Hesekiel 44

1 Afei, ɔbarima no sane de me baa kronkronbea no abɔntenpono no a ɛkyerɛ apueeɛ fam no ano, na wɔato mu.

Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looketh toward the east; and 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.

Then said Jehovah to me: This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because Jehovah, the God of Israel, entered in by it, therefore it shall be 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.”

The prince, because he is prince, shall sit in it, to eat food before Jehovah; he shall enter through the porch of that gate, and by the same way shall he go out.

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 he brought me to the north gate before the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of Jehovah filled the house of Jehovah. And I fell upon my face.

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.

And Jehovah said to me: Son of man, mark well, and behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears all that I say to thee concerning all the ordinances of the house of Jehovah, and all the laws thereof; and mark well all the entrances of the house, and all the outward passages of the sanctuary.

6 Ka kyerɛ Israel efie atuatefoɔ no sɛ, ‘Sei na Awurade seɛ: Mo akyiwadeɛ no adɔɔso, Ao Israel efie!

And say to the rebellious house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Let it suffice you 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 that ye brought strangers, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, so that ye polluted my house when ye offered my food, the fat and the blood, and broke my covenant by all your abominations.

8 Sɛ mobɛyɛ mo adwuma a ɛfa mʼakronkronneɛ ho no, mo maa afoforɔ bɛhwɛɛ me kronkronbea so mmom.

And ye kept not the charge of my holy place, but appointed for yourselves such keepers of my charge in my sanctuary.

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.

Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: No stranger, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of all the strangers that are among the sons of Israel.

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.

But even the Levites, who departed from me when Israel went astray, who went astray from me after their idols, shall bear 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 at the gates of the house, and ministering at the house; they shall slay the burnt-offering and sacrifice for the people, and they shall 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 to them before their idols, and caused the house of Israel to fall into iniquity, therefore have I lifted up my hand against them, saith the Lord Jehovah, that they shall bear their iniquity.

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.

And they shall not come near to me to do the office of a priest to me, and to come near to any of my holy things in the most holy place, but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.

14 Nanso mede asɔredan no mu dwumadie bɛhyɛ wɔn nsa. Wɔbɛyɛ ɛho som biara wɔ mu.

But I will make them keepers of the charge of the house, for all the service thereof, and for all which is to be done therein.

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 priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from me, they shall come near to me to minister to me, and they shall stand before me to offer to me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord Jehovah.

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 shall come into my sanctuary, and they shall draw near to my table to minister to me, and shall 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.

And when they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments, and no wool shall come upon them while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within the house.

18 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ nwera abotire na wɔhyehyɛ nwera ntadeɛ wɔ wɔn ase. Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔhyehyɛ biribiara a ɛbɛma wɔate fifire.

They shall have linen coverings upon their heads, and linen breeches upon their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything that causeth sweat.

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.

And when they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they ministered, and lay them in the holy rooms, and shall clothe themselves with other garments, that they may not sanctify the people with their garments.

20 “‘Ɛnsɛ sɛ wɔbɔ tikwa anaasɛ wɔma wɔn tirinwi fu kuhaa, mmom ɛsɛ sɛ wɔbubu so fɛfɛɛfɛ.

They shall neither shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall shear their heads.

21 Ɔsɔfoɔ biara nnnom bobesa ɛberɛ a wahyɛne mfimfini adihɔ hɔ.

And no priest shall drink wine when they enter into 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.

Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, or her that is put away; but they shall take virgins of the race of the house of Israel, or a widow that is the 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.

And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.

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.

And in controversy they shall stand to judge; according to my statutes shall they judge. And they shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my festivals, and they shall hallow my sabbaths.

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.

And they shall come to no dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister that hath had no husband, they may defile themselves.

26 Na sɛ wɔdwira ne ho a, ɛsɛ sɛ ɔtwɛn nnanson.

And after his cleansing they shall reckon to him seven days.

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 in the day that he goeth into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin-offering, saith the Lord Jehovah.

28 “‘Me nko ara ne agyapadeɛ a asɔfoɔ no wɔ. Ɛnsɛ sɛ moma wɔn kyɛfa biara wɔ Israel. Mɛyɛ wɔn kyɛfa.

And it shall be to them for an inheritance, that I am their inheritance. And ye shall give them no possession in Israel; 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 flour-offering, and the sin-offering, and the trespass-offering; and every dedicated thing in Israel shall be theirs.

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.

And the first of all the first-fruits, and every oblation of all your oblations, shall belong to the priests. Ye shall also give to the priest the first of your meal, that he may cause a blessing to rest on thine house.

31 Ɛnsɛ sɛ asɔfoɔ no we aboa biara a wawu nam, sɛ ɛyɛ anomaa anaa wiram aboa biara.’”

The priests shall not eat of anything that dieth of itself, or that is torn, whether it be fowl or beast.