1 T he word of the Lord came to me again, saying,

ثُمَّ أتَتْ إلَيَّ كَلِمَةُ اللهِ:

2 W hat do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?

«ماذا تعنُونَ أيُّها النّاسُ حِينَ تَقتَبِسُونَ هَذا المَثلَ عَنْ إسْرائِيلَ: ‹الآباءُ يَأكُلُونَ الحُصرُمَ، وَأسنانُ الأبناءِ تَضرَسُ؟›»

3 A s I live, says the Lord God, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.

يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: «أُقْسِمُ بِذاتِي إنَّكُمْ لَنْ تَعُودُوا تَقتَبِسُونَ هَذا المَثَلَ فِي إسْرائِيلَ.

4 B ehold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine; the soul that sins, it shall die.

فَاعلَمُوا أنَّ حَياةَ النّاسِ جَميعاً لِي: حَياةُ الوالِدِ وَحَياةُ المَولودِ كِلاهُما لِي. الإنسانُ الَّذِي يُخطِئُ هُوَ يَمُوتُ.

5 B ut if a man is righteous (upright and in right standing with God) and does what is lawful and right,

أمّا البارُّ فَهُوَ الَّذِي يَصْنَعُ العَدلَ وَالبِرَّ،

6 A nd has not eaten upon the mountains nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife nor come near to a woman in her time of impurity,

وَلا يَأكُلُ عَلَى مَزاراتِ الجِبالِ، وَلا يُقَدِّمُ ذَبائِحَ لأصْنامِ بَني إسْرائِيلَ البَغِيضَةِ، وَلا يُنَجِّسُ زَوجَةَ جارِهِ، أوْ يُعاشِرَ امْرأةً خِلالَ حَيضِها.

7 A nd has not wronged anyone but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery but has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment,

لا يَستَغِلُّ النّاسَ، بَلْ يَرُدُّ الرَّهنَ لِمَنْ يَقْتَرِضُ مِنهُ. يُعطِي طَعاماً للِجائِعِ، وَيُلبِسُ مَنْ لا ثِيابَ لَهُ.

8 W ho does not charge interest or percentage of increase on what he lends, who withholds his hand from iniquity, who executes true justice between man and man,

وَلا يَأخُذُ رِباً أوْ رِبحاً زائِداً. يَتَجَنَّبُ الإثْمَ، وَيَحْكُمُ بالعَدلِ بَينَ المُتَخاصِمِينَ.

9 W ho has walked in My statutes and kept My ordinances, to deal justly; he is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord God.

يَتبَعُ شَرائِعِي وَيَحفَظُ أحكامِي. لِيَعمَلَ ما هُوَ حَقٌّ وَعَدلٌ. فَهَذا إنسانٌ بارٌّ، وَسَيَحيا.» يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ.

10 I f he begets a son who is a robber or a shedder of blood, who does to a brother either of these sins of violence,

«لَكِنْ قَدْ يَكُونُ لِذَلِكَ الإنسانِ ابنٌ قاتِلٌ مُتَمَرِّدٌ،

11 A nd leaves undone all of the duties, and has even eaten on the mountains and defiled his neighbor’s wife,

يَعمَلُ أُموراً كَهَذِهِ – مَعَ أنَّ أبيهِ لا يَفعَلُها: يَأكُلُ فِي مَزاراتِ الجِبالِ، يُنَجِّسُ زَوجَةَ جارِهِ،

12 H as wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored his pledge, has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination (things hateful and exceedingly vile in the eyes of God),

يَظلُمُ الفَقِيرَ وَالعاجِزَ، يَسرِقُ وَلا يَرُدُّ رَهناً، يَعبُدُ الأوثانَ، يقتَرِفُ خَطايا بَغيضَةً،

13 A nd has charged interest or percentage of increase on what he has loaned; shall he then live? He shall not live! He has done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

يأخُذُ رِباً وَرِبحاً زائِداً. أفَيحيا ذَلِكَ الإنسانُ؟ لا بَلْ يَمُوتُ. فَلِأنَّهُ عَمِلَ كُلَّ هَذِهِ الخَطايا الكَرِيهَةِ، يَنْبَغِي أنْ يَمُوتَ.

14 B ut if this wicked man begets a son who sees all the sins which his father has committed, and considers and fears and does not do like his father,

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لِهَذا الإنسانِ ابنٌ رَأى كُلَّ الخَطايا الَّتِي ارتَكَبَها أبُوهُ، فَفَهِمَ وَلَمْ يَعمَلْ ما عَمِلَهُ أبُوهُ.

15 W ho has not eaten upon the mountains nor has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbor’s wife,

لَمْ يأكُلْ فِي مَزاراتِ الجِبالِ، وَلَمْ يَعبُدْ أوثانَ بَني إسْرائِيلَ، وَلَمْ يُنَجِّسُ زَوجَةَ جارِهِ.

16 N or wronged anyone, nor has taken anything in pledge, nor has taken by robbery but has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment,

لَمْ يَظلِمُ أحَداً، وَلَمْ يَحتَفِظُ بِرَهنٍ أوْ يَسْرِقْ. لَكِنَّهُ يُعطِي مِنْ طَعامِهِ لِلجائِعِ، ويُلبِسُ العُريانَ ثِيابَهُ.

17 W ho has withdrawn his hand from the poor, who has not received interest or increase but has executed My ordinances and has walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father; he shall surely live.

يَتَجَنَّبُ الإثمَ، وَلا يأخُذُ رِباً أوْ رِبحاً زائِداً. يَحفَظُ أحكامِي وَيُطِيعُ فَرائِضِي. فَلا يَهلِكُ مِثلُ هَذا بِسَبَبِ إثمِ أبِيهِ، بَلْ يَحيا.

18 A s for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, behold, he shall die for his iniquity and guilt.

فَإنْ كانَ أبُوهُ ظَلَمَ النّاسَ، وَسَرَقَ أخِيهِ، وَعَمِلَ شُرُوراً كَثِيرَةً وَسَطَ شَعبِهِ. فَهَذا سَيَهلِكُ بِذَنبِهِ.

19 Y et do you say, Why does not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done that which is lawful and right and has kept all My statutes and has done them, he shall surely live.

فَلِماذا أيُّها النّاسُ تَسألُونَ لِماذا لا يُعانِي الابنُ بِسَبَبِ ما فَعَلَهُ أبُوهُ؟ كانَ الِابنُ عادِلاً وَعَمِلَ ما هُوَ صالِحٌ، وَأطاعَ شَرائِعِي وَعَمِلَ بِها، وَلِذا فَهُوَ بَريءٌ وَسَيَحيا.

20 T he soul that sins, it shall die. The son shall not bear and be punished for the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear and be punished for the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him only, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon the wicked only.

الإنسانُ الَّذِي يُخطِئُ هُوَ الَّذِي يَمُوتُ. وَلَنْ يُعاقَبَ الأبُ عَلَى خَطايا ابنِهِ. الإنسانُ الصّالِحُ مَسؤُولٌ عَنْ صَلاحِهِ، وَالإنسانُ الشِّرِّيرُ مَسؤُولٌ عَنْ شَرِّهِ.

21 B ut if the wicked man turns from all his sins that he has committed and keeps all My statutes and does that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

وَإنْ تابَ إنسانٌ شِرِّيرٌ عَنْ خَطاياهُ، وَحَفِظَ شَرائِعِي وَعَمِلَ ما هُوَ عَدلٌ وَصَلاحٌ، فَإنَّهُ لَنْ يَهلِكَ.

22 N one of his transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for his righteousness which he has executed, he shall live.

وَلَنْ تُذكَرَ أيُّ خَطيَّةٍ مِنْ خَطاياهُ السّابِقَةِ لِيُحاسَبَ عَنها. وَبِسَبَبِ الصَّلاحِ الَّذِي يَعمَلُهُ فَإنَّهُ سَيَحيا.»

23 H ave I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord, and not rather that he should turn from his evil way and return and live?

يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ: «هَلْ أُسَرُّ بِمُوتَ الشِّرِّيرُ، أمْ بِأنْ يَتُوبَ عَنْ شَرِّهِ فَيَحيا.»

24 B ut if the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered. In his trespass that he has trespassed and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.

«هَلْ يَحيا البارُّ، إنْ عادَ عَنْ بِرِّهِ، وَعَمِلَ شُرُوراً كَرِيهَةً كَالأشرارِ؟ بَلْ لَنْ يُذكَرَ شَيءٌ مِنْ أعمالِهِ الصّالِحَةِ القَدِيمَةِ، وَسَيَهلِكُ بِسَبَبِ خِيانَتِهِ وَخَطاياهُ الَّتِي ارْتَكَبَها.

25 Y et you say, The way of the Lord is not fair and just. Hear now, O house of Israel: Is not My way fair and just? Are not your ways unfair and unjust?

وَلَكِنَّكُمْ تَقُولُونَ: ‹طَرِيقُ الرَّبِّ لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً!› أَطَرِيقِي أنا لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً يا بَيتَ إسْرائِيلَ، أمْ طُرُقُكُمْ أنتُمْ لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً؟

26 W hen a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies in his sins, for his iniquity that he has done he shall die.

فَحِينَ لا يَعُودُ الصّالِحُ يَعِيشُ بِالصَّلاحِ وَيَبدَأُ بِعَمَلِ الشَّرِّ، فَإنِّي سَأُمِيتُهُ بِسَبَبِ شُرُورِهِ. سَيَمُوتُ بِسَبَبِ أعمالِهِ الشِّرِّيرَةِ.

27 A gain, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his life.

وَحِينَ لا يَعُودُ الشِّرِّيرُ يَعمَلُ الشُّرُورَ، وَيَبدَأُ بِعَمَلِ ما هُوَ صالِحٌ وَعادِلٌ، فَإنَّهُ بِهَذا يُنَجِّي نَفسَهُ.

28 B ecause he considers and turns away from all his transgressions which he has committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

فَإنْ فَهِمَ وَتابَ عَنْ آثامِهِ وَخَطاياهُ الَّتِي عَمِلَها، فَإنَّهُ سَيَحيا وَلَنْ يَهلِكَ.

29 Y et says the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not fair and just! O house of Israel, are not My ways fair and just? Are not your ways unfair and unjust?

وَمَعَ هَذا فَإنَّ بَيتَ إسْرائِيلَ يَقُولُونَ: ‹طَرِيقُ الرَّبِّ لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً!› أَطَرِيقِي أنا لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً يا بَيتَ إسْرائِيلَ، أمْ طُرُقُكُمْ أنتُمْ لَيسَتْ مُستَقِيمَةً؟»

30 T herefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin and so shall they not be a stumbling block to you.

يَقُولُ الرّبُّ الإلَهُ: «أنا الَّذِي أحكُمُ عَلَى كُلِّ إنسانٍ بِحَسَبِ سُلُوكِهِ. فَتُوبُوا وَارجِعُوا عَنْ كُلِّ آثامِكُمْ وَخَطاياكُمْ، حَتَّى لا تُدّمِّرَكُمْ آثامُكُمْ.

31 C ast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed against Me, and make you a new mind and heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel?

تَخَلَّصُوا مِنْ كُلِّ الآثامِ الَّتِي اقتَرَفتُمُوها، وَخُذُوا قَلباً جَدِيداً وَرُوحاً جَدِيدَةً. يا بَني إسْرائِيلَ، لِماذا تَمُوتُونَ؟

32 F or I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn (be converted) and live!

أنا لا أُسَرُّ بِمَوتِ أحَدٍ. تُوبُوا عَنِ الشَّرِّ وَاحيُوا.» يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ.