Jerusalem Is Unfaithful
1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, remind the people of Jerusalem of their disgusting sins 3 and tell them that I, the Lord God, am saying:
Jerusalem, you were born in the country where Canaanites lived. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. 4 When you were born, no one cut you loose from your mother or washed your body. No one rubbed your skin with salt and olive oil, and wrapped you in warm blankets. 5 Not one person loved you enough to do any of these things, and no one even felt sorry for you. You were despised, thrown into a field, and forgotten.
6 I saw you lying there, rolling around in your own blood, and I couldn't let you die. 7 I took care of you, like someone caring for a tender, young plant. You grew up to be a beautiful young woman with mature breasts and hair, but you were still naked.
8 When I saw you again, you were old enough to have sex. So I covered your naked body with my own robe. Then I solemnly promised that you would belong to me and that I, the Lord God, would take care of you.
9 I washed the blood off you and rubbed your skin with olive oil. 10 I gave you the finest clothes and the most expensive robes, as well as sandals made from the best leather. 11 I gave you bracelets, a necklace, 12 a ring for your nose, some earrings, and a beautiful crown. 13 Your jewelry was gold and silver, and your clothes were made of only the finest material and embroidered linen. Your bread was baked from fine flour, and you ate honey and olive oil. You were as beautiful as a queen, 14 and everyone on earth knew it. I, the Lord God, had helped you become a lovely young woman.
15 You learned that you were attractive enough to have any man you wanted, so you offered yourself to every passerby. 16 You made shrines for yourself and decorated them with some of your clothes. That's where you took your visitors to have sex with them. These things should never have happened! 17 You made idols out of the gold and silver jewelry I gave you, then you sinned by worshiping those idols. 18 You dressed them in the clothes you got from me, and you offered them the olive oil and incense I gave you. 19 I supplied you with fine flour, olive oil, and honey, but you sacrificed it all as offerings to please those idols. I, the Lord God, watched this happen.
20 But you did something even worse than that—you sacrificed your own children to those idols! 21 You slaughtered my children, so you could offer them as sacrifices. 22 You were so busy sinning and being a prostitute that you refused to think about the days when you were young and were rolling around naked in your own blood.
23 Now I, the Lord God, say you are doomed! Not only did you do these evil things, 24 but you also built places on every street corner 25 where you disgraced yourself by having sex with anyone who walked by. And you did that more and more every day! 26 To make me angry, you even offered yourself to Egyptians, who were always ready to sleep with you.
27 So I punished you by letting those greedy Philistine enemies take over some of your territory. But even they were offended by your repulsive behavior.
28 You couldn't get enough sex, so you chased after Assyrians and slept with them. You still weren't satisfied, 29 so you went after Babylonians. But those merchants could not satisfy you either.
30 I, the Lord God, say that you were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted. 31 You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That's worse than being a prostitute! 32 You are nothing but an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. 33 Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. 34 You're not like other prostitutes. Men don't ask you for sex—you offer to pay them!
Jerusalem Must Be Punished
The Lord said:
35 Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to me. 36 You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. 37 So I, the Lord God, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. 38 I will find you guilty of being an unfaithful wife and a murderer, and in my fierce anger I will sentence you to a violent death! 39 Then I will hand you over to your lovers, who will tear down the places where you had sex. They will take your clothes and jewelry, leaving you naked and empty-handed.
40 Your lovers and an angry mob will stone you to death; they will cut your dead body into pieces 41 and burn down your houses. Other women will watch these terrible things happen to you. I promise to stop you from being a prostitute and paying your lovers for sex.
42 Only then will I calm down and stop being angry and jealous. 43 You made me furious by doing all these disgusting things and by forgetting how I took care of you when you were young. Then you made things worse by acting like a prostitute. You must be punished! I, the Lord God, have spoken.
Jerusalem's Two Sisters
The Lord said:
44 People will use this saying about you, Jerusalem: “If the mother is bad, so is her daughter.” 45 You are just like your mother, who hated her husband and her own children. You are also like your sisters, who hated their husbands and children. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. 46 Your older sister was Samaria, that city to your north with her nearby villages. Your younger sister was Sodom, that city to your south with her nearby villages. 47 You followed their way of life and their wicked customs, and soon you were more repulsive than they were.
48 As surely as I am the living Lord God, the people of Sodom and its nearby villages were never as sinful as you. 49 They were arrogant and spoiled; they had everything they needed and still refused to help the poor and needy. 50 They thought they were better than everyone else, and they did things I hate. And so I destroyed them.
51 You people of Jerusalem have sinned twice as much as the people of Samaria. In fact, your evil ways have made both Sodom and Samaria look innocent. 52 So their punishment will seem light compared to yours. You will be disgraced and put to shame because of your disgusting sins.
Jerusalem Will Be Ashamed
The Lord said to Jerusalem:
53 Someday I will bless Sodom and Samaria and their nearby villages. I will also bless you, Jerusalem. 54 Then you will be ashamed of how you've acted, and Sodom and Samaria will be relieved that they weren't as sinful as you. 55 When that day comes, you and Sodom and Samaria will once again be well-off, and all nearby villages will be restored.
56 Jerusalem, you were so arrogant that you sneered at Sodom. 57 But now everyone has learned how wicked you really are. The countries of Syria and Philistia, as well as your other neighbors, hate you and make insulting remarks. 58 You must pay for all the vulgar and disgusting things you have done. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Makes a Promise to Jerusalem
The Lord said:
59 Jerusalem, you deserve to be punished, because you broke your promises and ignored our agreement. 60 But I remember the agreement I made with you when you were young, and so I will make you a promise that will last forever. 61 When you think about how you acted, you will be ashamed, especially when I return your sisters to you as daughters, even though this was not part of our agreement. 62 I will keep this solemn promise, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63 I will forgive you, but you will think about your sins and be too ashamed to say a word. I, the Lord God, have spoken.
أورشليم الخائنة
1 وقالَ ليَ الرّبُّ: 2 يا ا‏بنَ البشَرِ‌، أخبِرْ أُورُشليمَ بأعمالِها الرَّجسَةِ، 3 وقُلْ لها كلامَ السَّيِّدِ الرّبِّ: يا أُورُشليمُ‌! أصلُكِ وفصلُكِ مِنْ أرضِ الكنعانيِّينَ، وأبوكِ أموريّ وأمُّكِ حِثِّيَّةٌ‌. 4 يومَ وُلدْتِ لا أحدَ قطعَ سُرَّتَكِ، ولا غسَلَكِ بالماءِ لتنظِيفِكِ، ولا ملَّحَكِ‌ بالمِلحِ، ولا لفَّكِ بالقِماطِ. 5 ما توجَّعَ علَيكِ أحدٌ ولا أشفقَ فعمِلَ لكِ شيئا مِنْ ذلِكَ، بل نُبِذتِ على وجهِ البرِّيَّةِ احتقارا لكِ يومَ وُلدْتِ.
6 «فمَررْتُ بكِ ورَأيتُكِ مُلطَّخةً بدمِكِ، فقُلتُ لكِ وأنتِ في دمِكِ عيشي، لا تموتي! 7 وا‏نمي كنَبتِ الحقلِ. فنَمَوتِ وكَبُرتِ وبَلغْتِ سِنَ الزَّواجِ‌، فنَهدَ ثدياكِ ونبتَ شعرُكِ وأنتِ عريانةٌ مُتعرِّيةٌ.
8 «ومرَرْتُ بكِ ثانيةً ورَأيتُكِ ناضجةً للحبِّ، فبسَطْتُ طرفَ ثوبـي‌ علَيكِ وسَترتُ عورَتكِ وحَلفْتُ لكِ ودخلتُ معَكِ في عَهدٍ‌، فصِرْتِ لي. 9 فغسَّلتُكِ بالماءِ ونقَّيتُكِ مِنْ دَمِكِ. ثُمَّ مَسحتُكِ بالزَّيتِ، 10 وألبَستُكِ ثوبا مُزخرفا وجَعلْتُ الجِلْدَ الفاخرَ نعلا لكِ والكتَّانَ وِشاحَكِ والحريرَ كِسْوتَكِ. 11 زيَّنتُكِ بالحُلي، ووضعْتُ أساوِرَ في يَديكِ وقِلادةً في عُنُقِكِ. 12 وخِزامةً في أنفِكِ وحلقا في أذنيكِ وإكليلَ جمالٍ على رأسِكِ. 13 فتحلَّيتِ بالذَّهبِ والفِضَّةِ وكانَ ملبوسُكِ الكتَّانَ والحريرَ والوشيَ، وأكلْتِ السَّميذَ المخلوطَ بالعسَلِ والزَّيتِ. وتناهيتِ في الجَمالِ إلى أنْ لاقَ بكِ المُلْكُ‌. 14 فذاعَ صيتُكِ في الأمَمِ لجمالِكِ الّذي ا‏كتملَ ببهائي الّذي ألبستُكِ إيَّاهُ، يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ.
15 «فا‏تَّكلْتِ على جَمالِكِ وعلى ا‏سمِكِ فزنيتِ، وأغْدقتِ فَواحشَكِ على كُلِّ عابرِ سبـيلٍ‌ ومنحْتِ جَمالَكِ. 16 وأخذْتِ مِنْ ثيابِكِ، فزيَّنتِ‌ لكِ معابدَ وزنيتِ فيها وهذا ما لا يجبُ أنْ يكونَ. 17 وأخذْتِ أدواتِ جَمالِكِ مِنْ ذهبـي وفِضَّتي الّتي أعطيتُها لكِ، فصنعْتِ لكِ تَماثيلَ ذُكُورٍ وزنيتِ بها. 18 وأخذْتِ ثيابَكِ الموشَّاةَ، فكسَوتِ تِلكَ التَّماثيلَ‌ بها ووضعْتِ أمامَها زيتي وبَخوري 19 وخبزي الّذي أعطيتُهُ لكِ، والسَّميذَ المجبولَ بالزَّيتِ وبالعسَلِ الّذي أطعمْتُكِ، جعَلْتِها أمامَ التَّماثيلِ بَخورا طيِّبَ الرَّائحةِ، يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ. 20 وأخذْتِ بَنيكِ وبَناتِكِ الّذينَ ولَدْتِهِم لي، فذَبحْتِهِم للتَّماثيلِ طَعاما. أقليلٌ هذا مِنْ فَواحشِكِ‌؟ 21 أنْ تذبحي أبنَائي وتُسَلِّميهِم قُربانا في النَّارِ لها؟ 22 وفي جميعِ أرجاسِكِ وفَواحشِكِ ما ذكَرتِ أيّامَ صِباكِ، حينَ كُنتِ عُريانةً مُتعرِّيةً مُلطَّخَةً بدمِكِ؟
23 «ويلٌ لكِ، ويلٌ لكِ! يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ. فبَعدَ كُلِّ شَرِّكِ 24 بَنيتِ لكِ قُبَّةً وصنَعتِ مُرتفَعا في كُلِّ ساحةٍ. 25 في رأسِ كُلِّ شارعٍ بَنيتِ مُرتفَعَكِ ودنَّستِ جَمالَكِ، ووَهبْتِ جسَدَكِ لكُلِّ عابرٍ، وأكثرْتِ فَواحشَكِ. 26 وزنيتِ معَ بَني مِصْرَ‌ جيرانِكِ الجِسامِ الأعضاءِ إمعانا في الفُحْشِ لتغيظيني. 27 فها أنا الآنَ أُعاقِبُكِ، وأستردُّ قِسما مِنَ الأرضِ الّتي أعطيتُكِ، وأُسلِّمُكِ إلى أهواءِ أعدائِكِ مُدُنِ الفلِسطيِّينَ‌ اللَّواتي خَجِلْنَ مِنْ طريقِكِ الفاجرِ. 28 وما كفاكِ هذا. فزنيتِ معَ بَني أشُّورَ، زنيتِ معَهُم وما شبعْتِ. 29 وأكثرْتِ فَواحشَكِ معَ البابليِّينَ التُّجَّارِ، فما أشبعَكِ هذا أيضا.
30 «كم كُنتِ ضعيفةَ الإرادةِ، حتّى فعلْتِ هذا كُلَّهُ كا‏مرأةٍ زانيةٍ وَقِحةٍ. 31 بَنيتِ قُبَّتكِ في رأسِ كُلِّ شارعٍ، وصنعْتِ لكِ مُرتفَعا في كُلِّ ساحةٍ، وما كُنتِ تَزنينَ بأجرةٍ، 32 بل كالمرأةِ الفاسقةِ الّتي تستَقبلُ الغُرَباءَ عِوَضَ زَوجِها. 33 كُلُّ الزَّواني يَنلْنَ هدايا، أمَّا أنتِ فأعطيتِ هداياكِ‌ لجميعِ عُشَّاقِكِ، ورشَوتِهِم للمجيءِ إليكِ مِنْ كُلِّ صَوبٍ لمُضاجعتِكِ. 34 فكُنتِ في زِناكِ على خِلافِ النِّساءِ، لا يسعى أحدٌ وراءَكِ للزِّنى، وتُعطِينَ أجرةً ولا أجرةٌ تُعطَى لكِ. فكُنتِ إذا على خِلافِ النِّساءِ في الزِّنى.
35 «لذلِكَ أيَّتها الزَّانيةُ ا‏سمعي كلِمَةَ الرّبِّ: 36 هكذا قالَ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ: بما أنَّكِ تعرَّيتِ مِنْ ثيابِكِ وكشفْتِ عَورَتكِ في زِناكِ معَ عُشَّاقِكِ ومعَ أصنامِكِ الرَّجسَةِ، ولأجلِ دماءِ بَنيكِ الّذينَ بذلْتِهِم لهذِهِ الأصنامِ، 37 فسأجمعُ كُلَّ عُشَّاقِكِ الّذين تلذَّذْتِ بهِم، مِمنْ أحببتِهِم أو أبغضتِهِم. أجمَعُهُم علَيكِ مِنْ كُلِّ صَوبٍ وأكشِفُ عَورتَكِ لهُم، فيرَونَ عَورَتكِ كُلَّها‌. 38 وأحكمُ علَيكِ بما يُحكَمُ على الفاسقاتِ وسافكاتِ الدِّماءِ، وأجعَلُكِ ضحيَّةَ غيظي وغَيرتي. 39 وأُسلِّمُكِ إلى أيدي عُشَّاقِكِ فيهدِمونَ قُبَّتَكِ ويُحطِّمونَ مُرتفَعَكِ ويَسلبونكِ ثِـيابَكِ ويأخذونَ حُلاكِ ويتركونَكِ عُريانةً مُتعرِّيةً. 40 ويُثيرونَ علَيكِ الجُموعَ، فيرجمونَكِ بالحجارةِ ويقطعونَكِ بسيوفِهِم، 41 ويُحرقونَ بـيوتَكِ بالنَّارِ ويُنفِّذونَ الحُكْمَ علَيكِ بمَشهدٍ مِنْ نساءٍ كثيراتٍ، فأمنعُكِ عنِ الزِّنى، ولا تُعطِينَ أجرةً مِنْ بَعدُ. 42 وأشفي غليلي مِنكِ، وتزولُ غَيرتي عَنكِ، فأهدأُ ولا أغضبُ مِنْ بَعدُ. 43 وبما أنَّكِ نَسيتِ ما فعَلْتُهُ لكِ في أيّامِ صِباكِ وأغضبتني في كُلِّ ما عمِلْتِهِ، فسأجلبُ على رأسِكِ عاقِبةَ سُلوكِكِ، يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ.
«أما ا‏رتكبتِ الفَحشاءَ فَوقَ جميعِ أرجاسِكِ؟ 44 حتّى ليصدُق فيكِ المثَلُ القائلُ: كما الأمُّ، هكذا بِنتُها. 45 فأنتِ ا‏بنَةُ أُمِّكِ الّتي عافَت زَوجَها وبَنيها، وأختُ أخواتِكِ اللَّواتي عِفنَ أزواجَهنَّ وبَنيهنَّ. أُمُّكنَّ حثِّيَّةٌ وأبوكُنَّ أموريٌّ. 46 فأختُكِ الكُبرى هيَ السَّامرةُ في الشِّمالِ معَ بَناتِها المُدُنِ، وأختُكِ الصُّغرى هيَ سدومُ في الجنوبِ معَ بَناتِها المُدُنِ. 47 وما ا‏كتفيتِ بالسُّلوكِ في طرقِهِنَّ وا‏رتكابِ مثلِ أرجاسِهِنَّ بل ما إنْ مضى قليلٌ مِنَ الوقتِ حتّى زِدتِ علَيهنَّ فسادا في جميعِ طُرقِكِ. 48 حَيٌّ أنا، يقولُ الرّبُّ الإلهُ، ما فعلَت سدومُ أختُكِ وبَناتُها مثلَ ما فعلتِ أنتِ وبَناتُكِ. 49 كانَ إثْمُ سدومَ أختِكِ العجرفةَ والتُّخمةَ والرَّخاءَ، وهذا ما صرَفَها هيَ وبناتُها عَنْ نُصرةِ البائسِ والمسكينِ 50 فتكبَّرنَ وعَمِلنَ الرِّجسَ أمامي، فأزلْتُهنَّ كما رأيتُ. 51 وما خَطِئتِ السَّامرةُ نِصفَ خطاياكِ، بل كُنتِ أكثرَ رِجسا مِنها ومِنْ بَناتِها، فجَعلْتِ أختَيكِ أبرَّ مِنكِ بسبَبِ كُلِّ تِلكَ الأرجاسِ الّتي فَعلْتِ. 52 فا‏حملي فَوقَ عارِكِ عارَ أختَيكِ اللَّتينِ جعَلتُهما أبرَّ مِنكِ بخطاياكِ الّتي فاقت خطاياهما رِجسا، فظهرتا أبرَّ مِنكِ. فا‏خجلي، إذا، وا‏حملي العارَ الّذي غسلْتِ مِنهُ أُختَيكِ.
53 «سأُعيدُ أمجادَ سدومَ ومُدُنَها وأمجادَ السَّامرةِ ومُدُنَها، ثُمَّ أُعيدُ أمجادَكِ بَينَهنَّ، 54 لتحملي عارَكِ وتخجلي مِنْ كُلِّ ما فعلْتِ حتّى جلبْتِ لهُنَّ العزاءَ. 55 فأُختاكِ وبَناتُهُما يَعُدْنَ إلى أيّامِهِنَّ القديمةِ، وأنتِ وبَناتُكِ تَعُدنَ إلى أيّامِكُنَّ القديمةِ. 56 وسدومُ أختُكِ كُنتِ تَذكُرينها با‏حتقارٍ يومَ تكبُّرِكِ، 57 وقبلَ أنْ ينكشِفَ شَرُّكِ! والآنَ فأنتِ مِثلَها، تُعيِّرُكِ مُدُنُ أدومَ‌ ومُدُنُ الفلِسطيِّينَ وجميعُ جيرانِكِ اللَّواتي يَحتقرْنَكِ. 58 فحملْتِ نتيجةَ فُجورِكِ وأرجاسِكِ، يقولُ الرّبُّ.
59 «لأنَّهُ هكذا قالَ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ: سأَفعلُ بكِ كما فعلْتِ حينَ ا‏حتقرْتِ قسَمَكِ ونقضْتِ العَهدَ. 60 أمَّا أنا فأذكرُ عَهدي معَكِ في أيّامِ صِباكِ وأُقيمُ لكِ عَهدا أبديًّا. 61 عِندَ ذلِكَ تذكرينَ أنتِ طُرقَكِ وتَخجلينَ حينَ أرضى عَنْ أُختَيكِ اللَّتينِ هما أكبرُ مِنكِ، وعَنِ اللَّواتي هُنَّ أصغرُ مِنكِ، فأَجعَلُهُنَّ لكِ بَناتٍ، ولكنْ لا يكونُ عَهدي معَهُنَّ كعَهدي مَعكِ. 62 وأُجدِّدُ عَهدي مَعكِ، فتعلَمينَ أنِّي أنا الرّبُّ، 63 حتّى تـتذكَّري وتشعُري بِالخزي ولا تفتحي فَمكِ مِنْ بَعدُ لعارِكِ، حينَ أغفِرُ لكِ جميعَ ما فعلْتِ، يقولُ السَّيِّدُ الرّبُّ».