Hesekiel 33

1 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 “Onipa ba, kasa kyerɛ wo manmma na ka kyerɛ wɔn se: ‘Sɛ metwe mʼafoa wɔ asase bi so, na sɛ asase no so nnipa yi wɔn mmarima no mu baako sɛ ɔnyɛ ɔwɛmfo mma wɔn,

“Son of man, declare this to your people; say to them, 'When I bring a sword against any land, then the people of that land take one man from among themselves and make him a watchman for them.

3 na ohu sɛ afoa reba abɛko atia asase no a, ɔhyɛn torobɛnto de bɔ nnipa no kɔkɔ.

He looks for the sword as it comes on the land, and he blows his horn to warn the people!

4 Na sɛ obi te torobɛnto no nnyigyei na wanna ne ho so, na sɛ afoa no bekum no a, ne mogya bɛbɔ ɔno ankasa ti so.

If the people hear the sound of the horn but do not pay attention, and if the sword comes and kills them, then each one's blood is on his own head.

5 Esiane sɛ ɔtee torobɛnto no nnyigyei na wantie kɔkɔbɔ no nti, ne mogya bɛbɔ nʼankasa ti so. Sɛ otiee kɔkɔbɔ no a, anka onyaa ne ti didii mu.

If someone hears the sound of the horn and pays no attention, his blood is on him; but if he pays attention, he will save his own life.

6 Nanso sɛ ɔwɛmfo no hu sɛ afoa no reba na wanhyɛn torobɛnto no ammɔ nnipa no kɔkɔ, na sɛ afoa no ba bekum wɔn mu baako a, wɔbɛfa saa onipa no akɔ wɔ ne bɔne nti, nanso mɛma ɔwɛmfo no abu owufo no mogya ho akontaa.’

However, if the watchman sees the sword as it is coming, but if he does not blow the horn, with the result that the people are not warned, and if the sword comes and takes anyone's life, then that person dies in his own sin, but I will require his blood from the watchman.'

7 “Onipa ba, mayɛ wo ɔwɛmfo ama Israelfi, ɛno nti tie mʼanom nsɛm na fa kɔkɔbɔ a efi me nkyɛn ma wɔn.

Now you yourself, son of man! I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; you will hear the words from my mouth and warn them on my behalf.

8 Sɛ meka kyerɛ omumɔyɛfo se, ‘Wo omumɔyɛfo, owu na wubewu,’ na sɛ woankasa ankyerɛ no amma wamfi nʼakwan so a, saa omumɔyɛfo no bewu ne bɔne mu, na mɛma woabu ne mogya ho akontaa.

If I say to a wicked person, 'Wicked one, you will surely die!' but if you do not announce this so as to warn the wicked about his way, then he who is wicked will die in his sin, but I will require his blood from your hand!

9 Nanso sɛ wobɔ omumɔyɛfo no kɔkɔ sɛ omfi nʼakwan so na sɛ wanyɛ a, ne bɔne nti, obewu, nanso worenni ne mogya ho fɔ.

But you, if you warn the wicked about his way, so that he might turn back from it, and if he does not turn back from his way, then he will die in his sin, but you yourself will have saved your own life.

10 “Onipa ba, ka kyerɛ Israelfi se: ‘Sɛɛ ne nea moreka: “Yɛn mfomso ne yɛn nnebɔne hyɛ yɛn so, yɛresɛe, esiane eyinom nti. Na dɛn na yɛbɛyɛ na yɛanya nkwa?”’

So you, son of man, say to the house of Israel, 'You are saying this, “Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we are decaying in them! How can we live?”'

11 Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni, mʼani nnye amumɔyɛfo wu ho, na mmom mepɛ sɛ wɔdan fi wɔn akwan so na wonya nkwa. Monnan! Monnan mfi mo amumɔyɛ akwan no so! Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ muwuwu, Israelfi?’

Say to them, 'As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—I do not delight in the death of the wicked, for if the wicked repents from his way, then he will live! Repent! Repent from your wicked ways! For why should you die, house of Israel?'

12 “Ɛno nti onipa ba, ka kyerɛ wo manmma se, ‘Ɔtreneeni trenee rentumi nnye no nkwa wɔ bere a ɔnyɛ osetie; na omumɔyɛfo amumɔyɛ remma ɔnhwe ase wɔ bere a ɔdan fi ho. Sɛ ɔtreneeni yɛ bɔne a, ɔrennya nkwa wɔ ne kan treneeyɛ nti.’

So now you, son of man, say to your people, 'The righteousness of a righteous person will not save him if he sins! The wickedness of a wicked person will not cause him to perish if he repents from his sin! For the righteous person will not be able to live because of his righteousness if he sins.

13 Sɛ meka kyerɛ ɔtreneeni sɛ obenya nkwa, na afei ɔde ne ho to ne treneeyɛ so na ɔyɛ bɔne a, wɔrenkae ne kan trenee nneyɛe biara. Obewu wɔ ne bɔne a wayɛ nti.

If I say to the righteous, “He will surely live!” and if he trusts in his righteousness and then commits injustice, I will not call to mind any of his righteousness. He will die for the wickedness he committed.

14 Na sɛ meka kyerɛ omumɔyɛfo se, ‘Owu na wubewu,’ na afei ɔdan fi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ,

So if I say to the wicked, “You will surely die,” but if he then repents from his sins and does what is just and right—

15 na sɛ ɔsan de bosea ho awowaside ma, na ɔsan de nea wawia ma, na odi ahyɛde a ɛma nkwa so, na wanyɛ bɔne a, ampa ara obenya nkwa, na ɔrenwu.

if he restores the loan guarantee that he wickedly demanded, or if he makes restitution for what he has stolen, and if he walks in the statutes that give life and no longer commits sin—then he will surely live. He will not die.

16 Wɔrenkae bɔne a wayɛ no mu biara ntia no. Wayɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ, ampa ara obenya nkwa.

None of the sins that he has committed will be called to mind for him. He has acted justly and rightly, and so, he will surely live!

17 “Nanso wo manmma ka se, ‘Awurade akwan nteɛ.’ Nanso ɛyɛ wɔn akwan mmom na ɛnteɛ.

But your people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” but it is your ways that are not fair!

18 Sɛ ɔtreneeni fi ne trenee ho na ɔyɛ bɔne a, ɛno nti obewu.

When the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits sin, then he will die in it!

19 Na sɛ omumɔyɛfo dan fi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ nea eye na ɛteɛ a, obenya nkwa.

When the wicked turns away from his wickedness and does what is just and righteous, he will live because of those things!

20 Nanso Israelfi, moka se, ‘Awurade akwan nteɛ.’ Nanso mebu obiara atɛn sɛnea nʼakwan te.”

But you people say, “The way of the Lord is not fair!” I will judge each of you according to his way, house of Israel!'”

21 Yɛn asutwa afe a ɛto so dumien no sram a ɛto so du no nnaanum so, ɔbarima bi a waguan afi Yerusalem baa me nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Kuropɔn no ahwe ase!”

It happened in the twelfth year, on the fifth day of the tenth month of our captivity, that a fugitive came to me from Jerusalem and said, “The city has been captured!”

22 Na anwummere a ade rebɛkye ama ɔbarima no aba no, na Awurade nsa wɔ me so na obuee mʼano ansa na ɔbarima no baa anɔpa. Enti na mʼano abue a mitumi kasa.

The hand of Yahweh had been on me in the evening before the fugitive came, and my mouth was opened by the time that he came to me in the dawn. So my mouth was open; I was no longer mute!

23 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

24 “Onipa ba, nnipa a wɔtete saa nnwiriwii so wɔ Israel asase no so no reka se, ‘Abraham yɛ onipa baako, nanso onyaa asase no nyinaa. Nanso yɛdɔɔso, na nokware wɔde asase no ama yɛn sɛ yɛn agyapade.’

“Son of man, the ones inhabiting those ruins in the land of Israel are talking and say, 'Abraham was only one person, and he inherited the land, but we are many! The land has been given to us as a possession.'

25 Ɛno nti, ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Sɛ mowe nam a mogya wɔ mu, mosom mo anyame na muhwie mogya gu nti, ɛsɛ sɛ mofa asase no ana?

Therefore say to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: You eat blood, and you lift up your eyes towards your idols, then you pour out people's blood. Should you really possess the land?

26 Mode mo ho to mo afoa so. Moyɛ akyiwade na mo mu biara gu ne yɔnko yere ho fi. Ɛsɛ sɛ munya asase no ana?’

You have depended on your swords and have done disgusting things; each man defiles his neighbor's wife. Should you really possess the land?'

27 “Ka eyi kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Otumfo Awurade se ni: Ampa ara sɛ mete ase yi, wɔn a wɔaka wɔ kurow no nnwiriwii mu no bɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano. Wɔn a wɔwɔ wuram no mede wɔn bɛma nkekaboa ama wɔawe wɔn na wɔn a wɔwɔ abandennen ne abodan mu no, ɔyaredɔm bekunkum wɔn.

You will say this to them, 'The Lord Yahweh says this: As I live, surely the ones in the ruins will fall by the sword, and I will give those in the fields to the living creatures as food, and those in fortresses and in caves will die of plagues.

28 Mɛsɛe asase no ama ayɛ amamfo, na nʼahomaso ahoɔden no bɛba awiei na Israel mmepɔw no bɛda mpan a obiara rentwa mu wɔ hɔ.

Then I will turn the land into a desolation and a horror, and the pride of its might will end, for the mountains of Israel will be deserted, and there will be no one to pass through them.'

29 Afei wobehu sɛ mene Awurade no, bere a mama asase no ada mpan wɔ akyiwade a wɔayɛ nyinaa nti.’

So they will know that I am Yahweh, when I make the land a desolation and a waste because of all the abominations that they have done.

30 “Wo de, onipa ba, wo manmma reka wo ho nsɛm wɔ afasu ho ne afi apon ano kyerɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho se, ‘Mommra mmetie asɛm a efi Awurade nkyɛn aba.’

So now you, son of man—your people are saying things about you beside the walls and the gates of the houses, and each says to one another—each man to his brother, 'Let us go and listen to the prophet's word that comes out from Yahweh!'

31 Me nkurɔfo ba wo nkyɛn, sɛnea wɔyɛ daa no, bɛtenatena wʼanim betie wo nsɛm, nanso wɔmmfa nyɛ adwuma. Wɔde wɔn ano ka ahofama, nanso wɔn koma mu de, wɔn ani bere asisi mu adenya.

So my people will come to you, as they often do, and will sit in front of you and listen to your words, but they will not obey them. Right words are in their mouths, but their hearts are going after unjust profit.

32 Nokware, wɔn de, wote sɛ obi a ne nne yɛ dɛ, na ɔde nnwontode to ɔdɔ nnwom, efisɛ wɔte wo nsɛm nanso wɔmmfa nyɛ adwuma.

For you are like a lovely song to them, a beautiful sound that is well played on a stringed instrument, so they will listen to your words, but none of them will obey them.

33 “Sɛ eyinom nyinaa ba mu a, na nokware ɛbɛba mu nso, na afei wobehu sɛ odiyifo bi baa wɔn mu.”

So when all of this happens—behold! it will happen!—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”