Beginning

18 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

² What is it, that ye turn a parable among you into this proverb, in the land of Israel, and say, [The] Fathers ate a bitter grape, and the teeth of (the) sons be on edge, either (be) astonied? (What is this proverb, that ye have in the land of Israel, when you say, The fathers ate bitter grapes, but the children’s teeth be on edge, that is, they be astonished, or they be startled?)

³ I live, saith the Lord God, this parable shall no more be into a proverb to you in Israel. (As I live, saith the Lord God, this parable, or this saying, shall no longer be a proverb for you in Israel.)

⁴ Lo! all souls be mine; as the soul of the father, so and the soul of the son is mine (like the father’s soul, so also the son’s soul is mine). That soul that doeth sin, shall die.

⁵ And if a man is just, and doeth doom and rightfulness, (But if a man is righteous, and doeth what is just and right, or honest,)

⁶ (and) eateth not in [the] hills, and raiseth not his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour, and nigheth not to a woman defouled with unclean blood;

⁷ and maketh not a man sorry, yieldeth the wed to the debtor, ravisheth nothing by violence, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked man with a cloth; (and maketh not a man sorrowful, but giveth back the pledge to the debtor, taketh nothing by force, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth a naked person with a cloak;)

⁸ lendeth not to usury, and taketh not more; turneth away his hand from wickedness, and maketh true doom betwixt man and man; (lendeth not for usury, and taketh not more than is just, or is right; turneth away his hand from wickedness, and maketh true justice between one person and another;)

⁹ and goeth in my commandments, and keepeth my dooms, that he do truth; this is a just man, he shall live in life, saith the Lord God. (and goeth in my commandments, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, so that he do them in truth, or truthfully; this is a just, or a righteous, man, and he shall live, saith the Lord God.)

¹⁰ That if he engendereth a son, a thief, shedding out blood, and doeth (not) one of these things, (And if he begetteth a son, yea, a thief who sheddeth out blood, and doeth not any of these good, or righteous, things,)

¹¹ and soothly not doing all these things, but eating in hills, and defouling the wife of his neighbour; (and truly not doing any of these good things, that his father did, but eateth on hills, and defileth his neighbour’s wife;)

¹² making sorrowful a needy man and poor, ravishing ravens, not yielding a wed, raising his eyes to idols, doing abomination; (maketh sorrowful the needy and the poor, robbeth spoils, giveth not back a pledge, raiseth his eyes to idols, doeth abomination;)

¹³ giving to usury, and taking more; whether he shall live? he shall not live; when he hath done all these abominable things, he shall die by death, his blood shall be in him. (lendeth for usury, and taketh more than he should; shall he live? nay! he shall not live; for he hath done all these abominable things, he shall die, and his blood shall be upon him.)

¹⁴ That if he begetteth a son, which seeth all the sins of his father, which he did, and dreadeth, and doeth none like those; (And if he begetteth a son, who seeth all his father’s sins, which he did, and feareth, and doeth none like them;)

¹⁵ eateth not on hills, and raiseth not (up) his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; and defouleth not the wife of his neighbour (and defileth not his neighbour’s wife),

¹⁶ and maketh not sorry a man, withholdeth not a wed, and ravisheth not raven, giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloth; (and maketh not any person sorrowful, withholdeth not a pledge, and robbeth not any spoils, but giveth his bread to the hungry, and covereth the naked with a cloak;)

¹⁷ turneth away his hand from the wrong of a poor man, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and doeth my dooms, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live in life. (turneth away his hand from doing wrong to the poor, taketh not usury and overabundance, that is, nothing more than he lent, and keepeth, or obeyeth, my laws, and goeth in my commandments; this son shall not die in the wickedness of his father, but he shall live.)

¹⁸ For his father made false challenge, and did violence to his brother, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he is dead in his wickedness. (Because his father oppressed, and did violence to his kinsman, and wrought evil in the midst of his people, lo! he shall die because of his wickedness.)

¹⁹ And ye say, Why beareth not the son the wickedness of the father? That is to say, for the son wrought doom and rightfulness, he kept all my commandments, and did those, he shall live in life. (And ye say, Why beareth not the son his father’s wickedness? Because the son did what was just and right, he kept all my commandments, and did them, and so he shall live.)

²⁰ That soul that doeth sin, shall die; the son shall not bear the wickedness of the father, and the father shall not bear the wickedness of the son; the rightfulness of a just man shall be on him, and the wickedness of a wicked man shall be on him (the righteousness of a just person shall be upon him, and the wickedness of a wicked person shall be upon him).

²¹ Forsooth if a wicked man doeth penance of all his sins which he wrought, and keepeth all my behests, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall live by life, and shall not die. (And if a wicked person doeth penance for all his sins which he did, and keepeth, or obeyeth, all my commands, and doeth what is just and right, then he shall live, and shall not die.)

²² I shall not have mind of all his wickednesses which he wrought; he shall live in his rightfulness which he wrought. (I shall not remember all his wickednesses which he did; he shall live in his righteousness, or because of his righteous deeds, which he hath done.)

²³ Whether the death of the wicked man is of my will, saith the Lord God, and not that he be converted from his ways, and live? (Is the death of the wicked person my desire, saith the Lord God, and not, rather, that he be turned from his evil ways, and so live?)

²⁴ Forsooth if a just man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness by all his abominations, which a wicked man is wont to work, whether he shall live? All his rightfulnesses which he did, shall not be had in mind; in his trespassing by which he trespassed, and in his sin which he sinned, he shall die in those. (And if a just person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness with all his abominations, which a wicked person is wont to do, shall he live? Nay! All his righteousness which he did, shall not be remembered; and in the trespassing by which he trespassed, and in the sin in which he sinned, in those he shall die.)

²⁵ And ye said, The way of the Lord is not even. Therefore, the house of Israel, hear ye, whether my way is not even, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And ye said, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. And so, O house of Israel, hear ye, is not my way equal, or fair, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved?)

²⁶ For when a rightful man turneth away himself from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrightfulness which he wrought. (For when a righteous person turneth himself away from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness, he shall die in it; he shall die in the unrighteousness which he hath done.)

²⁷ And when a wicked man turneth away himself from his wickedness which he wrought, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall quicken his soul. (And when a wicked person turneth himself away from his wickedness which he hath done, and doeth what is just and right, he shall quicken his soul, that is, he shall save his own life.)

²⁸ For he beholding and turning away himself from all his wickednesses which he wrought, [he] shall live in life, and shall not die. (For by considering and then turning himself away from all of the wickednesses which he hath done, he shall live, and shall not die.)

²⁹ And the sons of Israel say, The way of the Lord is not even. Whether my ways be not even, ye house of Israel, and not more, your ways be depraved? (And the Israelites say, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair. Is not my way equal, or fair, ye house of Israel, and not only that, but that your ways be depraved? Yea!)

³⁰ Therefore, thou house of Israel, I shall deem each man by his ways, saith the Lord God. Turn ye together, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling. (And so, O house of Israel, I shall judge each person by their ways, saith the Lord God. Altogether turn ye, and do ye penance for all your wickednesses, and wickedness shall not be to you into falling.)

³¹ Cast away from you all your trespassings, by which ye trespassed, and make ye a new heart and a new spirit to you (and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit), and then why shall ye die, the house of Israel?

³² For I desire not the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God (For I do not desire the death of anyone who dieth); turn ye again, and live ye.

19 And thou, son of man, take wailing on the princes of Israel; (And thou, son of man, take up a wailing for the princes of Israel;)

² and thou shalt say, Why thy mother, a lioness, lay among lions? In the midst of little lions she nourished her whelps, (and thou shalt say, Thy mother, a lioness, lay among the lions! In the midst of the little lions she nourished, or brought up, her cubs,)

³ and led out one of her little lions; he was made a lion, and he learned to take prey, and to eat men.

⁴ And heathen men heard of him, and took him not without their wounds; and they brought him in chains into the land of Egypt. (And the heathen, or the nations, heard of him, and caught him in their pit; and they brought him in chains to the land of Egypt.)

⁵ Which mother when she had seen, that she was sick, and the abiding of him perished, took (another) one of her little lions, and made him a lion. (Which mother when she had seen, that her hope was gone, and her waiting was for nought, took another one of her little lions, and made him a lion.)

⁶ Which went among (the) lions, and was made (like) a (young) lion; and [he] learned to take prey, and to devour men.

⁷ He learned to make widows, and to bring the cities of men into desert; and the land and the fullness thereof was made desolate, of the voice of his roaring. (He learned to make widows, and to lay waste the peoples’ cities; and the land and its fullness was made desolate, at the sound of his roaring.)

⁸ And heathen men came together against him on each side from provinces, and spread on him their net; he was taken in the wounds of those heathen men. (And from the provinces the heathen came together against him on every side, and spread their net upon him; and he was caught in the pit of those heathen.)

⁹ And they sent him into a cave in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon; and they sent him into prison, that his voice were no more heard on the hills of Israel (and they sent him into prison, so that his roar was never heard again on the hills of Israel).

¹⁰ Thy mother as a vinery in thy blood was planted on water; the fruits thereof and the boughs thereof increased (by reason) of many waters. (Thy mother like a vine in thy vineyard was planted by the water; its fruits and its branches increased because of the many waters.)

¹¹ And firm rods were made to it into sceptres of lords, and the stature thereof was enhanced among boughs; and it saw his highness in the multitude of his scions. (And its firm branches were made into sceptres for lords, and its stature was raised up among the other branches; and it saw its highness amid the multitude of its leaves.)

¹² And it was drawn out in wrath, and was cast forth into [the] earth; and a burning wind dried the fruit thereof, and the rods of strength thereof withered, and were made dry, and the fire ate it. (And it was drawn out in anger, and was thrown forth onto the ground; and a burning wind dried up its fruit, and its strong branches withered, and were dried up, and the fire ate it.)

¹³ And now it is planted over in desert, in a land without way, and thirsty. (And now it is planted again in the wilderness, in a thirsty land without a way, or without a road/in a dry and thirsty land.)

¹⁴ And fire went out of a rod of the branches thereof, that ate the fruit thereof. And a strong rod, the sceptre of lords, was not in it. It is (a) wailing, and it shall be into wailing (This is a lament, and it shall be sung for a lament).

20 And it was done in the seventh year, in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month (on the tenth day of the month), men of the elders of Israel came to ask the Lord; and they sat before me.

² And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

³ Son of man, speak thou to the elder men of Israel; and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Whether ye came to ask me? I live, for I shall not answer to you, saith the Lord God. (Son of man, speak thou to the elders of Israel; and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Did ye come here to ask me something? As I live, I shall not answer you, saith the Lord God.)

⁴ Son of man, if thou deemest them, if thou deemest, show thou to them the abominations of their fathers. (Son of man, if thou judgest them, yea, if thou judgest them, show thou to them their forefathers’ abominations.)

⁵ And thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, In the day in which I chose Israel, and raised mine hand for the generation of the house of Jacob, and I appeared to them in the land of Egypt, and I raised mine hand for them, and I said, I am your Lord God, (And thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, On the day on which I chose Israel, and raised up my hand for the descendants of the house of Jacob, and I appeared to them in the land of Egypt, and I raised up my hand for them, and I said, I am the Lord your God,)

⁶ in that day I raised mine hand for them, that I should lead them out of the land of Egypt (on that day that I raised up my hand for them, that I would lead them out of the land of Egypt), into the land which I had purveyed for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, which is noble among all lands.

⁷ And I said to them, Each man cast away the offences of his eyes, and do not ye be defouled in the idols of Egypt; I am your Lord God. (And I said to them, Each person throw away the abominations before his eyes, and do not ye be defiled with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.)

⁸ And they stirred me to wrath, and would not hear me; each man casted not away the abominations of his eyes, neither they forsook the idols of Egypt. And I said, that I would shed out mine indignation on them, and [ful]fill my wrath in them, in the midst of the land of Egypt. (And they stirred me to anger, and would not listen to me; each person did not throw away the abominations before their eyes, nor did they abandon the idols of Egypt. And I said, that I would pour out my indignation upon them, and fulfill my anger against them, in the midst of the land of Egypt.)

⁹ And I did for my name, that it should not be defouled before heathen men, in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I appeared to them, that I should lead them out of the land of Egypt. (And I did it for the sake of my name, so that it would not be defiled before the heathen, in the midst of whom they were, and among whom I appeared to them, so that I could lead them out of the land of Egypt.)

¹⁰ Therefore I casted them out of the land of Egypt, and I led them out into desert; (And so I brought them out of the land of Egypt, and I led them out into the desert, or into the wilderness;)

¹¹ and I gave to them my commandments, and I showed to them my dooms, which a man shall do, and live in those. (and I gave them my commandments, and I showed them, or I taught them, my laws, which a person shall do, and shall live because of them.)

¹² Furthermore and I gave to them my sabbaths, that it should be a sign betwixt me and them, and that they should know, that I am the Lord hallowing them. (And furthermore I gave them my sabbaths, so that they would be a sign between me and them, and so that they would know, that I am the Lord who maketh them holy.)

¹³ And the house of Israel stirred me to wrath in desert; they went not in my commandments, and they casted away my dooms, which a man that doeth, shall live in those; and they defouled greatly my sabbaths. Therefore I said, that I would shed out my strong vengeance on them in desert, and waste them; (And the house of Israel stirred me to anger in the wilderness; they went not in my commandments, and they threw away my laws, which a person who doeth them, shall live in them; and they greatly defiled my sabbaths. And so I said, that I would pour out my strong vengeance upon them in the wilderness, and destroy them;)

¹⁴ and I did for my name, lest it were defouled before heathen men, from whom I casted them out in the sight of those. (and I did it for the sake of my name, lest it were defiled before the heathen, from whom I brought them out in their sight.)

¹⁵ Therefore I raised mine hand on them in the desert, that I brought not them into the land which I gave to them, the land flowing with milk and honey, the best of all lands. (And so I raised up my hand before them in the wilderness, and said that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, the land flowing with milk and honey, yea, the best of all lands.)

¹⁶ For they casted away my dooms, and went not in my commandments, and they defouled my sabbaths; for the heart of them went after idols. (For they threw away my laws, and went not in my commandments, and they defiled my sabbaths; for their hearts went after idols.)

¹⁷ And mine eyes spared on them, that I killed not them, neither I wasted them in the desert. (And my eyes spared them, so that I did not kill them, and I did not destroy them in the wilderness.)

¹⁸ Forsooth I said to the sons of them in wilderness, Do no ye go in the commandments of your fathers, neither keep ye the dooms of them, neither be ye defouled in the idols of them. (For I said to them in the wilderness, Do no ye go in the commandments of your forefathers, neither keep ye, or obey ye, their laws, nor be ye defiled with their idols.)

¹⁹ I am your Lord God, go ye in my commandments, and keep ye my dooms, and do ye those. (I am the Lord your God, go ye in my commandments, and keep ye, or obey ye, my laws, and do ye them.)

²⁰ And hallow ye my sabbaths, that it be a sign betwixt me and you, and that it be known, that I am your Lord God. (And make ye holy my sabbaths, so that it be a sign between me and you, and so that it be known, that I am the Lord your God.)

²¹ And the sons stirred me to wrath, and went not in my commandments, and kept not my dooms, that they did those, which when a man hath done, he shall live in those, and they defouled my sabbaths. And I menaced to them that I would shed out my strong vengeance on them, and [ful]fill my wrath in them in the desert. (But they stirred me to anger, and went not in my commandments, and kept not, or obeyed not, my laws, so that they did them, which when a person hath done them, he shall live in them, and they defiled my sabbaths. And I threatened them that I would pour out my strong vengeance upon them, and fulfill my anger against them in the wilderness.)

²² But I turned away mine hand, and I did this for my name, that it were not defouled before heathen men, from which I casted them out before the eyes of those. (But I turned away my hand, and I did this for the sake of my name, so that it was not defiled before the heathen, from whom I brought them out before their eyes.)

²³ Again I raised (up) mine hand against them in (the) wilderness, that I should scatter them into (the) nations, and winnow them into (other) lands;

²⁴ for that that they had not done my dooms, and had reproved my commandments, and had defouled my sabbaths, and their eyes had been (longing) after the idols of their fathers. (because they had not followed my laws, and had rejected my commandments, and had defiled my sabbaths, and their eyes had been longing after their forefathers’ idols.)

²⁵ Therefore and I gave to them commandments (that were) not good, and dooms in which they shall not live. (And so I gave them commandments that were not good, and laws that would not bring them life.)

²⁶ And I defouled them in their gifts (And I let them defile themselves with their gifts), when they offered to me for their trespasses all thing that openeth the womb; and (so) they shall know, that I am the Lord.

²⁷ Wherefore speak thou, son of man, to the house of Israel, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Yet and in this your fathers blasphemed me, when they despising had forsaken me (And yet in this your forefathers blasphemed me, when they despising me had deserted me),

²⁸ and I had brought them into the land on which I raised (up) mine hand, that I should give [it] to them, they saw each high little hill, and each tree full of boughs, and they offered there their sacrifices, and they gave there their offerings, into stirring (me) to wrath; and they set there the odour of their sweetness, and they offered their moist sacrifices (and they set forth their offerings of sweet aroma, and they offered their wine offerings).

²⁹ And I said to them, What is the high thing, to which ye enter? And the name thereof is called High Thing till to this day. (And I said to them, What is the high place, or the hill shrine, to which ye enter? And its name is called High Place/Hill Shrine, or Bamah, unto this day.)

³⁰ Therefore say thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Certainly ye be defouled in the way of your fathers, and ye do fornication after the offendings of them, (And so say thou to the house of Israel, The Lord God saith these things, Truly ye be defiled in the ways of your forefathers, and ye do fornication, or idolatry, after their abominations,)

³¹ and in the offering of your gifts, when ye led over your sons by fire, ye be defouled in all your idols till today, and shall I answer to you, the house of Israel? I live, saith the Lord God, for I shall not answer to you; (and in the offering of your gifts, when ye led your sons and your daughters through the fire, ye be defiled with all your idols unto this day, and so shall I answer you, O house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I shall not answer you;)

³² neither the thought of your soul shall be done, that say, We shall be as heathen men, and as [the] nations of earth, that we worship trees and stones. (nor shall the thoughts of your souls be done, that say, We shall be like the heathen, and like the nations of the earth, so that we worship wood and stones.)

³³ (As) I live, saith the Lord God, for in strong hand, and in arm stretched forth, and in strong vengeance shed out, I shall reign [up]on you (I shall rule over you).

³⁴ And I shall lead out you from peoples, and I shall gather you from lands, in which ye be scattered; in strong hand, and in arm stretched forth, and in strong vengeance shed out I shall reign on you. (And I shall lead you out from the peoples, or from the nations, and I shall gather you from the lands, in which ye be scattered; yea, with a strong hand, and an arm stretched forth, and with strong vengeance poured out I shall rule over you.)

³⁵ And I shall bring you into desert of peoples, and I shall be deemed there with you face to face. (And I shall bring you into the wilderness of the nations, and I shall judge you there face to face.)

³⁶ As I strived in doom against your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I shall deem you, saith the Lord; (Like I pronounced judgement against your forefathers in the desert, or in the wilderness, in the land of Egypt, so now I shall judge you, saith the Lord;)

³⁷ and I shall make you subject to my sceptre, and I shall bring in you in the bonds of peace. (and I shall make you subject to my rod, or to my rule, and I shall bring you within, or make you obey, the covenant.)

³⁸ And I shall choose of you trespassers, and wicked men (And I shall purge you of trespassers, and those who be wicked); and I shall lead them out of the land of their dwelling, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord.

³⁹ And ye, the house of Israel, the Lord God saith these things, Go ye each man after your idols, and serve ye those. That and if ye hear not me in this, and defoul more mine holy name in your gifts, and in your idols, (And ye, O house of Israel, the Lord God saith these things, Go ye each person after your idols, and serve ye them. But if ye do not listen to me, or obey me, in this, and more defile my holy name with your gifts, and with your idols,)

⁴⁰ in mine holy hill, in the high hill of Israel, saith the Lord God, ye shall be punished grievouslier. There all the house of Israel shall serve me, soothly all men in the land (truly all those in the land), in which they shall please me; and there I shall seek your first fruits, and the beginning of your tithes in all your hallowings.

⁴¹ I shall receive you into odour of sweetness (I shall receive your offerings of sweet aroma), when I shall lead you out of (the) peoples, and shall gather you from (the) lands, in which ye were scattered; and I shall be hallowed in you before the eyes of the nations.

⁴² And ye shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the land for which I raised (up) mine hand, that I should give it to your fathers (that I would give it to your forefathers).

⁴³ And ye shall have mind there on your ways, and on all your great trespasses, by which ye be defouled in those; and ye shall displease you in your sight, in all your malices which ye did. (And ye shall remember there your ways, and all your great trespasses, by which ye be defiled in them; and ye shall displease yourselves in your own sight, with all your malices which ye did.)

⁴⁴ And ye shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall do well to you for my name (when I shall do well with you for the sake of my name); (and) not by your evil ways, neither by your worst trespasses, ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.

⁴⁵ And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,

⁴⁶ Thou, son of man, set thy face against the way of the south, and drop thou (thy word) to the south, and prophesy thou to the forest of the midday, [or south,] field. (Thou, son of man, set thy face toward the way of the south, and drop thou thy word to the south, and prophesy thou to the forest of the south, or to the Negeb.)

⁴⁷ And thou shalt say to the midday, [or south(ern),] forest, Hear thou the word of the Lord. The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall kindle a fire in thee, and I shall burn in thee each green tree, and each dry tree; the flame of burning shall not be quenched, and each face shall be burnt therein, from the south till to the north. (And thou shalt say to the southern forest, or to the Negeb, Hear thou the word of the Lord. The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I shall kindle a fire in thee, and I shall burn each green tree, and each dry tree, in thee; the flame of burning shall not be quenched, and each face shall be burned there, from the south unto the north.)

⁴⁸ And each man shall see (And each person shall see), that I the Lord have kindled it, and it shall not be quenched.

⁴⁹ And I said, A! A! A! Lord God, they say of me, Whether this man speaketh not by parables? (And I said, O! O! O! Lord God, they say of me, Speaketh this man only by parables?)