Old/New Testament
33 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,
2 Thou, son of man, speak to the sons of thy people, and thou shalt say to them, A land when I bring in a sword on it, and the people of the land take one man of his last men, and maketh him a beholder, either espyer, on him, (Thou, son of man, speak to the sons of thy people, and thou shalt say to them, When I bring in a sword against a land, and if the people of that land take one man of their last men, and maketh him a watchman, or a lookout, for them,)
3 and (when) he seeth a sword coming on the land, and soundeth with a clarion (and bloweth a trumpet), and telleth to the people,
4 forsooth a man that heareth, whoever he is, the sound of the clarion, and keepeth not himself, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, the blood of him shall be on the head of him. (if anyone, whoever he is, heareth the sound of the trumpet, and keepeth not himself safe, or taketh no heed, and the sword cometh, and taketh him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.)
5 He heard the sound of the clarion, and kept not himself, his blood shall be in him; forsooth if he keepeth himself, he shall save his life. (He heard the sound of the trumpet, and did not keep himself safe, or did not take heed, and so his blood shall be upon him; but if he keepeth himself safe, or taketh heed, he shall save his own life.)
6 That if the beholder, or the espyer, seeth a sword coming, and soundeth not with a clarion, and the people keepeth not himself, and the sword cometh, and taketh away a man of them, soothly he is taken in his wickedness; but I shall seek the blood of him of the hand of the espyer. (But if the watchman, or the lookout, seeth a sword coming, and bloweth not the trumpet, and the people do not keep themselves safe, or do not take heed, and the sword cometh, and taketh away some of them, they shall be caught in their own wickedness; but I shall seek payment for their blood at the hand of the lookout.)
7 And thou, son of man, I gave thee (as) an espyer, to the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear of my mouth a word, and shalt tell to them of me. (And thou, son of man, I have made thee a lookout, or a watchman, for the house of Israel; and so thou shalt hear a word from my mouth, and shalt tell it to them for me.)
8 If when I say to the wicked man, Thou, wicked man, shalt die by death, (and) thou speakest not, that the wicked man keep himself from his way, that wicked man shall die in his wickedness, but I shall seek his blood of thine hand. (If when I say to a wicked person, Thou, wicked person, shalt die, and thou speakest not, so that that wicked person keep himself from his evil ways, that wicked person shall die in his wickedness, but I shall seek payment for his blood at thy hand, or from thee.)
9 Forsooth if when thou tellest to the wicked man, that he be converted from his ways, (and) he is not converted from his way(s), he shall die in his wickedness; certainly thou hast delivered thy soul. (But if thou tellest to that wicked person, so that he be converted from his evil ways, and he is not converted from his evil ways, then he shall die in his wickedness; but thou hast delivered thy own soul.)
10 Therefore thou, son of man, say to the house of Israel, Thus ye spake, saying, Our wickednesses and our sins be [up]on us, and we fail in those; how therefore may we live?
11 say thou to them, I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked man, but that the wicked man be converted from his way(s), and live; be ye converted from your worst ways, and why shall ye die, the house of Israel? (say thou to them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I do not desire the death of the wicked, but that the wicked person be turned from his evil ways, and live; yea, be ye turned from your evil ways, and then why should ye die, ye house of Israel?)
12 Therefore thou, son of man, say to the sons of thy people, The rightfulness of a rightful man shall not deliver him, in whatever day he doeth sin; and the wickedness of a wicked man shall not harm him, in whatever day he is converted from his wickedness; and a just man shall not be able to live in his rightfulness, in whatever day he doeth sin. (And so thou, son of man, say to thy people, The righteousness of a righteous person shall not save him, on whatever day he doeth sin; and the wickedness of a wicked person shall not harm him, on whatever day he is converted from his wickedness; and a good person shall not be able to live because of his past righteousness, on whatever day he doeth sin.)
13 Also if I say to a just man, that he shall live by life, and he trusteth in his rightfulness, and doeth wickedness, all his rightfulnesses shall be given to forgetting, and in his wickedness which he wrought, in that he shall die. (And if I say to a good person, that he shall live, and he trusteth in his own righteousness, and doeth wickedness, then all his righteousnesses shall be given to forgetting, and he shall die in his wickedness, which he himself did.)
14 Forsooth if I say to the wicked man, Thou shalt die by death, and he doeth penance for his sin, and doeth doom and rightfulness, (And if I say to the wicked person, Thou shalt die, and he doeth penance for his sin, and doeth justice and righteousness,)
15 and if that wicked man restoreth a wed, and yieldeth raven, and goeth in the commandments of life, and doeth not any unjust thing, he shall live by life, and shall not die. (and if that wicked person restoreth a pledge, and giveth back what he hath stolen, and goeth in the commandments of life, and doeth not any unjust thing, then he shall live, and shall not die.)
16 All his sins which he sinned, shall not be areckoned to him; he did doom and rightfulness, he shall live by life (he did justice and righteousness, and he shall live).
17 And the sons of thy people said, The way of the Lord is not of even weight, [or (of) even charge]; and the way of them is unjust. (And thy people said, The way of the Lord is not equal, or not fair; but it is their way that is unjust, or unfair.)
18 For when a just man goeth away from his rightfulness, and doeth wickednesses, he shall die in those; (For when a just, or a righteous, person goeth away from his righteousness, and doeth wickednesses, he shall die in them;)
19 and when a wicked man goeth away from his wickedness, and doeth doom and rightfulness, he shall live in those. (but if a wicked person goeth away from his wickedness, and doeth justice and righteousness, he shall live in them.)
20 And ye say, The way of the Lord is not rightful. I shall deem each man by his ways of you, the house of Israel. (And so ye say, The way of the Lord is not right, or not fair. But I shall judge everyone of you after your own ways, ye house of Israel.)
21 And it was done in the twelfth year, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month of our passing over, he that fled from Jerusalem came to me, and said, The city is destroyed. (And it was done in the twelfth year, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month of our exile, or of our captivity, one who had fled from Jerusalem came to me, and said, The city is destroyed.)
22 Forsooth the hand of the Lord was made to me in the eventide, before that he came that fled; and he opened my mouth, till he came to me early; and when my mouth was opened, I was no more still. (And the hand of the Lord was made upon me in the evening, before that he who had fled had come; and the Lord closed my mouth, until he who had fled came to me early in the morning; and then my mouth was opened, and I was silent no more.)
23 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,
24 Thou, son of man, they that dwell in these ruinous things, either ready to fall down, on the earth of Israel, say, speaking, Abraham was one, and by heritage he had the land in possession; forsooth we be many, (and) the land is given to us into possession. (Thou, son of man, they who live in these ruined places, or in places ready to fall down, in the land of Israel, speak, saying, Abraham was but one, and he had the land in possession; and we be many, and the land is given to us by inheritance for a possession.)
25 Therefore thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Whether ye that eat in blood, and raise your eyes to your uncleannesses, and shed blood, shall have in possession the land by heritage? (And so thou shalt say to them, The Lord God saith these things, Shall ye who eat things with blood, and raise up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood, have the land in possession by inheritance?)
26 Ye stood in your swords, ye did your abominations, and each man defouled the wife of his neighbour; and shall ye wield the land by heritage? (Ye trusted in your swords, ye did your abominations, and every man defiled his neighbour’s wife; and so shall ye get the land by inheritance?)
27 Thou shalt say these things to them, Thus saith the Lord God, I live, for they that dwell in ruinous things, either ready to fall down, shall fall down by sword, and he that is in the field, shall be given to beasts to be devoured; but they that be in strongholds and in dens, shall die by pestilence. (Thou shalt say these things to them, Thus saith the Lord God, As I live, for they who live in ruined places, or in places ready to fall down, shall fall by the sword, and he who is in the field, shall be given to the beasts to be devoured; and they who be in strongholds and in dens, shall die by pestilence.)
28 And I shall give the land into wilderness, and into desert, and the pride and the strength thereof shall fail; and the hills of Israel shall be made desolate, for none is that shall pass by those. (And I shall make the land into a wilderness, and into a desert, and its pride and its strength shall fail; and the hills of Israel shall be made desolate, and no one shall travel over them.)
29 And they shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall give their land desolate and desert (when I shall make their land a desolate wilderness), for all their abominations which they wrought.
30 And thou, son of man, the sons of thy people that speak of thee beside walls, and in the doors of houses, and say, one to another, a man to his neighbour, and speak, Come ye, and hear we, what is the word going out from the Lord; (And thou, son of man, thy people who speak of thee beside the walls, and in the doors of houses, and speak one to another, yea, a person to his neighbour, and say, Come ye, and hear we, what is the word going out from the Lord;)
31 and they come to thee, as if my people entereth, and my people sit before thee, and they hear thy words, and do not those; for they turn those into the song of their mouth, and their heart followeth their avarice; (and my people come to thee, like any people entereth, and they sit before thee, and they hear thy words, but they do not do them; they turn them into the song of their mouths, but their hearts follow after their greed;)
32 and it is to them as a song of music, which is sung by soft and sweet sound; and they hear thy words, and they do not those; (and it is to them like a song of music, which is sung with a soft and sweet sound; and they hear thy words, but they do not do them;)
33 and when that that was before-said cometh, for lo! it cometh, then they shall know, that a prophet was among them. (and when what was foretold cometh, for lo! it shall come, then they shall know, that a prophet was among them.)
34 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and he said,
2 Son of man, prophesy thou of the shepherds of Israel, prophesy thou; and thou shalt say to the shepherds, The Lord God saith these things, Woe to the shepherds of Israel, that fed himself [that fed themselves]; whether flocks be not fed of shepherds? (Son of man, prophesy thou against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy thou; and thou shalt say to the shepherds, The Lord God saith these things, Woe to the shepherds of Israel, who only feed themselves; should not the shepherds feed the flock?)
3 Ye ate [the] milk, and were covered with [the] wools, and ye killed that that was fat (and ye killed what was fat); but ye fed not my flock.
4 Ye made not firm that that was unsteadfast, and ye made not whole that that was sick; ye bound not (up) that that was broken, and ye brought not again that that was cast away, and ye sought not that that perished; but ye commanded to them with sternness, and with power.
5 And my sheep were scattered, for no shepherd was; and they were made into devouring of all beasts of the field, and they were scattered. (And my sheep were scattered, for there was no shepherd; and they were made into food for all the beasts of the field, and they were scattered.)
6 My flocks erred in all mountains, and in each high hill, and my flocks were scattered on all the face of earth, and none was that sought. (My flock wandered on all the mountains, and on each high hill, yea, my flock was scattered over all the face of the earth, and there was no one who sought them.)
7 Therefore, shepherds, hear ye the word of the Lord;
8 I live, saith the Lord God, for why for that that my flocks be made into raven, and my sheep into devouring of all beasts of the field, for that that no shepherd was, for the shepherds sought not my flock(s), but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flocks; (As I live, saith the Lord God, because my flock was made into spoils, and my sheep into food for all the beasts of the field, because there was no shepherd, for the shepherds sought not my flock, but the shepherds fed only themselves, and fed not my flock;)
9 therefore, shepherds, hear ye the word of the Lord,
10 The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I myself am over [the] shepherds; I shall seek my flock of the hand of them, and I shall make them to cease, that they feed no more my flock, and that the shepherds feed no more themselves. And I shall deliver my flock from the mouth of them, and it shall no more be into meat to them. (The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I am against the shepherds; I shall take my flock out of their hands, and I shall make them cease, that they do not feed my flock, but that these shepherds only feed only themselves. And I shall rescue my flock from their mouths, and they shall no more be their food.)
11 For the Lord God saith these things, Lo! I myself shall seek (out) my sheep, and I shall visit them (and I shall search for them).
12 As a shepherd visiteth his flock, in the day when he is in the midst of his sheep that be scattered, so I shall visit my sheep; and I shall deliver them from all places in which they were scattered, in the day of cloud, and of darkness. (Like a shepherd searcheth for his flock, on the day when he is in the midst of his sheep that be scattered, so I shall search for my sheep; and I shall rescue them from all the places in which they were scattered, on the day of cloud, and of darkness.)
13 And I shall lead them out of peoples, and I shall gather them from lands, and I shall bring them into their land, and I shall feed them in the hills of Israel, in rivers, and in all seats of earth (And I shall lead them out from the nations, and I shall gather them from other lands, and I shall bring them back to their own land, and I shall feed them on the hills of Israel, by the rivers, and on all the green fields.)
14 I shall feed them in most plenteous pastures, and the pastures of them shall be in the high hills of Israel; there they shall rest in green herbs, and in fat pastures they shall be fed on the hills of Israel. (I shall feed them in most plentiful pastures, and their pastures shall be on the high hills of Israel; they shall rest there on green grass, and they shall feed in plentiful pastures, on the hills of Israel.)
15 I shall feed my sheep, and I shall make them to lie (down, or to rest), saith the Lord God.
16 I shall seek that that perished, and I shall bring again that that was cast away; and I shall bind (up) that that was broken, and I shall make strong that that was sick; and I shall keep that that is fat and strong; and I shall feed them in doom (and I shall feed them with justice);
17 forsooth ye be my flocks. The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I deem betwixt beast and beast, and a wether and a buck of goats. (for ye be my flock. The Lord God saith these things, Lo! I judge between beast and beast, and a ram and a goat-buck.)
18 Whether it was not enough to you to devour good pastures? Furthermore and ye defouled with your feet the remnants of your pastures, and when ye drank clearest water, ye disturbed the residue with your feet. (Was it not enough for some of you to devour the good pastures? But furthermore, ye defiled the remnants of your pastures with your feet, and after that ye drank of the clearest water, then ye disturbed the residue with your feet.)
19 And my sheep were fed with these things that were defouled with your feet; and they drank these things, that your feet had troubled.
20 Therefore the Lord God saith these things to you, Lo! I myself deem betwixt a fat beast and a lean beast.
21 For that that ye hurled with (your) sides, and shoulders, and winnowed with your horns all sick beasts (and winnowed all the sick, or all the weak, beasts with your horns), till those were scattered withoutforth,
22 I shall save my flock, and it shall no more be into raven. And I shall deem betwixt beast and beast; (I shall save my flock, and they shall no more be spoils. And I shall judge between beast and beast;)
23 and I shall raise on those one shepherd, my servant David, that shall feed those; he shall feed them, and he shall be a shepherd to them. (and I shall raise upon them one shepherd, my servant David, who shall feed them; yea, he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.)
24 Forsooth I the Lord shall be into God to them, and my servant David shall be prince in the midst of them; I the Lord spake. (And I the Lord shall be their God, and my servant David shall be their leader in their midst; I the Lord spoke.)
25 And I shall make with them a covenant of peace, and I shall make [the] worst beasts to cease from [the] earth; and they that dwell in desert, shall sleep secure in forests. (And I shall make a covenant of peace with them, and I shall make evil, or wild, beasts to cease to exist in the land; and then my sheep shall live with security in the field, and shall sleep with peace in the forests.)
26 And I shall set them [a] blessing in the compass of my little hill, and I shall lead down rain in his time. And rains of blessing shall be, (And I shall place them all around my little hill for a blessing, and I shall lead down rain in its time. Yea, there shall be blessed rains/Yea, there shall be rains of blessing,)
27 and the tree of the field shall give his fruit, and the earth shall give his seed. And they shall be in their land without dread; and they shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall all-break the chains of their yoke, and shall deliver them from the hand of them that command to them. (and the tree of the field shall give its fruit, and the earth shall give its seed. And they shall live in their land without any fear; and they shall know, that I am the Lord, when I shall all-break the chains of their yoke, and shall rescue them from the hands, or from the power, of those who commanded to them.)
28 And they shall no more be into raven into heathen men, neither the beasts of [the] earth shall devour them, but they shall dwell trustily without any dread. (And they shall no more be spoils for the heathen, nor shall the beasts of the field devour them, but they shall live with trust, and without any fear.)
29 And I shall raise to them a just burgeoning named; and they shall no more be made less for hunger in earth, and they shall no more bear the shame of heathen men. (And I shall raise up for them a burgeoning justly named; and they shall no more be made less because of famine in the land, and they shall no more bear the shame of the heathen.)
30 And they shall know, that I am their Lord God with them, and they be my people, the house of Israel, saith the Lord God. (And they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, be my people, saith the Lord God.)
31 Forsooth ye my flocks be men, the flocks of my pasture; and I am your Lord God, saith the Lord God. (For ye people be my flock, the flock of my pasture; and I am the Lord your God, saith the Lord God.)
5 Therefore I, an even-elder man, and a witness of Christ's passions, which also am a communer of that glory, that shall be showed in time to come; beseech the elder men, that be among you,[a]
2 feed ye the flock of God, that is among you, and purvey ye, not as constrained, but willfully, by God [purveying not constrainingly, but willfully, after God]; not for love of foul winning, but willfully,
3 neither as having lordship in the clergy, but that ye be made ensample to the flock, of will.[b]
4 And when the prince of shepherds shall appear, ye shall receive the crown of glory, that may never fade [that shall never fade].
5 Also, ye young men, be ye subject to elder men, and all show ye together meekness[c]; for the Lord withstandeth proud men, but he giveth grace to meek men.
6 Therefore be ye meeked under the mighty hand of God, that he raise you in the time of visitation [that he raise you in the day of visitation],
7 and cast ye all your busyness into him, for to him is care of you. [ye casting into him all your busyness, for to him is care of you.]
8 Be ye sober, and wake ye, for your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he shall devour.
9 Whom against stand ye, strong in the faith, witting that the same passion is made to that brotherhood of you, that is in the world [witting the same passion to be done to that your brotherhood, that is in the world].
10 And God of all grace, that called you into his everlasting glory, you suffering a little [in Christ Jesus], he shall perform, and shall confirm, and shall make firm [he shall perform, shall confirm, and shall make firm].
11 To him be glory and lordship, into worlds of worlds. Amen.
12 By Silvanus, [a] faithful brother to you as I deem, I wrote shortly; beseeching, and witnessing that this is the very grace of God, in which ye stand.
13 The church that is gathered in Babylon, and Marcus, my son, greeteth you well. [The church that is gathered at Babylon greeteth you well, and Marcus, my son.]
14 Greet ye well together in holy kiss. Grace be to you all that be in Christ. Amen.
2001 by Terence P. Noble