The Lord Appoints Ezekiel To Stand Watch
(Ezekiel 3.16-21)1 The Lord said:
2 Ezekiel, son of man, warn your people by saying:
Someday, I, the Lord, may send an enemy to invade a country. And suppose its people choose someone to stand watch 3 and to sound a warning signal when the enemy is seen coming. 4-5 If any of these people hear the signal and ignore it, they will be killed in battle. But it will be their own fault, because they could have escaped if they had paid attention.
6 But suppose the person watching fails to sound the warning signal. The enemy will attack and kill some of the sinful people in that country, and I, the Lord, will hold that person responsible for their death.
7 Ezekiel, I have appointed you to stand watch for the people of Israel. So listen to what I say, then warn them for me. 8 When I tell wicked people they will die because of their sins, you must warn them to turn from their sinful ways. But if you refuse to warn them, you are responsible for their death. 9 If you do warn them, and they keep sinning, they will die because of their sins, and you will be innocent.
The Lord Is Always Fair
(Ezekiel 18.21-30)10 The Lord said:
Ezekiel, son of man, the people of Israel are complaining that the punishment for their sins is more than they can stand. They have lost all hope for survival, and they blame me. 11 Tell them that as surely as I am the living Lord God, I don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live. So if the Israelites want to live, they must stop sinning and turn back to me.
12 Tell them that when good people start sinning, all the good they did in the past cannot save them from being punished. And remind them that when wicked people stop sinning, their past sins will be completely forgiven, and they won't be punished.
13 Suppose I promise good people that they will live, then later they start sinning and believe they will be saved by the good they did in the past. These people will certainly be put to death because of their sins. Their good deeds will be forgotten.
14 Suppose I warn wicked people that they will die because of their sins, and they stop sinning and start doing right. 15 For example, they need to return anything they have taken as security for a loan and anything they have stolen. Then if they stop doing evil and start obeying my Law, they will live. 16 Their past sins will be forgiven, and they will live because they have done right.
17 Ezekiel, your people accuse me of being unfair. But they are the ones who are unfair. 18 If good people start doing evil, they will be put to death, because they have sinned. 19 And if wicked people stop sinning and start doing right, they will save themselves from punishment. 20 But the Israelites still think I am unfair. So warn them that they will be punished for what they have done.
The News of Jerusalem's Fall
21 Twelve years after King Jehoiachin and the rest of us had been led away as prisoners to Babylonia, a refugee who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me on the fifth day of the tenth month. He told me that the city had fallen.
22 The evening before this man arrived at my house, the Lord had taken control of me. So when the man came to me the next morning, I could once again speak.
What Will Happen to Those Left in Israel?
23 Then the Lord said:
24 Ezekiel, son of man, the people living in the ruined cities of Israel are saying, “Abraham was just one man, and the Lord gave him this whole land of Israel. There are many of us, and so this land must be ours.”
25 So, Ezekiel, tell them I am saying:
How can you think the land is still yours? You eat meat with blood in it and worship idols. You commit murder 26 and spread violence throughout the land. Everything you do is wicked; you are even unfaithful in marriage. And you claim the land is yours!
27 As surely as I am the living Lord God, you people in the ruined cities will be killed in battle. Those of you living in the countryside will be eaten by wild animals, and those hiding in caves and on rocky cliffs will die from deadly diseases. 28 I will make the whole country an empty wasteland and crush the power in which you take such pride. Even the mountains will be bare, and no one will try to cross them. 29 I will punish you because of your sins, and I will turn your nation into a barren desert. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
The People Listen, but Don't Change
The Lord said:
30 Ezekiel, son of man, the people with you in Babylonia talk about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say, “Let's ask Ezekiel what the Lord has said today.” 31 So they all come and listen to you, but they refuse to do what you tell them. They claim to be faithful, but they are forever trying to cheat others out of their money. 32 They treat you as though you were merely singing love songs or playing music. They listen, but don't do anything you say.
33 Soon they will be punished, just as you warned, and they will know that a prophet has been among them.
Esekiyeli keta Banisirayila ye koroosirilaa ti
1 Yaawe* la kumoo naata n kaŋ ko: 2 “Ite hadamadiŋo, a fo i la moolu ye ko: Niŋ a ye a tara ŋa keloo boyi bankoo kaŋ, a si ke noo wo bankoo moolu be naa kee kiliŋ ne tomboŋ na ì kono, ka ke ì la koroosirilaa ti. 3 Niŋ ñiŋ koroosirilaa ye a je keloo be naa bankoo waliŋ kaŋ naŋ, a be binoo fee la le ka moolu kalamutandi a la. 4 Niŋ keloo naata, moo meŋ ye ñiŋ binoo kumakaŋo moyi, a maŋ a muta feŋ ti, a be wo maarii koora la ñoo la le, a ye a faa. A la saayaa dunoo be tara la laariŋ a faŋo le kaŋ. 5 Niŋ a ye wo binoo kumakaŋo moyi, aduŋ a maŋ a muta feŋ ti, a la saayaa sunta a faŋo le la. Bari niŋ a ye a hakiloo tu a to, a be a faŋo niyo tankandi la le. 6 Niŋ koroosirilaa ye a je keloo be naa kaŋ, aduŋ a maŋ binoo fee ka moolu kalamutandi a la, niŋ keloo naata, moo meŋ faata wo keloo kono, wo maarii faata a faŋo la kuu jawoo le kaŋ, bari a la saayaa dunoo be tara la laariŋ koroosirilaa le kaŋ.
7 “Hadamadiŋo, ŋa ite le tomboŋ ka ke koroosirilaa ti Banisirayilankoolu ye. I si i lamoyi n ka meŋ fo i ye, i ye ì dandalaa n ye. 8 Misaali fee, niŋ a ye a tara n ko moo kuruŋo ye ko, ‘Ite moo kuruŋo, a te baayi la, i be faa la le.’ Saayiŋ ite koroosirilaa maŋ naa feŋ fo, ka wo moo kuruŋo dandalaa ka bo a la sila kuruŋo kaŋ. A la wo kuruŋyaa le be a tinna la a ye faa, bari a la saayaa be tara la laariŋ ite le kaŋ. 9 Bari niŋ a ye a tara i ye a maarii dandalaa le, aduŋ a maŋ soŋ ka a la sila kuruŋo bula, a la wo junube kuwo le be a tinna la a ye faa. Niŋ a faata, a la saayaa dunoo te tara la laariŋ ite kaŋ, aduŋ ite be tanka la saayaa ma le.
10 “Ite hadamadiŋo, a fo Banisirayilankoolu ye ko: Ali ka a fo le nuŋ ko, ‘Ǹ na kuu jawoolu niŋ ǹ na junuboolu le dunoo be laariŋ ǹ kaŋ. Wo le ye a tinna m̀ be tooroo kono. Wo to m̀ be baluu la ñaadii le?’ 11 Wo to, ite hadamadiŋo, a fo ì ye ko, a be koyiriŋ ñaameŋ ko nte Yaawe i Maariyo be baluuriŋ ne: Nte buka kontaani moo kuruŋo la saayaa la, bari n ka kontaani ñiŋ ne la, a ye a koo dii a la kuu jawu kewo la, a ye baluu. Banisirayilankoolu, muŋ ne ye a tinna, ali lafita ka faa? Ali ali koo dii ali la kuu jawu kewo la, ali ye baluu.” Maarii Yaawe le ye a fo.
12 Yaawe ko: “Ite hadamadiŋo, a fo i la moolu ye ko: Moo tilindiŋo la tiliŋo te a tankandi noo la niŋ a naata kuu jawoo ke. Moo kuruŋo la kuruŋyaa te a boyindi noo la niŋ a ye a koo dii a la kuruŋyaa la. Moo tilindiŋo te baluu noo la a la tiliŋo la, niŋ a ye a tara a ye junuboo ke. 13 Niŋ a ye a tara ŋa moo tilindiŋo laahidi le ko, a be baluu la le, wo ye a tinna a laata a la tiliŋo la. Wo koolaa a naata junuboo ke. N hakiloo te bula la a la tiliŋo la kotenke. A ye junube kuwo meŋ ke, wo le be a tinna la a ye faa. 14 Niŋ a ye a tara n ko kuu kuruŋ kelaa ye ko, ‘I be faa la le,’ bari a naata a koo dii a la junuboolu la, ka kuu tilindiŋolu ke, aniŋ ka n na saratoolu muta, a te faa la. 15 Niŋ moo kuruŋo ye a la sankayaaraŋo jooseyi waraŋ a ye feŋolu seyindi a ye mennu suuñaa moolu bulu, aduŋ a taamata baluwo saratoolu la, a ye junube kewo bula fereŋ, tooñaa, a be baluu la le, a te faa la. 16 Nte Yaawe hakiloo te bula la a la junuboolu la a ye mennu ke. M be yamfa la a ye le, niŋ a ye a tara a taamata n na saratoolu bee la tiliŋo kono. A te faa la, bari a be baluu la le.
17 “Ite hadamadiŋo, i la moolu Banisirayilankoolu ka ñiŋ ne fo ko: ‘Maariyo la kiitiyo maŋ tiliŋ,’ wo ye a tara i la moolu faŋo le tilimbaliyaata. 18 Niŋ moo tilindiŋo naata ke kuu jawu kelaa ti, a be faa la a la wo kuu jawu kewo le kamma. 19 Bari niŋ moo kuruŋo ye a koo dii a la kuruŋyaa la, a naata ka kuu tilindiŋo ke aniŋ ka taama n na saratoolu bee kaŋ tiliŋo kono, a be baluu la a la wo kuu tilindiŋ kewo le kamma la. 20 Hani wo ali ka a fo le ko, ‘Maariyo la kiitiyo maŋ tiliŋ.’ N ko: Hee Banisirayilankoolu, m be moo-wo-moo kiitindi la le ko a la baluuñaa be ñaameŋ.”
Yerusalaamu la boyoo
21 Ǹ na taa mutoo kono sanji taŋ niŋ fulanjaŋo, kari tanjaŋo tili luuloo la, kee kiliŋ ne naata n kaŋ meŋ kanata naŋ Yerusalaamu, a ko n ye ko, “Yerusalaamu saatewo kasaarata le.” 22 Wo suutoo la, janniŋ kewo be naa la, Yaawe la semboo jiita n kaŋ, a ye n daa yele ka diyaamu. Bituŋ m maŋ ke mumunewo ti kotenke.
23 Yaawe la kumoo naata n kaŋ ko: 24 “Hadamadiŋo, ñiŋ moolu mennu be sabatiriŋ ñiŋ tumbuŋo to Banisirayila bankoo kaŋ, ì ka tu a fo la le ko, ‘Iburayima mu kee kiliŋ ne ti, hani wo ñiŋ bankoo naata ke a taa ti. Ntolu be siyaariŋ ñaameŋ, tooñaa Yaawe le ye ñiŋ bankoo dii ǹ na ka ke ǹ taa ti.’ 25 Wo to, ite hadamadiŋo, a fo ì ye nte Yaawe, ì Maariyo ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: Ali ka subu yelemaa le domo. Ali ka ali jikoo loo ali la jalaŋolu le kaŋ, ali ye moofaalu ke. Saayiŋ, fo ali si ñiŋ bankoo keetaa noo baŋ? 26 Ali ye moofaa jamaa le ke, aduŋ ali ye kuu haraamuriŋ jamaalu le fanaa ke. Moo-wo-moo niŋ a siiñoo la musoo ye jeenoo ke le. Wo to ali si ñiŋ bankoo keetaa noo baŋ?
27 “A fo ì ye, nte Yaawe, ì Maariyo ye ñiŋ ne fo ko: A be koyiriŋ ñaameŋ ko nte be baluuriŋ ne, wo moolu mennu tuta Yerusalaamu saatee tumbundiŋo kono bee be faa la keloo le to. Aduŋ moolu mennu borita saatewo banta la, m be wolu dii la wulakono daafeŋolu le la ka ì domo. Alibalaa kuuraŋo le be wo moolu faa la mennu be maaboriŋ berehuwolu niŋ tatoolu kono. 28 Aduŋ m be ì la bankoo kenseŋyandi la le, aniŋ m be daŋ ke la ì semboo la waroo la le, ì be jikiriŋ meŋ na. Banisirayila konkoolu be kenseŋyaa la le, aniŋ moo te tambi la niŋ jee la kotenke. 29 Niŋ ŋa wo bankoo bee kenseŋyandi ì la kuu haraamuriŋ kewo kamma la, wo to le ì be a loŋ na ko, nte le mu Yaawe ti, ì Maariyo.
30 “Ite hadamadiŋo, i la moolu ka beŋ ñoo kaŋ ne, ì ka i koomakuma, koridaa sansaŋolu daa la aniŋ bundaalu to. Ì ka a fo ñoo ye le ko, ‘Ali ŋà taa Esekiyeli yaa, ka n lamoyi a la, Yaawe be meŋ fo la ǹ ye bii.’ 31 Hadamadiŋo, ì moo jamaa le ka naa, ì ka sii i ñaatiliŋo la ko n na moolu. Ì ka i la kumoo moyi le, bari ì te a muta la. Ì ka kanoo yitandi ì daalu dammaa le to, bari ì sondomoolu be looriŋ ì la nafaa dammaa le kaŋ. 32 A fele i keta ì ye le ko jali kaŋ diimaa baa, meŋ ka kumafeŋ diimaa kosi ì ye. Ì ka a moyi i ka meŋ fo, bari ì te soŋ na a la muumeeke.
33 “Niŋ waati meŋ na i la kumoolu bee timmata, ì be a loŋ na le ko, annabiyomoo le tarata ì fee jaŋ.”
