Hesekiel 33

1 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 “Onipa ba, kasa kyerɛ wo manmma na ka kyerɛ wɔn se: ‘Sɛ metwe mʼafoa wɔ asase bi so, na sɛ asase no so nnipa yi wɔn mmarima no mu baako sɛ ɔnyɛ ɔwɛmfo mma wɔn,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and thou shalt say to them, On whatsoever land I shall bring a sword, and the people of the land take one man of them, and set him for their watchman:

3 na ohu sɛ afoa reba abɛko atia asase no a, ɔhyɛn torobɛnto de bɔ nnipa no kɔkɔ.

and he shall see the sword coming upon the land, and blow the trumpet, and sound an alarm to the people;

4 Na sɛ obi te torobɛnto no nnyigyei na wanna ne ho so, na sɛ afoa no bekum no a, ne mogya bɛbɔ ɔno ankasa ti so.

and he that hears the sound of the trumpet shall hear [indeed], and [yet] not take heed, and the sword shall come upon him, and overtake him, his blood shall be upon his [own] head.

5 Esiane sɛ ɔtee torobɛnto no nnyigyei na wantie kɔkɔbɔ no nti, ne mogya bɛbɔ nʼankasa ti so. Sɛ otiee kɔkɔbɔ no a, anka onyaa ne ti didii mu.

Because he heard the sound of the trumpet, and took no heed, his blood shall be upon him: but the other, because he took heed, has delivered his soul.

6 Nanso sɛ ɔwɛmfo no hu sɛ afoa no reba na wanhyɛn torobɛnto no ammɔ nnipa no kɔkɔ, na sɛ afoa no ba bekum wɔn mu baako a, wɔbɛfa saa onipa no akɔ wɔ ne bɔne nti, nanso mɛma ɔwɛmfo no abu owufo no mogya ho akontaa.’

But if the watchman see the sword coming, and do not sound the trumpet, and the people do not watch; and the sword come, and take a soul from among them, that [soul] is taken because of its iniquity; but the blood [thereof] will I require at the watchman's hand.

7 “Onipa ba, mayɛ wo ɔwɛmfo ama Israelfi, ɛno nti tie mʼanom nsɛm na fa kɔkɔbɔ a efi me nkyɛn ma wɔn.

And thou, son of man, I have set thee [as] a watchman to the house of Israel, and thou shalt hear a word from my mouth.

8 Sɛ meka kyerɛ omumɔyɛfo se, ‘Wo omumɔyɛfo, owu na wubewu,’ na sɛ woankasa ankyerɛ no amma wamfi nʼakwan so a, saa omumɔyɛfo no bewu ne bɔne mu, na mɛma woabu ne mogya ho akontaa.

When I say to the sinner, Thou shalt surely die; [if] thou speak not to warn the wicked from his way, the wicked himself shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

9 Nanso sɛ wobɔ omumɔyɛfo no kɔkɔ sɛ omfi nʼakwan so na sɛ wanyɛ a, ne bɔne nti, obewu, nanso worenni ne mogya ho fɔ.

But if thou forewarn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way, he shall die in his ungodliness; but thou hast delivered thine own soul.

10 “Onipa ba, ka kyerɛ Israelfi se: ‘Sɛɛ ne nea moreka: “Yɛn mfomso ne yɛn nnebɔne hyɛ yɛn so, yɛresɛe, esiane eyinom nti. Na dɛn na yɛbɛyɛ na yɛanya nkwa?”’

And thou, son of man, say to the house of Israel; Thus have ye spoken, saying, Our errors, and our iniquities weigh upon us, and we pine away in them, and how then shall we live?

11 Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni, mʼani nnye amumɔyɛfo wu ho, na mmom mepɛ sɛ wɔdan fi wɔn akwan so na wonya nkwa. Monnan! Monnan mfi mo amumɔyɛ akwan no so! Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ muwuwu, Israelfi?’

Say to them, Thus saith the Lord; [As] I live, I desire not the death of the ungodly, as that the ungodly should turn from his way and live: turn ye heartily from your way; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

12 “Ɛno nti onipa ba, ka kyerɛ wo manmma se, ‘Ɔtreneeni trenee rentumi nnye no nkwa wɔ bere a ɔnyɛ osetie; na omumɔyɛfo amumɔyɛ remma ɔnhwe ase wɔ bere a ɔdan fi ho. Sɛ ɔtreneeni yɛ bɔne a, ɔrennya nkwa wɔ ne kan treneeyɛ nti.’

Say to the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him, in the day wherein he errs: and the iniquity of the ungodly shall not harm him, in the day wherein he turns from his iniquity, but the righteous [erring] shall not be able to deliver himself.

13 Sɛ meka kyerɛ ɔtreneeni sɛ obenya nkwa, na afei ɔde ne ho to ne treneeyɛ so na ɔyɛ bɔne a, wɔrenkae ne kan trenee nneyɛe biara. Obewu wɔ ne bɔne a wayɛ nti.

When I say to the righteous, [Thou shalt live; and] he trusts in his righteousness, and shall commit iniquity, none of his righteousnesses shall be remembered; in his unrighteousness which he has wrought, in it shall he die.

14 Na sɛ meka kyerɛ omumɔyɛfo se, ‘Owu na wubewu,’ na afei ɔdan fi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ,

And when I say to the ungodly, Thou shalt surely die; and he shall turn from his sin, and do judgment and justice,

15 na sɛ ɔsan de bosea ho awowaside ma, na ɔsan de nea wawia ma, na odi ahyɛde a ɛma nkwa so, na wanyɛ bɔne a, ampa ara obenya nkwa, na ɔrenwu.

and return the pledge, and repay that which he has robbed, [and] walk in the ordinances of life, so as to do no wrong; he shall surely live, and shall not die.

16 Wɔrenkae bɔne a wayɛ no mu biara ntia no. Wayɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ, ampa ara obenya nkwa.

None of his sins which he has committed shall be remembered: because he has wrought judgment and righteousness; by them shall he live.

17 “Nanso wo manmma ka se, ‘Awurade akwan nteɛ.’ Nanso ɛyɛ wɔn akwan mmom na ɛnteɛ.

Yet the children of thy people will say, The way of the Lord is not straight: whereas this their way is not straight.

18 Sɛ ɔtreneeni fi ne trenee ho na ɔyɛ bɔne a, ɛno nti obewu.

When the righteous turns away from his righteousness, and shall commit iniquities, then shall he die in them.

19 Na sɛ omumɔyɛfo dan fi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ a, obenya nkwa.

And when the sinner turns from his iniquity, and shall do judgment and righteousness, he shall live by them.

20 Nanso Israelfi, moka se, ‘Awurade akwan nteɛ.’ Nanso mebu obiara atɛn sɛnea nʼakwan te.”

And this is that which ye said, The way of the Lord is [not] straight. I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one for his ways.

21 Yɛn asutwa afe a ɛto so dumien no sram a ɛto so du no nnaanum so, ɔbarima bi a waguan afi Yerusalem baa me nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Kuropɔn no ahwe ase!”

And it came to pass in the tenth year of our captivity, in the twelfth month, on the fifth [day] of the month, [that] one that had escaped from Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city is taken.

22 Na anwummere a ade rebɛkye ama ɔbarima no aba no, na Awurade nsa wɔ me so na obuee mʼano ansa na ɔbarima no baa anɔpa. Enti na mʼano abue a mitumi kasa.

Now the hand of the Lord had come upon me in the evening, before he came; and he opened my mouth, when he came to me in the morning: and my mouth was open, it was no longer kept closed.

23 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

24 “Onipa ba, nnipa a wɔtete saa nnwiriwii so wɔ Israel asase no so no reka se, ‘Abraham yɛ onipa baako, nanso onyaa asase no nyinaa. Nanso yɛdɔɔso, na nokware wɔde asase no ama yɛn sɛ yɛn agyapade.’

Son of man, they that inhabit the desolate [places] on the land of Israel say, Abram was one, and he possessed the land: and we are more numerous; to us the land is given for a possession.

25 Ɛno nti, ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Sɛ mowe nam a mogya wɔ mu, mosom mo anyame na muhwie mogya gu nti, ɛsɛ sɛ mofa asase no ana?

26 Mode mo ho to mo afoa so. Moyɛ akyiwade na mo mu biara gu ne yɔnko yere ho fi. Ɛsɛ sɛ munya asase no ana?’

27 “Ka eyi kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Otumfo Awurade se ni: Ampa ara sɛ mete ase yi, wɔn a wɔaka wɔ kurow no nnwiriwii mu no bɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano. Wɔn a wɔwɔ wuram no mede wɔn bɛma nkekaboa ama wɔawe wɔn na wɔn a wɔwɔ abandennen ne abodan mu no, ɔyaredɔm bekunkum wɔn.

Therefore say to them, Thus saith the Lord God, [As] I live, surely they that are in the desolate places shall fall by swords and they that are in the open plain shall be given for food to the wild beasts of the field, and them that are in the fortified [cities] and them that are in the caves I will slay with pestilence.

28 Mɛsɛe asase no ama ayɛ amamfo, na nʼahomaso ahoɔden no bɛba awiei na Israel mmepɔw no bɛda mpan a obiara rentwa mu wɔ hɔ.

And I will make the land desert, and the pride of her strength shall perish; and the mountains of Israel shall be made desolate by reason of no man passing through.

29 Afei wobehu sɛ mene Awurade no, bere a mama asase no ada mpan wɔ akyiwade a wɔayɛ nyinaa nti.’

And they shall know that I am the Lord; and I will make their land desert, and it shall be made desolate because of all their abominations which they have wrought.

30 “Wo de, onipa ba, wo manmma reka wo ho nsɛm wɔ afasu ho ne afi apon ano kyerɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho se, ‘Mommra mmetie asɛm a efi Awurade nkyɛn aba.’

And [as for] thee, son of man, the children of thy people are they that speak concerning thee by the walls, and in the porches of the houses, and they talk one to another, saying, Let us come together, and let us hear the [words] that proceed from the Lord.

31 Me nkurɔfo ba wo nkyɛn, sɛnea wɔyɛ daa no, bɛtenatena wʼanim betie wo nsɛm, nanso wɔmmfa nyɛ adwuma. Wɔde wɔn ano ka ahofama, nanso wɔn koma mu de, wɔn ani bere asisi mu adenya.

They approach thee as a people comes together, and sit before thee, and hear thy words, but they will not do them: for [there is] falsehood in their mouth, and their heart [goes] after their pollutions.

32 Nokware, wɔn de, wote sɛ obi a ne nne yɛ dɛ, na ɔde nnwontode to ɔdɔ nnwom, efisɛ wɔte wo nsɛm nanso wɔmmfa nyɛ adwuma.

And thou art to them as a sound of a sweet, well-tuned psaltery, and they will hear thy words, but they will not do them.

33 “Sɛ eyinom nyinaa ba mu a, na nokware ɛbɛba mu nso, na afei wobehu sɛ odiyifo bi baa wɔn mu.”

But whenever it shall come [to pass], they will say, Behold, it is come: and they shall know that there was a prophet in the midst of them.