Beginning

1 And it was done, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, when I was in the midst of captives, beside the flood Chebar, heavens were opened, and I saw the revelations of God. (And it was done, in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, when I was in the midst of the captives, or of the exiles, by the Chebar River, the heavens were opened, and I saw the revelations of God/and I saw a vision from God.)

² In the fifth day of the month; that is the fifth year of [the] passing over of Jehoiachin, king of Judah; (On the fifth day of the month; that is the fifth year of the exile, or of the captivity, of Jehoiachin, the king of Judah;)

³ the word of the Lord was made to Ezekiel, priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of Chaldees, beside the flood Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was made there on him. (the word of the Lord was made to Ezekiel, the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans, by the Chebar River; and the Lord’s hand was made upon him there.)

⁴ And I saw, and lo! a whirlwind came from the north, and a great cloud, and fire wrapping in, and brightness in the compass thereof; and as the likeness of electrum from the midst thereof, that is, from the midst of the fire. (And I saw, and lo! a whirlwind came from the north, and a great cloud, and fire enwrapping itself, and brightness all around it; and with the likeness of electrum in its midst, that is, in the midst of the fire.)

⁵ And of the midst thereof was a likeness of four beasts. And this was the beholding of those, the likeness of a man in those. (And in its midst were the forms of four creatures. And this was their appearance, each one had the form of a man.)

⁶ And four faces were to one, and four wings were to one. (But each one had four faces, and four wings.)

⁷ And the feet of those were straight feet, and the sole of the foot of those was as the sole of a foot of a calf, and sparkles, as the beholding of boiling brass. (And their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the soles of a calf’s feet, and they sparkled, like the appearance of boiling, or of shining, bronze.)

⁸ And the hands of a man were under the wings of those, in four parts; and those had faces and wings by four parts; (And the hands of a man were under their wings, on their four sides; and those four creatures had faces and wings;)

⁹ and the wings of those were joined together of one to another. They turned not again, when they went, but each went before his face. (and their wings touched one another. They did not turn, from where they went, but each one went straight ahead.)

¹⁰ Forsooth the likeness of the face of those was the face of a man, and the face of a lion, at the right half of those four. Forsooth the face of an ox was at the left half of those four; and the face of an eagle was above those four. (And the likenesses of their faces were the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side of each of those four. And the face of an ox, or the face of a bull, and the face of an eagle, were on the left side of each of those four.)

¹¹ And the faces of those and (the) wings of those were stretched forth above. Two wings of each were joined together, and twain covered the bodies of those. (And their wings were stretched forth above. Two wings of each touched the wings of its neighbours, and two wings covered their bodies.)

¹² And each of those went before his face. Where (ever) the fierceness of the wind was, thither those went, and turned not again, when they went. (And each of them went straight ahead. Wherever the fierceness of the wind was, they went there, and they did not turn, from where they went.)

¹³ And the likeness of the beasts, and the beholding of them, was as of burning coals of fire, and as the beholding of lamps. This was the sight running about in the midst of [the] beasts, the shining of fire, and the lightning going out of the fire. (And the likeness of the creatures, and their appearance, was like burning coals of fire, or like the appearance of lamps. This was the sight running about in the midst of the creatures, the shining of the fire, and the lightning going out of the fire.)

¹⁴ And the beasts went, and turned again, at the likeness of lightning shining. (And the creatures went forth, and returned, in the form of a shining of lightning.)

¹⁵ And when I beheld the beasts, one wheel, having four faces, appeared on the earth, beside the beasts. (And when I looked at the creatures, a wheel appeared on the ground, beside each of those creatures with four faces.)

¹⁶ And the beholding of the wheels and the work of those was as the sight of the sea; and one likeness was of those four; and the beholding and the works of those, as if a wheel be in the midst of a wheel. (And the appearance of the wheels and their work was like the colour of the sea; and those four were of one likeness; and their appearance and their work, as if a wheel be in the midst of a wheel.)

¹⁷ Those going went by four parts of those, and turned not again, when those went. (And they went straight ahead, in any of the four directions, and did not turn from where they went.)

¹⁸ Also stature, and highness, and horrible beholding was to the wheels; and all the body (of them) was full of eyes in the compass of those four. (And stature, and highness, and a terrible, or a fearful, appearance was to the wheels; and all the bodies of the wheels were full of eyes, all around each of those four wheels.)

¹⁹ And when the beasts went, the wheels also went together beside those. And when the beasts were raised [up] from the earth, the wheels also were raised [up] together. (And when the creatures went, the wheels also went together with them. And when the creatures were raised up from the ground, the wheels also were raised up together with them.)

²⁰ Whither ever the spirit went, when the spirit went thither, also the wheels following it were raised [up] together (with them); for why the spirit of life was in the wheels.

²¹ Those went with the beasts going, and those stood with the beasts standing. And with the beasts raised (up) from [the] earth, also the wheels following those beasts were raised together; for the spirit of life was in the wheels. (They went when the creatures went, and they stood when the creatures stood. And when the creatures raised themselves up from the earth, the wheels following those creatures were also raised up together with them; for the spirit of life was in the wheels.)

²² And the likeness of the firmament was above the head[s] of the beasts, and as the beholding of horrible crystal, and stretched abroad on the heads of those beasts above. (And the likeness of the firmament was above the heads of the creatures, and it had the appearance of awe-full, or amazing, crystal, and it stretched abroad over the heads of those creatures.)

²³ Forsooth under the firmament the wings of those beasts were straight (out), of one to another; each beast covered his body with two wings, and another was covered in like manner. (And under the firmament, or under the heavens, the wings of those creatures went straight out, touching one another; and each creature covered his body with two wings, yea, they all were covered in like manner.)

²⁴ And I heard the sound of wings, as the sound of many waters, as the sound of (the) high God. When those went, there was as a sound of (a) multitude, as the sound of hosts of battle; and when those stood, the wings of those were let down. (And I heard the sound of their wings, and it was like the sound of many waters, and like the sound of the Most High God. When they went, there was a sound like a multitude, and like the sound of armies in battle; and when they stood, their wings were let down.)

²⁵ For why when a voice was made on the firmament, that was on the head[s] of those, those stood, and let down their wings. (And when a sound was made above the heavens, that were over their heads, they stood, and let down their wings.)

²⁶ And on the firmament, that was above the head(s) of those, was as the beholding of a sapphire stone, (in) the likeness of a throne; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness, as the beholding of a man above. (And above the heavens, that were over their heads, there appeared a sapphire stone, in the form of a throne; and high above, on the likeness of the throne, was a form with the appearance of a man, sitting upon it.)

²⁷ And I saw as a likeness of electrum, as the beholding of fire within, by the compass thereof; from the loins of him and above, and from the loins of him till to beneath, I saw as the likeness of fire, shining in compass, (And I saw in the likeness of electrum, the appearance of fire within it, all around it; from the loins of him and above, and from the loins of him and below, I saw as the likeness of fire, shining all around it,)

²⁸ as the beholding of the rainbow, when it is in the cloud in the day of rain. This was the beholding of shining by compass. This was a sight of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And I saw, and I fell down on my face; and I heard the voice of a speaker. (like the appearance of the rainbow, when it is in the clouds on a rainy day. This was the appearance of the shining all around it. This was the sight of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And I saw it, and I fell down on my face; and I heard the voice of a speaker.)

2 And he said to me, Thou, son of man, stand on feet, and I shall speak with thee. [And he said to me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I shall speak with thee.]

² And the spirit entered into me, after that he spake to me, and setted me on my feet. And I heard one speaking to me,

³ and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the sons of Israel, to folks apostates, either (those) going aback from faith, that went away from me; the fathers of them brake my covenant till to this day. (and saying, Son of man, I send thee to the Israelites, to an apostate nation, or those who went away from the faith, that went away from me; their forefathers broke my covenant, as they do unto this day.)

⁴ And the sons be of hard face, and of unchastiseable heart, to whom I send thee (And the people be stubborn, and with undisciplined hearts/and with willful hearts, to whom I send thee). And thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things;

⁵ if peradventure namely they hear, and if peradventure they rest, for it is an house stirring to wrath. And they shall know, that a prophet is in the midst of them. (whether they shall listen to you or not, for it is a house stirring me to anger. And they shall know, that a prophet is in their midst.)

⁶ Therefore thou, son of man, dread not them, neither dread thou the words of them; for unbelieveful men and destroyers be with thee, and thou dwellest with scorpions. Dread thou not the words of them, and dread thou not the faces of them, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And so thou, son of man, do not thou fear them, nor fear thou their words; though unbelieving people and destroyers be with thee, and thou livest with scorpions. Fear thou not their words, and fear thou not their faces, though it is a house stirring me to anger.)

⁷ Therefore thou shalt speak my words to them, if peradventure they hear, and rest, for they be stirrers to wrath. (And so thou shalt speak my words to them, whether they shall listen to you or not, for they be a house stirring me to anger/for they be stirrers to anger.)

⁸ But thou, son of man, hear whatever things I shall speak to thee; and do not thou be a stirrer to wrath, as the house of Israel is a stirrer to wrath. Open thy mouth, and eat whatever things I give to thee. (But thou, son of man, listen to whatever I say to thee; and do not thou be a stirrer, or a provoker, to anger, like the house of Israel is a stirrer to anger. Open thy mouth, and eat whatever things I give thee.)

⁹ And I saw, and lo! an hand was sent to me, in which a book was folded together. (And I saw, and lo! a hand was sent to me, holding a folded up book, or a folio/holding a rolled up scroll.)

¹⁰ And he spreaded abroad it before me, that was written within and withoutforth. And lamentations, and song, and woe, were written therein. (And he spread it out before me/And he unrolled it before me, and it was written on both sides, that is, the inside, and the outside. And lamentations, and songs, and woes, were written on it.)

3 And he said to me, Son of man, eat thou whatever thing thou findest (before thee), eat thou this volume; and go thou, and speak to the sons of Israel. (And he said to me, Son of man, eat thou whatever thing thou findest before thee, yea, eat thou this book/yea, eat thou this scroll; and then go thou, and speak to the Israelites.)

² And I opened my mouth, and he fed me with that volume. (And I opened my mouth, and he fed me with that book/and he fed me with that scroll.)

³ And he said to me, Son of man, thy womb shall eat, and thine entrails shall be filled with this volume, which I give to thee. And I ate it, and it was made as sweet honey in my mouth. (And he said to me, Son of man, make thy womb to eat, and thy bowels to be filled with this book/with this scroll, which I give thee. And I ate it, and it was made as sweet as honey in my mouth.)

⁴ And he said to me, Son of man, go thou to the house of Israel, and thou shalt speak my words to them.

⁵ For thou shalt not be sent to a people of high word, and of unknown language; thou shalt be sent to the house of Israel,

⁶ neither to many peoples of high word, and of unknown language, of which thou mayest not hear the words. And if thou were sent to them, they should hear thee. (nor to great peoples of difficult and unknown languages, of which thou cannot understand the words. Though if thou had been sent to them, they would have listened to thee.)

⁷ But the house of Israel will not hear thee, for they will not hear me. For all the house of Israel is of defouled, either of unshamefast, forehead, and of hard heart. (But the house of Israel will not listen to thee, for they will not listen to me. For all the house of Israel is of defiled, or of defiant, face, and of hard, or stubborn, heart.)

⁸ Lo! I gave thy face stronger than the faces of them, and thy forehead harder than the foreheads of them. (Lo! I made thy face stronger than their faces, and thy head harder than their heads, or thy stubbornness stronger than their stubbornness.)

⁹ And I gave thy face as an adamant, and as a flint; dread thou not them, neither dread thou of the face of them, for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And I made thy face like adamant, yea, harder than flint; do not thou fear them, nor fear thou their faces, though it is a house stirring me to anger.)

¹⁰ And he said to me, Son of man, take in thine heart, and hear with thine ears all these my words, which I speak to thee.

¹¹ And go thou, and enter to the passing over, to the sons of thy people. And thou shalt speak to them, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, if peradventure they hear, and rest. (And go thou, and enter in to the exiles, or to the captives, to the nation of thy people. And thou shalt speak to them, and thou shalt say to them, whether they listen to you or not, The Lord God saith these things.)

¹² And the spirit took me, and I heard after me the voice of a great moving. The blessed glory of the Lord was heard from his place; (And the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me the sound of a great rushing, as the blessed glory of the Lord was heard from his place;)

¹³ and I heard the voice of (the) wings of the beasts smiting one another, and the voice of (the) wheels following the beasts, and the voice of a great stirring. (and I heard the sound of the wings of the creatures, striking one another, and the sound of the wheels following the creatures, and the sound of a great stirring.)

¹⁴ Also the spirit raised me, and took me. And I went forth bitter in the indignation of my spirit; for the hand of the Lord was with me, and comforted me (And the spirit raised me up, and took me away. And I went forth in the bitterness and the anger of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was with me, and was strong upon me.)

¹⁵ And I came to the passing over, to the heap of new fruits, to them that dwelled beside the flood Chebar. And I sat where they sat, and I dwelled there seven days, wailing, in the midst of them. (And I came to the exiles, or to the captives, at Telabib, to those who lived by the Chebar River. And I sat where they sat, and I stayed there seven days, wailing, in the midst of them.)

¹⁶ Forsooth when seven days were passed, the word of the Lord was made to me, and said,

¹⁷ Son of man, I gave thee to be an espyer, or a beholder, to the house of Israel. And thou shalt hear of my mouth a word, and thou shalt tell [it] to them of me. (Son of man, I gave thee to be a lookout, or a watchman, to the house of Israel. And thou shalt hear a word from my mouth, and thou shalt tell it to them for me.)

¹⁸ If when I say to the wicked man, Thou shalt die by death, (and) thou tellest it not to him, and speakest not to him, that he be turned from his wicked way, and live; that wicked man shall die in his wickedness, but I shall seek his blood of thine hand. (If when I say to the wicked person, Thou shalt die, and thou tellest it not to him, and speakest not to him, so that he is turned from his wicked ways, and live; that wicked person shall die in his wickedness, but I shall seek payment for his blood from thee.)

¹⁹ Forsooth if thou tellest to the wicked man, and he is not converted from his wickedness, and from his wicked way; soothly he shall die in his wickedness, but thou hast delivered thy soul. (But if thou tellest to the wicked person, and he is not turned from his wickedness, and from his wicked ways; truly he shall die in his wickedness, but thou hast saved thy own soul/but thou hast saved thy own life.)

²⁰ But also if a just man is turned from his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness, I shall set an hurting before him; he shall die, for thou toldest not to him; he shall die in his sin, and his rightfulnesses, which he did, shall not be in mind, but I shall seek his blood of thine hand. (And also if a just, or a righteous, person is turned from his righteousness, and doeth wickedness, I shall set a cause of stumbling before him; and he shall die, for thou hast not told him; he shall die in his sin, and his righteousnesses, which he did, shall not be remembered, but I shall seek payment for his blood from thee.)

²¹ Forsooth if thou tellest to a just man, that a just man do not sin, and he sin not, he living shall live, for thou toldest to him, and thou hast delivered thy soul. (But if thou tellest to a just, or a righteous, person, that a just person should not sin, and in deed he sin not, he shall live, for thou hast told him, and thou hast delivered thy own soul/and thou hast saved thy own life.)

²² And the hand of the Lord was made [up]on me, and he said to me, Rise thou (up), and go out into the field, and there I shall speak with thee.

²³ And I rose (up), and went out into the field. And lo! the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw beside the flood Chebar (And lo! the glory of the Lord stood there, like the glory which I saw by the Chebar River); and I fell down on my face.

²⁴ And the spirit entered into me, and setted me on my feet. And he spake to me, and said to me, Enter thou, and be thou (en)closed in the midst of thine house.

²⁵ And thou, son of man, lo! bonds be given on thee (And thou, son of man, lo! bonds be put upon thee), and they shall bind thee with those, and thou shalt not go out in(to) the midst of them.

²⁶ And I shall make thy tongue to cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb, and thou shalt not be as a man rebuking; for it is an house stirring to wrath. (And I shall make thy tongue to cleave to the roof of thy mouth, and thou shalt be dumb, and thou shalt not rebuke them; though it is a house stirring me to anger.)

²⁷ But when I shall speak to thee, I shall open thy mouth, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord saith these things, He that heareth, hear, and he that resteth, rest; for it is an house stirring to wrath. (But when I shall speak to thee, I shall open thy mouth, and thou shalt say to them, The Lord saith these things, He who shall listen, listen, and he who shall not listen, do not listen; for it is a house stirring me to anger.)

4 And thou, son of man, take to thee a tilestone; and thou shalt set it before thee, and thou shalt describe therein the city of Jerusalem (and thou shalt draw upon it the city of Jerusalem).

² And thou shalt ordain besieging against that Jerusalem; and thou shalt build strongholds, and thou shalt bear together [an heap of] earth, and thou shalt give hosts of battle against it, and thou shalt set engines by compass (and thou shalt set up battering rams all around it).

³ And take thou to thee an iron frying pan; and thou shalt set it into an iron wall betwixt thee and betwixt the city; and thou shalt set steadfastly thy face to it, and it shall be into besieging, and thou shalt (en)compass it; it is a sign to the house of Israel. (And take thou thee an iron frying pan; and thou shalt set it there like an iron wall between thee and the city; and thou shalt steadfastly set thy face toward the city, and it shall be into besieging, and so thou shalt surround, or besiege, it; this shall be a sign to the house of Israel.)

⁴ And thou shalt sleep on thy left side, and thou shalt put the wickednesses of the house of Israel on that side; in the number of days in which thou shalt sleep on that side, and thou shalt take the wickedness of them (for the number of days in which thou shalt sleep on that side, thou shalt bear their wickedness).

⁵ Forsooth I gave to thee the years of the wickedness of them by (the) number of days, three hundred and ninety days; and thou shalt bear the wickedness of the house of Israel.

⁶ And when thou hast [ful]filled these things, thou shalt sleep the second time on thy right side. And thou shalt take the wickedness of the house of Judah by forty days; I gave to thee a day for a year, a day soothly for a year (And thou shalt bear the wickedness of the house of Judah for forty days; I shall give thee a day for a year, truly a day for a year).

⁷ And thou shalt turn thy face to the besieging of Jerusalem; and thine arm shall be stretched forth, and thou shalt prophesy against it.

⁸ Lo! I have (en)compassed thee with bonds, and thou shalt not turn thee from this side into the other side, till thou [ful]fill the days of thy besieging. (Lo! I have surrounded thee with bonds, and thou shalt not turn thyself from one side to the other side, until thou fulfill the days of thy besieging.)

⁹ And take thou to thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches; and thou shalt put those into one vessel. And thou shalt make to thee loaves for the number of days, by which thou shalt sleep on thy side; by three hundred and ninety days thou shalt eat it. (And get thou for thyself some wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and vetches; and thou shalt put them into one pot. And thou shalt make loaves for thyself for the number of days by which thou shalt sleep on thy side; for three hundred and ninety days thou shalt eat it.)

¹⁰ Forsooth thy meat, which thou shalt eat, shall be in weight twenty staters in a day (And thy food, which thou shalt eat, shall be, by weight, twenty staters a day); from time till to time thou shalt eat it.

¹¹ And thou shalt drink water in measure, the sixth part of hin (And thou shalt drink water by measure, the sixth part of a hin); from time till to time thou shalt drink it.

¹² And thou shalt eat it as barley bread baken under the ashes; and with the dung that goeth out of a man thou shalt cover it, before the eyes of them. (And thou shalt eat it like barley bread baked under ashes; and thou shalt cover it with the dung that goeth out of a person, before their eyes.)

¹³ The Lord saith these things, So the sons of Israel shall eat their bread defouled among heathen men, to whom I shall cast them out. (The Lord saith these things, And so shall the Israelites eat their defiled bread among the heathen, to whom I shall cast them out.)

¹⁴ And I said, A! A! A! Lord God, lo! my soul is not defouled, and from my young childhood till to now I ate not a thing dead by itself, and rent of beasts; and all unclean flesh entered not into my mouth. (And I said, O! O! O! Lord God, lo! my soul is not defiled, and from my young childhood until now I have not eaten anything that died naturally, or was torn apart by beasts; and no unclean flesh hath ever entered into my mouth.)

¹⁵ And (so) he said to me, Lo! I have given to thee the dung of oxes for men’s turds; and thou shalt make (ready) thy bread with it (instead).

¹⁶ And he said to me, Son of man, lo! I shall all-break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat their bread in weight and in busyness, and they shall drink water in measure and in anguish; (And he said to me, Son of man, lo! I shall all-break the staff of bread in Jerusalem, and they shall eat their bread by weight and in busyness, or in distress, or in dis-ease, and they shall drink water by measure and in anguish;)

¹⁷ that when bread and water fail, each man fall down to his brother, and they fail in their wickednesses. (so that when the bread and water fail, each person shall fall down before their neighbour, and they shall die in their wickednesses.)