Hesekiel 14
1 Israel mpanimfoɔ no mu bi baa me nkyɛn bɛtenatena mʼanim.
Then some of the elders of Israel came and sat down before me.
2 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ:
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
3 “Onipa ba, saa mmarimma yi de ahoni ahyɛ wɔn akoma mu na wɔde amumuyɛ suntidua asisi wɔn anim. Ɛsɛ sɛ mema wɔbisa mʼase koraa anaa?
“Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I consult with them in any way?
4 Enti kasa kyerɛ wɔn na ka sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Sɛ Israelni biara de ahoni hyehyɛ nʼakoma mu na ɔde amumuyɛ suntidua sisi nʼanim, na afei ɔkɔ odiyifoɔ nkyɛn a, me Awurade, mɛma no mmuaeɛ a ɛfata nʼahonisom no kɛseyɛ.
Therefore speak to them and tell them that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet, I the LORD will answer him according to his great idolatry,
5 Mɛyɛ yei de atwe Israelfoɔ a wɔagya me akɔdi wɔn abosom akyi no akoma aba bio.’
so that I may take hold of the hearts of the people of Israel. For because of their idols, they are all estranged from Me.’
6 “Enti ka kyerɛ Israel efie sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Monsakra mo adwene. Momfiri mo ahoni ho na monnyae mo nneyɛeɛ a ɛyɛ akyiwadeɛ no!
Therefore tell the house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘Repent and turn away from your idols; turn your faces away from all your abominations.
7 “‘Sɛ Israelni bi anaa ɔnanani a ɔte Israel twe ne ho firi me nkyɛn na ɔde ahoni hyɛ nʼakoma mu de amumuyɛ suntidua si nʼanim, na afei ɔkɔ odiyifoɔ nkyɛn kɔbisa mʼase a, me, Awurade ankasa bɛbua no.
For when any Israelite or any foreigner dwelling in Israel separates himself from Me, sets up idols in his heart, and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me, I the LORD will answer him Myself.
8 Mɛtu mʼani asa onipa no na mede no ayɛ nhwɛsoɔ ne akasabɛbuo. Mɛyi no afiri me nkurɔfoɔ mu. Afei mobɛhunu sɛ mene Awurade no.
I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb; I will cut him off from among My people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
9 “‘Na sɛ odiyifoɔ no ma wɔdaadaa no ma ɔhyɛ nkɔm a, me Awurade na madaadaa odiyifoɔ no, mɛtene me nsa wɔ ne so na matwa no afiri me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ mu.
But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.
10 Wɔbɛsoa wɔn afɔdie; odiyifoɔ no ne deɛ ɔkɔhunuu no no nyinaa bɛdi fɔ.
They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—
11 Na Israelfoɔ renkwati me bio, na wɔremfa wɔn nnebɔne no ngu wɔn ho fi bio. Wɔbɛyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ na mɛyɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.’”
in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Then they will be My people and I will be their God, declares the Lord GOD.’”
12 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ:
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
13 “Onipa ba, sɛ ɔman bi anni me nokorɛ na enti wɔyɛ bɔne de tia me, na metene me nsa wɔ wɔn so na megyae wɔn aduane ma, na mema ɛkɔm ba bɛkunkum emu nnipa ne wɔn mmoa a,
“Son of man, if a land sins against Me by acting unfaithfully, and I stretch out My hand against it to cut off its supply of food, to send famine upon it, and to cut off from it both man and beast,
14 mpo sɛ saa nnipa baasa a wɔyɛ Noa, Daniel ne Hiob wɔ ɔman no mu a, wɔn tenenee bɛgye wɔn nko ara nkwa, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.
then even if these three men—Noah, Daniel, and Job—were in it, their righteousness could deliver only themselves, declares the Lord GOD.
15 “Anaa sɛ mema wiram mmoa kɔ saa asase no so na wɔkunkum ɛso nnipa nyinaa na asase no sɛe a obiara ntumi mfa so ɛsiane wiram mmoa no enti a,
Or if I send wild beasts through the land to leave it childless and desolate, with no man passing through it for fear of the beasts,
16 sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie, mpo sɛ saa mmarima baasa yi wɔ asase no so a, wɔrentumi nnye wɔn ankasa mmammarima ne mmammaa nkwa. Wɔn nko ara na wɔbɛgye wɔn nkwa na asase no bɛsɛe.
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered, but the land would be desolate.
17 “Sɛ nso metwe akofena wɔ asase no so, na meka sɛ, ‘Ma akofena no nkɔ asase no so nyinaa,’ na mekunkum ɛso nnipa ne wɔn mmoa,
Or if I bring a sword against that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through it,’ so that I cut off from it both man and beast,
18 sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie, mpo sɛ saa mmarima baasa yi wɔ asase no so a, wɔrentumi nnye wɔn ankasa mmammarima ne mmammaa nkwa. Wɔn nko ara na wɔbɛnya nkwa.
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if these three men were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. They alone would be delivered.
19 “Sɛ nso mesoma ɔyaredɔm kɔ asase no so na menam mʼabufuhyeɛ so hwie mogya gu wɔ asase no so, kunkum ɛso nnipa ne wɔn mmoa a,
Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out My wrath upon it through bloodshed, cutting off from it both man and beast,
20 sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie, sɛ Noa, Daniel ne Hiob mpo wɔ hɔ a, wɔrentumi nye ɔbabarima anaa ɔbabaa nkwa. Wɔn tenenee enti wɔbɛgye wɔn ho nkwa.
then as surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they could not deliver their own sons or daughters. Their righteousness could deliver only themselves.
21 “Na sei na Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Ɛbɛyɛ hu mmorosoɔ sɛ mɛma mʼatemmuo huuhuuhu ɛnan, a ɛyɛ akofena, ɔkɔm, wiram mmoa ne ɔyaredɔm akɔ Yerusalem so akɔkunkum ne mmarima ne wɔn mmoa!
For this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem My four dire judgments—sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague—in order to cut off from it both man and beast?
22 Nanso ebinom bɛka, mmammarima ne mmammaa a wɔbɛyi wɔn afiri mu no. Wɔbɛba mo nkyɛn wɔ Babilon, na sɛ mohunu wɔn su ne wɔn nneyɛɛ a, mo bo bɛtɔ mo yam wɔ amanehunu a me de aba Yerusalem so no ho.
Yet, behold, some survivors will be left in it—sons and daughters who will be brought out. They will come out to you, and when you see their conduct and actions, you will be comforted regarding the disaster I have brought upon Jerusalem—all that I have brought upon it.
23 Sɛ mohunu wɔn su ne wɔn nneyɛɛ a, mo bo bɛtɔ mo yam, ɛfiri sɛ mobɛhunu sɛ, menyɛɛ biribiara wɔ hɔ a ɛnni farebae, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.”
They will bring you consolation when you see their conduct and actions, and you will know that it was not without cause that I have done all these things within it,’ declares the Lord GOD.”
