Hesekiel 33

1 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

2 “Onipa ba, kasa kyerɛ wo ɔman mma na ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ: ‘Sɛ metwe mʼakofena wɔ asase bi so, na sɛ asase no so nnipa yi wɔn mmarima no mu baako sɛ ɔnyɛ ɔwɛmfoɔ 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 ɔhunu sɛ akofena reba abɛtia asase no a, ɔhyɛne totorobɛnto 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 totorobɛnto no nnyegyeeɛ na wanna ne ho so, na sɛ akofena no bɛkum no a, ne mogya bɛbɔ ɔno ankasa tiri 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 totorobɛnto no nnyegyeeɛ na wantie kɔkɔbɔ no enti, ne mogya bɛbɔ nʼankasa tiri so. Sɛ ɔtiee kɔkɔbɔ no a, anka ɔnyaa ne tiri 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 ɔwɛmfoɔ no hunu sɛ akofena no reba na wanhyɛne totorobɛnto no ammɔ nnipa no kɔkɔ, na sɛ akofena no ba bɛkum wɔn mu baako a, wɔbɛfa saa onipa no akɔ wɔ ne bɔne enti, nanso mɛma ɔwɛmfoɔ no abu owufoɔ no mogya ho akonta.’

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 ɔwɛmfoɔ ama Israel efie, ɛno enti tie mʼanum nsɛm na fa kɔkɔbɔ a ɛfiri 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 omumuyɛfoɔ sɛ, ‘Ao omumuyɛfoɔ owuo na wobɛwuo,’ na sɛ wʼankasa ankyerɛ no amma wamfiri nʼakwan so a, saa omumuyɛfoɔ no bɛwu ne bɔne mu, na mɛma woabu ne mogya ho akonta.

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 omumuyɛfoɔ no kɔkɔ sɛ ɔmfiri nʼakwan so na sɛ wanyɛ a, ne bɔne enti, ɔbɛwu, 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 Israel efie sɛ: ‘Yei ne deɛ moreka: “Yɛn mfomsoɔ ne yɛn nnebɔne hyɛ yɛn so, yɛresɛe ɛsiane yeinom enti. Na ɛdeɛn 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 sɛ, ‘Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie, mʼani nnye amumuyɛfoɔ wuo ho, na mmom mepɛ sɛ wɔdane firi wɔn akwan so na wɔnya nkwa. Monnane! Monnane mfiri mo amumuyɛ akwan no so! Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mowuwuo, Ao Israel efie?’

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 enti onipa ba, ka kyerɛ wo ɔman mma sɛ, ‘Ɔteneneeni tenenee rentumi nye no nkwa wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔnnyɛ ɔsetie; na omumuyɛfoɔ amumuyɛ remma ɔnhwe ase wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔdane firi ho. Sɛ ɔteneneeni yɛ bɔne a, ɔrennya nkwa wɔ ne kane teneneeyɛ enti.’

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 ɔteneneeni sɛ ɔbɛnya nkwa, na afei ɔde ne ho to ne teneneeyɛ so na ɔyɛ bɔne a, wɔrenkae ne kane tenenee adeyɛ biara. Ɔbɛwu wɔ ne bɔne a wayɛ enti.

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 omumuyɛfoɔ sɛ, ‘Owuo na wobɛwuo,’ na afei ɔdane firi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ deɛ ɛyɛ na ɛtene,

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 ɔsane de bosea ho awowasideɛ ma, na ɔsane de deɛ wawia ma, na ɔdi ahyɛdeɛ a ɛma nkwa soɔ, na wanyɛ bɔne a, ampa ara ɔbɛnya 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 deɛ ɛyɛ na ɛtene, ampa ara ɔbɛnya 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 ɔman mma ka sɛ, ‘Awurade akwan ntene.’ Nanso ɛyɛ wɔn akwan mmom na ɛnteneɛ.

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

18 Sɛ ɔteneneeni firi ne tenenee ho na ɔyɛ bɔne a, ɛno enti ɔbɛwu.

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

19 Na sɛ omumuyɛfoɔ dane firi ne nnebɔne ho na ɔyɛ deɛ ɛyɛ na ɛtene a, ɔbɛnya 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, Ao Israel efie, moka sɛ, ‘Awurade akwan ntene.’ Nanso mɛbu obiara atɛn sɛdeɛ nʼakwan teɛ.”

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 nnommumfa afe a ɛtɔ so dumienu no bosome a ɛtɔ so edu no nnannum so, ɔbarima bi a wadwane afiri Yerusalem baa me nkyɛn bɛkaa sɛ, “Kuropɔn no ahwease!”

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 anwummerɛ a adeɛ rebɛkyeɛ ama ɔbarima no aba no, na Awurade nsa wɔ me so na ɔbuee mʼano ansa na ɔbarima no baa anɔpa. Enti na mʼano abue a metumi 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 sɛ,

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

24 “Onipa ba, nnipa a wɔtete saa mmubuiɛ so wɔ Israel asase no so no reka sɛ, ‘Abraham mpo a ɔyɛ onipa baako no, ɔnyaa asase no nyinaa. Enti yɛn a yɛdɔɔso yi nso, nokorɛm, wɔde asase no nyinaa ama yɛn sɛ yɛn agyapadeɛ.’

“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 enti, ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Sɛ mowe ɛnam a mogya wɔ mu, na mosom mo anyame na mohwie mogya guo enti, ɛsɛ sɛ mofa asase no anaa?

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 akofena so. Moyɛ akyiwadeɛ na mo mu biara gu ne yɔnko yere ho fi. Ɛsɛ sɛ monya asase no anaa?’

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 yei kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie: Ampa ara sɛ mete ase yi, wɔn a wɔaka wɔ kuro no mmubuiɛ soɔ no bɛtotɔ wɔ akofena ano. Wɔn a wɔwɔ wiram no mede wɔn bɛma nkekaboa ama wɔawe wɔn na wɔn a wɔwɔ abandenden ne abodan mu no, ɔyaredɔm bɛkunkum 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 afo, na nʼahomasoɔ ahoɔden no bɛba awieeɛ na Israel mmepɔ no bɛda mpan a obiara rentwam 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 wɔbɛhunu sɛ mene Awurade no, ɛberɛ a mama asase no ada mpan wɔ akyiwadeɛ a wɔayɛ nyinaa enti.’

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 deɛ, onipa ba, wo ɔman mma reka wo ho nsɛm wɔ afasuo ho ne afie apono ano kyerɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, ‘Mommra mmɛtie asɛm a ɛfiri 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 nkurɔfoɔ ba wo nkyɛn, sɛdeɛ wɔyɛ daa no, bɛtenatena wʼanim bɛtie wo nsɛm, nanso wɔmmfa nyɛ adwuma. Wɔde wɔn ano ka ahofama, nanso wɔn akoma mu deɛ wɔn ani bere asisie 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 Nokorɛm, wɔn deɛ, wote sɛ obi a ne nne yɛ dɛ, na ɔde nnwontodeɛ to ɔdɔ nnwom, ɛfiri sɛ 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 yeinom nyinaa ba mu a, na nokorɛm ɛbɛba mu nso, na afei wɔbɛhunu sɛ odiyifoɔ 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.”