God Appoints Ezekiel as a Lookout
(Ezekiel 3.16-21)1 The Lord spoke to me. 2 “Mortal man,” he said, “tell your people what happens when I bring war to a land. The people of that country choose one of their number to be a lookout. 3 When he sees the enemy approaching, he sounds the alarm to warn everyone. 4 If someone hears it but pays no attention and the enemy comes and kills him, then he is to blame for his own death. 5 His death is his own fault, because he paid no attention to the warning. If he had paid attention, he could have escaped. 6 If, however, the lookout sees the enemy coming and does not sound the alarm, the enemy will come and kill those sinners, but I will hold the lookout responsible for their death.
7 “Now, mortal man, I am making you a lookout for the nation of Israel. You must pass on to them the warnings I give you. 8 If I announce that an evil person is going to die but you do not warn him to change his ways so that he can save his life, then he will die, still a sinner, and I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 If you do warn an evil person and he doesn't stop sinning, he will die, still a sinner, but your life will be spared.”
Individual Responsibility
10 The Lord spoke to me. “Mortal man,” he said, “repeat to the Israelites what they are saying: ‘We are burdened with our sins and the wrongs we have done. We are wasting away. How can we live?’ 11 Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?
12 “Now, mortal man, tell the Israelites that when someone good sins, the good he has done will not save him. If an evil person stops doing evil, he won't be punished, and if a good man starts sinning, his life will not be spared. 13 I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins. 14 I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good— 15 for example, if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole—if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but live. 16 I will forgive the sins he has committed, and he will live because he has done what is right and good.
17 “And your people say that what I do isn't right! No, it's their way that isn't right. 18 When someone righteous stops doing good and starts doing evil, he will die for it. 19 When someone evil quits sinning and does what is right and good, he has saved his life. 20 But Israel, you say that what I do isn't right. I am going to judge you by what you do.”
The News of Jerusalem's Fall
21 On the fifth day of the tenth month of the twelfth year of our exile, someone who had escaped from Jerusalem came and told me that the city had fallen. 22 The evening before he came, I had felt the powerful presence of the Lord. When the man arrived the next morning, the Lord gave me back the power of speech.
The Sins of the People
23 The Lord spoke to me. 24 “Mortal man,” he said, “the people who are living in the ruined cities of the land of Israel are saying: ‘Abraham was only one man, and he was given the whole land. There are many of us, so now the land is ours.’
25 “Tell them what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying: You eat meat with the blood still in it. You worship idols. You commit murder. What makes you think that the land belongs to you? 26 You rely on your swords. Your actions are disgusting. Everyone commits adultery. What makes you think that the land is yours?
27 “Tell them that I, the Sovereign Lord, warn them that as surely as I am the living God, the people who live in the ruined cities will be killed. Those living in the country will be eaten by wild animals. Those hiding in the mountains and in caves will die of disease. 28 I will make the country a desolate wasteland, and the power they were so proud of will come to an end. The mountains of Israel will be so wild that no one will be able to travel through them. 29 When I punish the people for their sins and make the country a wasteland, then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Results of the Prophet's Message
30 The Lord said, “Mortal man, your people are talking about you when they meet by the city walls or in the doorways of their houses. They say to one another, ‘Let's go and hear what word has come from the Lord now.’ 31 So my people crowd in to hear what you have to say, but they don't do what you tell them to do. Loving words are on their lips, but they continue their greedy ways. 32 To them you are nothing more than an entertainer singing love songs or playing a harp. They listen to all your words and don't obey a single one of them. 33 But when all your words come true—and they will come true—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”
Ndjambi ma ziki Esekiel a rire omutjevere
(Esek 3:16-21)1 Muhona wa hungira ku ami 2 a tja: “Muatje womundu, tjivisa otjiwaṋa tjeṋu kutja mape tjitwa tjike ami tji me eta ovita kehi rorive. Otjiwaṋa tjehi ndo matji toorora umwe watjo okurira omutjevere. 3 Eye tji ma munu omunavita a meya okurwisa ehi, u posisa ohiva okutirisa ovandu avehe. 4 Tji pena ngu me i zuu na ha kara ko na tja, nomunavita tje ya nu e mu zepa, neye omuini ma kara nomerizirira konḓiro ye. 5 Eye omuini ma tura ondjo konḓiro ye, tjinga e ha karerere ko na tja nomaronga womutjevere. Eye andakuzu wa ningire ko na tja, andakuzu wa taura. 6 Nungwari omutjevere tji ma munu omunavita a meya okurwisa ehi na ha posisa ohiva, nomunavita tje ya a zepa ovanauvi mbo, ami me yandja ondjo yonḓiro yawo komutjevere ngwi.
7 “Nambano, muatje womundu, ami me ku ziki u rire omutjevere wotjiwaṋa tja Israel. Mo sokuyandja ku wo inga omaronga ngu me ku pe. 8 Ami tji mba tjivisa kutja omunauvi ma koka, nungwari ove tji u hi nokumuronga kutja a rundurure ongarero ye, kokutja a yame omuinyo we, neye ma koka e ri omunauvi, nami me yandja ondjo yonḓiro ye kove. 9 Ove tji wa rongo omundu, neye, tjiri, a ha isa okutjita ouvi, neye ma koka e ri omunauvi, nungwari omuinyo woye mau yamwa.”
Omerizirira womundu omuini kourike
10 Muhona wa hungira ku ami a tja: “Muatje womundu, hungira kOvaisrael omambo ngu ve kara pokuhungira nga: ‘Ourunde nozongatukiro zetu nḓu twa tjita ze ri kombanda yetu, nu mena roviṋa mbi otji matu sepunuka kouṱiṱiṱiṱi. Matu sora vi okukara nomuinyo?’ 11 Ve raera kutja ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi, tjiri, otja ngu mbi ri Ndjambi omunamuinyo, hi kara nonyuṋe tji me munu omurunde ama ṱu. Ami etje vanga okumumuna a poka kouvi kutja a kare nomuinyo. Israel, isa ouvi mbu u tjita! Okutjavi tji u vanga okuṱa?
12 “Nambano, muatje womundu, raera Ovaisrael kutja omusemba tji ma tjiti ouvi, imbwi ouwa mbwa tjita kamaau mu yama. Omunauvi tja isa okutjita ouvi, ke nokuverwa, nomusemba tji ma utu okutjita ourunde, omuinyo we kau nokuyamwa, nangarire kutja rukuru aa tjiti ouwa. 13 Porumwe me kwizikire omusemba kutja ma kara nomuinyo, nungwari tja utu okuripura kutja ouwa we warukuru wa yenena opuwo, na utu okutjita ouvi, ami hi nokuzemburuka ko ouwa auhe mbwa tjita. Eye ma ṱire omauvi we. 14 Porumwe ami me rongo omundu omunauvi kutja ma ṱu, nungwari eye tja isa ourunde we na tjiti ousemba nouwa, 15 ngatu tje eye tja yarura ihi tja vaka, eye tja isa okutjita ourunde na kongorere omatwako nge yandja omuinyo, neye ke nakuṱa, nungwari, tjiri, ma kara nomuinyo. 16 Ami me mu isire ourunde mbwa tjita, neye ma kara nomuinyo, tjinga a tjita ousemba nouwa.
17 “Notjiwaṋa tjeṋu tji tja imbi ami mbi mbi tjita ovihasemba! Kako, ozondjito zatjo onḓe he ri ozosemba. 18 Omusemba tja isa okutjita ouwa na utu okutjita ouvi, neye ma ṱire ouvi mbwi. 19 Omundu omunauvi tja isa ouvi na tjiti ouwa nousemba, neye ma yama omuinyo we. 20 Israel, ove u tja imbi ami, Muhona, mbi mbi tjita, ovihasemba; nungwari ami me ku pangurire imbi mbi mo tjiti.”
Ombuze yomawiro wa Jerusalem
21 Meyuva oritjatano komueze outjamurongo wombura oitjamurongo na mbari youhuura wetu, pa hena omurumendu kOjerusalem; neye weya okundjiraera kutja otjihuro tja haverwa. 22 Nungwari ongurova ndjo eye ngunda e hiye ya, ami mba mwine kutja Muhona u ri puna ami momasa we omanene. Omurumendu tje ya omuhuka weyuva rarwe, Muhona we ndji pa rukwao omurya okuhungira.
Omauvi wotjiwaṋa
23 Muhona wa hungira ku ami 24 a tja: “Muatje womundu, ovandu mba tura movihuro omatundu vyehi ra Israel mave tja nai: ‘Abraham wa ri omurumendu umwe uriri, nu wa perwe ehi arihe. Nungwari eṱe oweṱe ovengi, nambano ehi oretu.’
25 “Ve raera kutja ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi, me tja nai: ‘Eṋe mu rya onyama ngunda ai nombinḓu. Mu rikotamena koomukuru vovisenginina. Mu zepa ovandu. Mamu ripurire tjike kutja ehi oreṋu? 26 Mu riyameka komangaruvyo weṋu. Ozondjito zeṋu ozondjaukise. Amuhe mu katuka otukupo. Mamu ripurire tjike kutja ehi oreṋu?’
27 “Ve raera nai: ‘Ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Ndjambi, meve rongo kutja otja ngu mbi ri Ndjambi omunamuinyo, ovandu, mba tura movihuro mbya nyonwa mave ṱu. Imba mba tura mouhaiya wokuti mave sasaurwa i ovipuka vyokuti. Imba mba ṱara moviṱunga na mozondimba mave ṱu i omutjise omuzeu. 28 Ami ehi me ri ririsa ongaango, nomasa wawo nguyave rihivire tjinene nai maye yanda. Wina ozondundu za Israel maze rire ongaango tjinene nai nga tji pe hi nomundu ngu ma sora okuzetuurunga. 29 Ami tji mba verere otjiwaṋa ozondjito zatjo azehe ozondjaukise, nu otjo otji matji tjiwa kutja owami ngu mbi ri Muhona.’ ”
Oviṋa, mbi mavi kakara po kombunda yombuze yomuprofete
30 Muhona wa hungira a tja: “Muatje womundu, ovandu votjiwaṋa tjoye ve ku hungira, tji mave hakaenene porumbo rwotjihuro poo pomahitiro wozondjuwo zawo. Owo verihungirire oveni ave tja: ‘Ngatu yende tu kazuve kutja embo riṋe nda zu ku Muhona nambano.’ 31 Otjiwaṋa tjandje otji tji worongana okuzuva imbi mbi me hungire, nungwari katji tjiti imbi mbi u tji raera. Otjo tji vara omambo woye otja omaimburiro wakauriri, notji tji panḓera pokukongorera ozondjira zatjo zeraru. 32 Ku tjo oove otjiṋa uriri, okutja omuyorokise ngu imbura omaimburiro worusuvero amo nyanda otjiharpe. Otjo tji puratena komambo woye aehe, nu katji kara nonḓuviro kembo nangarire rimwe roye. 33 Nungwari omambo woye aehe tji ya rire ouatjiri, nowo, tjiri, maye rire ouatjiri, notji matji tjiwa kutja omuprofete wa ri mokati katjo.”
