanin’ ny Isiraely ireny dia manao hoe: Ireny ihany Abrahama, nefa nandova ny tany izy, fa isika kosa dia maro, ary omena antsika ny tany ho lovantsika

“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 Koa lazao aminy hoe: Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah Tompo: Homan-javatra misy rà sady miandrandra ny sampinareo ianareo ary mandatsa-drà, moa hahazo handova ny tany va ianareo?

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 Mitoky amin’ ny sabatrareo ianareo sady manao fahavetavetana, ka samy mandoto ny vadin’ ny namany avy; koa hahazo handova ny tany va ianareo?

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 Izao no holazainao aminy: Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah Tompo: Raha velona koa Aho, dia tsy maintsy ho lavon’ ny sabatra izay ao amin’ ny tanàna rava, ary izay any an-tsaha dia homeko ho rembin’ ny bibi-dia, ary izay ao amin’ ny harambato sy amin’ ny lava-tany dia ho fatin’ ny areti-mandringana.

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 Fa hataoko rava sy lao ny tany, ary hitsahatra ny fiavonavonan’ ny heriny; ho lao ny tendrombohitry ny Isiraely, ka tsy hisy mpandia azy.

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 Dia ho fantany fa Izaho no Jehovah, raha hataoko rava sy lao ny tany noho ny fahavetavetana nataony.

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 Ary ianao, ry zanak’ olona, ny zanaky ny firenenao dia miresaka anao eny am-bodirindrina sy eo am-baravaran’ ny tranony, ka samy manao amin’ ny rahalahiny hoe: Andeha isika, ary aoka handre izay teny avy amin’ i Jehovah.

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 Dia mankao aminao tahaka ny fihavin’ ny olona izy ka mipetraka eo anatrehanao toa oloko ary mahare ny teninao, nefa tsy mety mankatò azy; fa, indro, teny mamy no lazain’ ny vavany, nefa ny fony dia lasa manaraka ny filan-karena.

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 Koa, indro, ianao dia ataony ho tahaka ny mpanao hira mahafinaritra, izay tsara feo sady mahay mitendry; fa mandre ny teninao izy, nefa tsy mety mankatò azy.

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 Ary nony tanteraka izany (indro, efa ho tanteraka ihany), dia ho fantany fa efa nisy mpaminany tokoa tao aminy.

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].”