以西結書 18
1 上主的話傳給我說：「
The word of Yahweh came to me again, saying,
2 在以色列地區內，你們有這樣流行的俗話說：『祖先吃了酸葡萄，而子孫的牙酸倒』這話有什麼意思﹖
“What do you mean, you who use this proverb concerning the land of Israel and say, 'Fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are made blunt'?
3 我指著我的生命起誓──吾主上主的斷語──在以色列決不能再容許這俗話流行。
As I live—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—there will certainly no longer be any occasion for you to use this proverb in Israel.
4 所有的生命都屬於我，祖先的生命與子孫的生命全屬於我；誰犯罪，誰喪亡。
Behold! Every life belong to me—the life of the father as well as the life of the son, they belong to me! The soul who sins is the one who will die!
5 一個人若正義，必行公道正義的事。
What can be said about a man who is righteous and who carries out justice and righteousness—
6 他不上山吃祭物，不舉目瞻仰以色列家族的偶像，不污辱近人的妻子，不接近經期中的婦女，
if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and he does not defile his neighbor's wife, nor approached a woman during her monthly period, is he a righteous man?
7 不欺壓任何人，清還債戶的抵押，不搶劫，施給饑餓者食物，給赤身者衣穿，
What can be said about a man who does not oppress anyone, and he gives back to the debtor what was put up as security for a loan, and he does not commit theft but gives his food to the hungry and he covers the naked with clothes, is he a righteous man?
8 不放重利，不取息金，使自己的手遠避邪惡，在人與人之間執行公正的審斷，
What can be said about a man who does not charge too much interest for the money he loans, and he does not take too much profit for what he sells? It is said of him that he carries out justice and establishes faithfulness between people.
9 遵行我的法度，謹守我的誡命，行事忠信：這樣的人纔是正義的，必得生存──吾主的斷語──
If that man walks in my statutes and keeps my decrees to act faithfully, then the promise for this righteous man is this: He will surely live!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration.
10 倘若這人生了一個兒子，性暴好殺，只行這類的事；
But suppose that he has a violent son who sheds blood and does any one of these things that were mentioned,
11 對上述的事不但不作，反而上山吃祭物，污辱近人的妻子，
(though his father has not done any of these things). He eats upon the mountains and he defiles his neighbor's wife, what can be said about him?
12 欺壓貧窮無告的人，搶劫，不清還抵押，舉目瞻仰偶像，行醜惡之事，
This man oppresses the poor and needy, and he seizes and robs, and he does not return a pledge, and he lifts up his eyes to the idols and commits disgusting actions,
13 放重利，取利息：這樣的人決不能生存，因為他行了這些醜事，必要喪亡，他的血債必由他自己來負。
and he lends out money at too high interest and he makes too much profit on what he sells, should that man live? Surely he will not! He will certainly die and his blood will be on him because he has done all these detestable things.
14 倘若這人生了一個兒子，這兒子雖看見了他父親所行的一切罪過，但考慮之後，卻未依照去做；
But behold! Suppose there is a man who bears a son, and his son sees all the sins that his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do those things.
15 不在山上吃祭物，不舉目瞻仰以色列家族的偶像，不污辱近人的妻子，
That son does not eat upon the mountains, and he does not lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, and he does not defile his neighbor's wife, what can be said about him?
16 不欺壓，不索取抵押，不搶劫，施給饑餓者食物，給赤身者衣穿，
That son does not oppress anyone, or seize a pledge, or take stolen things, but instead gives his food to the hungry and covers up the naked with clothes.
17 使自己的手戒絕邪惡，不取重利和利息，謹守我的法律，遵行我的法度：這人必不因他父親的罪而喪亡，必得生存。
That son does not oppress anyone or take interest that is too high or make too much profit for a loan, but he carries out my decrees and walks according to my statutes; that son will not die for his father's sin: He will surely live!
18 至於他的父親，由於暴行，搶劫，在自己人民中從未行過善。看，他必因自己的罪而喪亡。
His father, since he oppressed others by extortion and robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people—behold, he will die in his iniquity.
19 你們或問：兒子為什麼不承當父親的罪過﹖因為兒子遵行法律和正義，謹守了我一切法度，而一一遵行，他必得生存。
But you say, 'Why does the son not bear the iniquity of his father?' Because the son carries out justice and righteousness and keeps all my statutes; he does them. He will surely live!
20 誰犯罪，誰就該喪亡；兒子不承當父親的罪過，父親不承當兒子的罪過；義人的正義歸於義人自己，惡人的邪惡也歸於惡人自己。
The one who sins, he is the one who will die. A son will not bear his father's iniquity, and a father will not bear his son's iniquity. The righteousness of the one who acts rightly will be on himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be on himself.
21 若惡人悔改，遠離所犯的罪過，遵守我的法度，遵行我的法律和正義，必得生存，不至喪亡。
But if the wicked turns away from all his sins that he has done, and keeps all my statutes and performs justice and righteousness, then he will certainly live and not die.
22 他所行的一切邪惡必被遺忘；他必因所行的正義而得生存。
All the transgressions that he has committed will not be called to mind against him. He will live by the righteousness that he practices.
23 我豈能喜歡惡人的喪亡﹖──吾主上主的斷語──我豈不更喜歡他離開舊道而得生存﹖
Do I greatly rejoice over the death of the wicked—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—and not in his turning away from his way so that he may live?
24 若義人離棄了正義而行惡，一如惡人所慣行的醜惡，他豈能生存﹖他行過的正義必被遺忘，因為他背信違約，犯了罪過，必要喪亡。
But if the righteous person turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and practices abominations like all the abominations that the wicked person does, then will he live? All the righteousness that he had done will not be called to mind when he betrays me in his treason. So he will die in the sins that he committed.
25 你們或說：上主的作法不公平! 以色列家族，請聽我說：是我的作法不公平嗎﹖豈不是你們的作法不公平﹖
But you say, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' Listen, house of Israel! Are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?
26 若是義人離棄正義而行惡，因而喪亡，是因為他所行的惡而喪亡。
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity and dies because of them, then he will die in the iniquity that he has done.
27 若惡人遠離他所行的惡事，而遵行法律和正義，必能保全自己的生命，
But when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has done and performs justice and righteousness, then he will preserve his life.
28 因為他考慮之後，離棄了所行的一切惡事，他必生存，不至喪亡。
For he has seen and turned away from all the transgressions that he had done. He will surely live, and he will not die.
29 若以色列家族還說：吾主的作法不公平。以色列家族! 是我的作法不公平嗎﹖豈不是你們的作法不公平﹖
But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair!' How is my way not fair, house of Israel? It is your ways that are not fair.
30 以色列家族! 我要照各人的行為裁判你們──吾主上主的斷語──你們應回心轉意，離開你們的一切罪惡，避免它們再做你們犯罪的絆腳石。
Therefore I will judge each man among you according to his ways, house of Israel!—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration. Repent and turn away from all your transgressions so that they will not be stumbling blocks of iniquity against you.
31 由你們身上拋契一切得罪我的惡行罷! 你們應改造一個新心，一種新的精神! 以色列家族，為何你們偏要喪亡﹖
Throw away from yourselves all of the transgressions that you have committed; make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, house of Israel?
32 因為我不喜歡任何人喪亡──吾主上主的斷語－－你們回心轉意罷! 你們必得生存!
For I have no delight in the death of the one who dies—this is the Lord Yahweh's declaration—so repent and live!”
