锈锅的比喻

24 第九年十月十日,耶和华对我说: “人子啊,今天是巴比伦王围攻耶路撒冷的日子,你要记下这日子。 你要向叛逆的以色列人说比喻,告诉他们,主耶和华这样说,

“‘把锅放在火上,
里面倒进水,
把羊腿、羊肩等上好的肉块放进锅里,
让锅里盛满精选的骨头。
要从羊群中选一头上好的羊,
把柴堆在锅下,
烧开锅煮里面的骨头。’”

主耶和华说:“这像锈锅一样充满血腥的城有祸了!要把肉从这锈迹斑斑的锅中一块块地取出来。 这城沾满血腥,任凭受害者的血流在光秃秃的磐石上,而不是流在地上用土掩盖。 我任凭这城把受害者的血洒在磐石上,不加掩盖,好激起我的烈怒,使她受报应。 所以主耶和华说,‘血腥的城啊,你有祸了!我要预备大堆木柴, 10 添在火上,燃起旺火,把肉煮烂,加入香料,烧焦骨头。 11 然后,把倒空的锅放在炭火上烧热,把铜烧红,好熔化它的杂质,除净锈垢, 12 却徒劳无功,因为锈垢太厚,就是用火也不能清除。 13 耶路撒冷啊,淫荡使你污秽不堪,我要洁净你,你却不愿被洁净。所以,除非我向你倾尽一切愤怒,否则你的污秽将不能清除。 14 我耶和华言出必行,决不宽容,也不留情,我必照你的所作所为来审判你。’这是主耶和华说的。”

15 耶和华对我说: 16 “人子啊,我要突然夺去你心爱的人,你不可悲伤,也不可流泪哭泣。 17 你要默然哀叹,不可为死人办丧事,仍要缠着头巾,穿着鞋,不可蒙着脸,也不可吃丧家吃的饭。” 18 早晨我把这事告诉百姓,晚上我的妻子便死了。次日早晨,我便遵照耶和华的吩咐行。

19 百姓问我:“你可以告诉我们,你这样做跟我们有什么关系吗?” 20 我告诉他们:“耶和华对我说, 21 ‘你告诉以色列人,我要使我的圣所,就是你们引以为傲、眼中所爱、心里所慕的受到亵渎。你们留下的儿女必死于刀下。 22 那时,你们将像我的仆人一样不蒙脸,不吃丧家吃的饭。 23 你们仍将裹着头巾,穿着鞋,不哭泣,也不悲伤。你们必因自己的罪恶而默然叹息,逐渐灭亡。 24 以西结做的事都是你们的预兆,你们也将做他做的。当这事发生时,你们就知道我是主耶和华了。’

25 “人子啊,有一天我要夺去他们所喜悦、所夸耀、眼中所爱、心里所慕的堡垒,也要夺去他们的儿女。 26 那日,幸存的人必来告诉你这个消息。 27 那时,你必开口向那人说话,不再沉默。你必成为他们的预兆,他们就知道我是耶和华。”

A panela enferrujada

24 No ano nove do nosso cativeiro, no dia dez do décimo mês, o Senhor me disse o seguinte:

— Homem mortal, escreva a data de hoje porque este é o dia em que o rei da Babilônia está começando o cerco de Jerusalém. Conte ao meu povo rebelde esta comparação que eu, o Senhor Deus, tenho para eles:

“Ponha a panela no fogo e encha com água.
Coloque dentro os melhores pedaços de carne —
a alcatra e o filé.
Encha também a panela com os melhores pedaços de carne com osso.
Pegue a carne do melhor carneiro
e amontoe lenha debaixo da panela.
Deixe a água ferver;
ferva os ossos e a carne.”

Agora, o que o Senhor Deus está dizendo é isto:

— Ai da cidade dos assassinos! É como uma panela enferrujada, que nunca foi lavada. Tira-se de dentro dela a carne, pedaço por pedaço, e não sobra nada. Havia crime de morte na cidade, mas o sangue não foi derramado no chão, onde o pó o poderia esconder. O sangue foi derramado sobre a rocha nua. Deixei o sangue ali, onde não pode ser escondido, onde com ódio está pedindo vingança.

Por isso, o Senhor Deus está dizendo o seguinte:

— Ai da cidade dos assassinos! Eu mesmo empilharei lenha para a fogueira. 10 Traga mais lenha! Acenda o fogo! Cozinhe a carne! Deixe o caldo ferver até secar! Que os ossos fiquem torrados! 11 Agora, deixe a panela vazia em cima das brasas até que fique vermelha. Assim o fogo acabará com a ferrugem, e a panela deixará de ser impura. 12 Trabalho perdido! Toda a ferrugem não vai desaparecer nas chamas. 13 Jerusalém, os seus atos imorais mancharam você. Eu tentei purificá-la, mas você continuou impura. Você não será pura de novo até que sinta toda a força da minha ira. 14 Sou eu, o Senhor, quem está falando. Chegou a minha hora de agir. Não esquecerei os seus pecados; não terei dó nem piedade. Você será castigada pelo que tem feito. Eu, o Senhor Deus, falei.

A morte da esposa do profeta

15 O Senhor me disse o seguinte:

16 — Homem mortal, com um só golpe, vou levar aquela que você mais ama. Não reclame, não chore, não derrame lágrimas. 17 Não deixe que ninguém ouça os seus gemidos. Não ande sem chapéu ou descalço, como sinal de luto. Não cubra o rosto, nem coma a comida que oferecem nos sepultamentos.

18 De manhã eu estava falando com o povo, e à noite a minha esposa faleceu. No dia seguinte, fiz como o Senhor havia mandado. 19 Então o povo me perguntou:

— Por que você está agindo assim?

20 Aí eu disse:

— O Senhor falou comigo e me disse 21 para dar a vocês, israelitas, esta mensagem: Vocês estão orgulhosos porque o Templo é tão firme. Vocês gostam de olhar para ele e de visitá-lo, porém o Senhor Deus o tornará impuro. Os seus filhos e filhas que ficaram em Jerusalém serão mortos na guerra. 22 Aí vocês vão fazer como eu fiz. Vocês não cobrirão o rosto, nem comerão a comida que oferecem nos sepultamentos. 23 Vocês não andarão sem chapéu nem descalços; não vão pôr luto, nem vão chorar. Por causa dos seus pecados, vocês se acabarão e ficarão gemendo juntos. 24 Assim eu, Ezequiel, serei um sinal para vocês. Vocês farão tudo o que eu fiz. O Senhor diz que, quando isso acontecer, vocês ficarão sabendo que ele é o Senhor Deus.

25 O Senhor disse:

— Agora, homem mortal, vou tirar deles o Templo, que é firme, que era o orgulho e a alegria deles, e que gostavam tanto de admirar e de visitar. E também vou tirar os seus filhos e as suas filhas. 26 No dia em que eu fizer isso, alguém que escapar da destruição virá para contar o que aconteceu. 27 Nesse dia, você poderá falar outra vez e conversar com aquele que escapou. Nesse dia, você será um sinal para os israelitas, e eles ficarão sabendo que eu sou o Senhor.

24 Again in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day: the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.

And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:

Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

10 Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

11 Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

12 She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.

13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

14 I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God.

15 Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

16 Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.

17 Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.

18 So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.

19 And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?

20 Then I answered them, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

21 Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.

22 And ye shall do as I have done: ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men.

23 And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet: ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another.

24 Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign: according to all that he hath done shall ye do: and when this cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.

25 Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters,

26 That he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?

27 In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.

Jerusalem as a Cooking Pot

24 In the ninth year, in the tenth month on the tenth day, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) “Son of man, record(B) this date, this very date, because the king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.(C) Tell this rebellious people(D) a parable(E) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Put on the cooking pot;(F) put it on
    and pour water into it.
Put into it the pieces of meat,
    all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(G)
    take the pick of the flock.(H)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
    bring it to a boil
    and cook the bones in it.(I)

“‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe(J) to the city of bloodshed,(K)
    to the pot now encrusted,
    whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
    in whatever order(L) it comes.(M)

“‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
    She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
    where the dust would cover it.(N)
To stir up wrath and take revenge
    I put her blood on the bare rock,
    so that it would not be covered.

“‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
    I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
    and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
    mixing in the spices;
    and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
    till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
    and its deposit burned away.(O)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
    its heavy deposit has not been removed,
    not even by fire.

13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(P) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(Q)

14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(R) The time has come for me to act.(S) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(T) nor will I relent.(U) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(V) declares the Sovereign Lord.(W)’”

Ezekiel’s Wife Dies

15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, with one blow(X) I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes.(Y) Yet do not lament or weep or shed any tears.(Z) 17 Groan quietly;(AA) do not mourn for the dead. Keep your turban(AB) fastened and your sandals(AC) on your feet; do not cover your mustache and beard(AD) or eat the customary food of mourners.(AE)

18 So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.(AF)

19 Then the people asked me, “Won’t you tell us what these things have to do with us?(AG) Why are you acting like this?”

20 So I said to them, “The word of the Lord came to me: 21 Say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to desecrate my sanctuary(AH)—the stronghold in which you take pride,(AI) the delight of your eyes,(AJ) the object of your affection. The sons and daughters(AK) you left behind will fall by the sword.(AL) 22 And you will do as I have done. You will not cover your mustache and beard(AM) or eat the customary food of mourners.(AN) 23 You will keep your turbans(AO) on your heads and your sandals(AP) on your feet. You will not mourn(AQ) or weep but will waste away(AR) because of[a] your sins and groan among yourselves.(AS) 24 Ezekiel(AT) will be a sign(AU) to you; you will do just as he has done. When this happens, you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.’

25 “And you, son of man, on the day I take away their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes,(AV) their heart’s desire,(AW) and their sons and daughters(AX) as well— 26 on that day a fugitive will come to tell you(AY) the news. 27 At that time your mouth will be opened; you will speak with him and will no longer be silent.(AZ) So you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.(BA)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 24:23 Or away in