Hesekiel 44
1 Afei, ɔbarima no sane de me baa kronkronbea no abɔntenpono no a ɛkyerɛ apueeɛ fam no ano, na wɔato mu.
The man then brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary that faced east, but it was shut.
2 Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ ɛpono a wɔato mu yi tena hɔ saa ara. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔbue. Obiara mmfa hɔ nhyɛne mu. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔbue, ɛfiri sɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn afa hɔ ahyɛne mu.
And the LORD said to me, “This gate is to remain shut. It shall not be opened, and no man shall enter through it, because the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered through it. Therefore it will remain shut.
3 Ɔhene no ankasa nko ara na ɔbɛtumi atena abɔntenpono no ano na wadidi wɔ Awurade anim. Ɔno na ɔtumi fa abɔntenpono no ntwonoo mu hyɛne mu, na ɔfa hɔ ara firi adi.”
Only the prince himself may sit inside the gateway to eat in the presence of the LORD. He must enter by way of the portico of the gateway and go out the same way.”
4 Afei, ɔbarima no de me faa atifi fam abɔntenpono no mu de me baa asɔredan no anim. Mehwɛeɛ na mehunuu Awurade animuonyam sɛ ahyɛ Awurade asɔredan no ma, na mebutuu hɔ.
Then the man brought me to the front of the temple by way of the north gate. I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling His temple, and I fell facedown.
5 Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Onipa ba, hwɛ adeɛ yie, tie no yie, na ma wʼani nku biribiara a mɛka akyerɛ wo a ɛfa nhyehyɛeɛ a ɛwɔ Awurade asɔredan no ho nyinaa. Ma wʼani nku asɔredan no ɛpono ne mmeaeɛ a wɔfa firi adi firi kronkronbea hɔ nyinaa.
The LORD said to me: “Son of man, pay attention; look carefully with your eyes and listen closely with your ears to everything I tell you concerning all the statutes and laws of the house of the LORD. Take careful note of the entrance to the temple, along with all the exits of the sanctuary.
6 Ka kyerɛ Israel efie atuatefoɔ no sɛ, ‘Sei na Awurade seɛ: Mo akyiwadeɛ no adɔɔso, Ao Israel efie!
Tell the rebellious house of Israel that this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I have had enough of all your abominations, O house of Israel.
7 Mo akyiwadeɛ a aka no nyinaa akyi no, mode ananafoɔ a wɔyɛ akoma mu ne honam fam momonotofoɔ aba me kronkronbea de agu mʼasɔredan ho fi, ɛberɛ a mode aduane, sradeɛ ne mogya brɛɛ me na mosɛee mʼapam.
In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant.
8 Sɛ mobɛyɛ mo adwuma a ɛfa mʼakronkronneɛ ho no, mo maa afoforɔ bɛhwɛɛ me kronkronbea so mmom.
And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but have appointed others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.’
9 Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Ɔnanani a ɔyɛ akoma mu ne honam fam momonoto biara nni ɛkwan sɛ ɔhyɛne me kronkronbea hɔ. Ananafoɔ a wɔte Israelfoɔ mu mpo nni ɛkwan saa.
This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.
10 “‘Lewifoɔ a wɔfirii me nkyɛn kɔɔ akyirikyiri ɛberɛ a Israel fom ɛkwan ne wɔn a wɔtwee wɔn ho firii me ho kɔdii wɔn ahoni akyi no, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn bɔne so asodie bɛda wɔn so.
Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who wandered away from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity.
11 Wɔbɛtumi asom wɔ me kronkronbea hɔ ɛberɛ a wɔhwɛ asɔredan no apono so na wɔsom wɔ mu; wɔbɛtumi akum ɔhyeɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ na wɔabɔ afɔdeɛ ama nnipa no, na wɔagyina nnipa no anim asom wɔn.
Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having charge of the gates of the temple and ministering there. They shall slaughter the burnt offerings and other sacrifices for the people and stand before them to minister to them.
12 Nanso, ɛsiane sɛ wɔsomm wɔn wɔ wɔn ahoni no mu na wɔmaa Israel efie kɔɔ bɔne mu enti, mama me nsa so aka ntam sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn bɔne so asodie bɛda wɔn so. Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie
Because they ministered before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I swore with an uplifted hand concerning them that they would bear the consequences of their iniquity, declares the Lord GOD.
13 Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔbɛn me sɛ wɔrebɛsom me sɛ asɔfoɔ anaasɛ wɔbɛn mʼakronkronneɛ mu biara anaa mʼafɔrebɔdeɛ kronkron; ɛsɛ sɛ wɔn akyiwadeɛ ahodoɔ ho aniwuo ka wɔn.
They must not approach Me to serve Me as priests or come near any of My holy things or the most holy things. They will bear the shame of the abominations they have committed.
14 Nanso mede asɔredan no mu dwumadie bɛhyɛ wɔn nsa. Wɔbɛyɛ ɛho som biara wɔ mu.
Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of all the work for the temple and everything to be done in it.
15 “‘Na mmom asɔfoɔ a wɔyɛ Lewifoɔ ne Sadok asefoɔ a wɔyɛɛ adwuma nokorɛm wɔ me kronkronbea ɛberɛ a Israelfoɔ fom ɛkwan no bɛtumi abɛn me na wɔasom wɔ mʼanim; ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina mʼanim na wɔbrɛ me sradeɛ ne mogya afɔrebɔdeɛ, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.
But the Levitical priests, who are descended from Zadok and who kept charge of My sanctuary when the Israelites went astray from Me, are to approach Me to minister before Me. They will stand before Me to offer Me fat and blood, declares the Lord GOD.
16 Wɔn nko ara na wɔwɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ wɔhyɛne me kronkronbea hɔ; wɔn nko ara na wɔwɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ wɔtwi bɛn me ɛpono, bɛsom wɔ mʼanim na wɔyɛ me som nnwuma.
They alone shall enter My sanctuary and draw near to My table to minister before Me. They will keep My charge.
17 “‘Sɛ wɔwura apono a ɛkɔ mfimfini adihɔ no mu a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛ nwera ntadeɛ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhyɛ kuntu atadeɛ ɛberɛ a wɔresom wɔ apono a ɛkɔ mfimfini adihɔ hɔ anaasɛ asɔredan no mu.
When they enter the gates of the inner court, they are to wear linen garments; they must not wear anything made of wool when they minister at the gates of the inner court or inside the temple.
18 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ nwera abotire na wɔhyehyɛ nwera ntadeɛ wɔ wɔn ase. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhyehyɛ biribiara a ɛbɛma wɔate fifire.
They are to wear linen turbans on their heads and linen undergarments around their waists. They must not wear anything that makes them perspire.
19 Sɛ wɔkɔ mfikyire adihɔ, faako a nnipa no wɔ no a, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔyi ntadeɛ a wɔhyɛ de someeɛ no na wɔgya de gu adan kronkron no mu, na wɔhyehyɛ ntadeɛ foforɔ, sɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wɔmmfa wɔn dwumadie ntadeɛ no nnwira nnipa no ho.
When they go out to the outer court, to the people, they are to take off the garments in which they have ministered, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people with their garments.
20 “‘Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ tikwa anaasɛ wɔma wɔn tirinwi fu kuhaa, mmom ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbubu so fɛfɛɛfɛ.
They must not shave their heads or let their hair grow long, but must carefully trim their hair.
21 Ɔsɔfoɔ biara nnnom bobesa ɛberɛ a wahyɛne mfimfini adihɔ hɔ.
No priest may drink wine before he enters the inner court.
22 Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔware akunafoɔ anaa mmaa awaregyaefoɔ. Wɔtumi ware mmaabunu a wɔyɛ Israelfoɔ asefoɔ anaa akunafoɔ a na anka wɔn kununom yɛ asɔfoɔ.
And they shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but must marry a virgin of the descendants of the house of Israel, or a widow of a priest.
23 Wɔnkyerɛkyerɛ me nkurɔfoɔ nsonsonoeɛ a ɛda adeɛ a ɛyɛ kronkron ne adeɛ a ɛyɛ kwasafo deɛ ntam, na wɔmma wɔn nhunu deɛ ɛma biribi yɛ adeɛ a ɛho nteɛ anaasɛ ɛho teɛ.
They are to teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to discern between the clean and the unclean.
24 “‘Akasa akasa biara mu no, asɔfoɔ na wɔbɛyɛ atemmufoɔ agyina me mmaransɛm so abu atɛn. Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔdi me mmara ne mʼahyɛdeɛ a ɛfa mʼafahyɛ ahodoɔ no so, na wɔyɛ me home nna kronkron.
In any dispute, they shall officiate as judges and judge according to My ordinances. They must keep My laws and statutes regarding all My appointed feasts, and they must keep My Sabbaths holy.
25 “‘Ɛnsɛ sɛ ɔsɔfoɔ kɔ funu ho na ɔde gu ne ho fi; gye sɛ funu no yɛ nʼagya, ne maame, ne ba, ne nuabarima anaa ne nuabaa a ɔnwareeɛ; ne saa deɛ a, ɔtumi kɔ ho de gu ne ho fi.
A priest must not defile himself by going near a dead person. However, for a father, a mother, a son, a daughter, a brother, or an unmarried sister, he may do so,
26 Na sɛ wɔdwira ne ho a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwɛn nnanson.
and after he is cleansed, he must count off seven days for himself.
27 Ɛda a ɔbɛkɔ kronkronbea no mfimfini adihɔ hɔ akɔsom wɔ kronkronbea hɔ no, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔbɔ bɔne afɔdeɛ ma ne ho, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.
And on the day he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he must present his sin offering, declares the Lord GOD.
28 “‘Me nko ara ne agyapadeɛ a asɔfoɔ no wɔ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ moma wɔn kyɛfa biara wɔ Israel. Mɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.
In regard to their inheritance, I am their inheritance. You are to give them no possession in Israel, for I am their possession.
29 Wɔbɛdi aduane afɔrebɔdeɛ, bɔne afɔrebɔdeɛ, afɔdie afɔrebɔdeɛ, na biribiara a wɔahyira so ama Awurade wɔ Israel no bɛyɛ wɔn dea.
They shall eat the grain offerings, the sin offerings, and the guilt offerings. Everything in Israel devoted to the LORD will belong to them.
30 Mo nnuaba a ɛdi ɛkan no mu deɛ ɛdi mu ne mo akyɛdeɛ sononko no nyinaa bɛyɛ asɔfoɔ no dea. Ɛsɛ sɛ mode mo mmɔre a ɛdi ɛkan no ma wɔn na nhyira atena mo afie mu.
The best of all the firstfruits and of every contribution from all your offerings will belong to the priests. You are to give your first batch of dough to the priest, so that a blessing may rest upon your homes.
31 Ɛnsɛ sɛ asɔfoɔ no we aboa biara a wawu nam, sɛ ɛyɛ anomaa anaa wiram aboa biara.’”
The priests may not eat any bird or animal found dead or torn by wild beasts.
