ǃKhūb ge Esekiela ǃkhē-aose ra ǁgaumâi
(Esekiel 3:16-21)1 ǃKhūb di mîs ge tita ǃoa ge hā: 2 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, sa khoen ǀkha ǃhoa î ǁîna mîba, toroba ta ga ǃhūb ǃnâ hā-ū tsîn ga ǃhūb di khoena ǀgui khoeba ǁîn ǃnâ ǁhûi tsî ǁîn di ǃkhē-aose ǁgaumâi, 3 tsîb ga torob ra ǃhūb ǃnâ hāsa mû tsî xâiǁnâsa xâi tsî khoena ǃkhâikhom, 4 tsî i ga khoe-e xâiǁnâs ǀōba ǁnâu tsî xawe ǁae tama i tsîb ga toroba hā tsî ǁî-e ǃgam, ob ge ǁî-i ǀaoba ǁî-i danas ai hâ. 5 ǁÎ-i ge xâiǁnâs ǀōba ǁnâu tsî xawe ǃkhâikhom kaisen tama go i, ǁî-i ǀaob ge ǁî-i ǂû-i ai hâ. ǃKhâikhomsa i ga ūǃoa hâ, o i ge ûib â-e ga sâubasen hâ. 6 Xawe ǃkhē-aob ga toroba mûǃgoaxa tsî xawe xâiǁnâsa xâi tama i, khoenab nî ǃkhâikhomse, tsîb ga toroba hā tsî ǁîn di ǀgui-e ǃgam, o ta ge ǁî-i ǀaoba ǃkhē-aob ai nî ôa.
7 “Satsa khoenôa ǀgôatse, tita ge satsa Israels ommi din ǂama ǃkhē-aose ge mâi. Tita xuts ga mîsa ǁnâu ǁaeb hoabats ǁîna ti ǃkhâikhomsa nî māse. 8 Eloxoresa khoe-e ǃoa ta ga, sa eloxoresatse, amasets ge nî ǁō, ti a mî, tsîts ga ǁî-e ǃkhâikhom tama i, ǁî-i daoba xu i nî ūdabasense, o i ge eloxoresa-e ǁî-i ǂhanuoǃnâsiba xu nî ǁō, xawe ta ge ǁî-i ǀaoba satsa xu nî ǂgaoǀkhā. 9 Xawe eloxoresa-ets ga ǃkhâikhom ǁî-i daoba xu i nî ūdabasense tsî i ga ūdabasen tama i, o i ge ǁî-i ǂhanuoǃnâsiba xu nî ǁō, xawe sats ge sa ûiba nî sâu.”
ǃEreamxase ûis
10 ǃKhūb ge tita ǃoa ge mî: “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, Israels ommi dina mîba, nēti du ge ra mî: ‘Sida ǃûǂamdi tsî sida ǁoren tsîn ge sida ai hâ, tsî da ge ǁîn xa ra toa. Mâti da kha ǁnâi nî ûi?’ 11 ǁÎna mîba, tita a ûitsama ǃkhais ao tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, tita ge eloxoresa-i di ǁōb ǃnâ ǃgâiǃgâibasen-e ūhâ tama hâ, xawe eloxoresa-i nî ǃhobasen tsî nî ûi ǃkhais ǃnâ. ǃHobasen a ǃhobasen du re sadu ǂkhaba daoga xu. Tarexa du kha ǁnâi ra ǁō ǂgao, sadu Israels ommi dido?
12 “Tsî satsa khoenôa ǀgôatse, sa ǁaesa mîba re. ǂHanu-ai-i di ǂhanu-aisib ge ǁî-e ǃûǂams â-i di tsēs ai ǃnora kai tide. Tsî eloxoresasib eloxoresa-i dib ge ǁî-e ǃnôa kai tide, ǁî-i eloxoresasiba xu i ga ǃhobaseno. Tsî ǂhanu-ai-i ge ǁî-i ǂhanu-aisiba xu ûi ǁkhā tide, ǁî-i ǁoreb di tsēs. 13 ǂHanu-ai-e ta ga ǁî-i ge amase nî ûi ti mîba tsî i ga ǁî-i ǂhanu-aisib ai ǂgomaiǂnûi tsî ǂkhabadīo, ob ge ǁî-i di ǂhanu-aisib hoaragaba ǂâihes tsîna hî tide, xaweb ge dīb go ǂkhawadīb ǃnâ nî ǁō. 14 Tsî eloxoresa-e ta ga sats ge amase nî ǁō ti mîba, xawe i ga ǁî-i ǁoreba xu ǃhobasen tsî ǂhanub tsî ǂhanu-aisiba dī, 15 ǁî-i ga mâiǁkhaes â-e mā-oa, ǁkhâuǁnâ-i gena madaba, tsî ûib di ǂnûiǂgādi ǃnâ ǃgû, ǂhanuoǃnâsi-eb dī tidese, o i ge amase nî ûi tsî ǁō tide. 16 Dī i ge ǁoren hoana i ge ǃgôabahe tide. ǁÎ-i ge ǂhanub tsî ǂhanu-aisiba ge dī; ǁî-i ge amase nî ûi.
17 “Xawen ge sa khoena ‘ǃKhūb di daob ge ǂhanu tama hâ’ ti ra mî, ǁîn di daob ǂhunub ǂhanu tama hîa. 18 ǂHanu-ai-i ga ǂhanu-aisib â-e xu ūdabasen tsî ǂkhabadī, o-i ge ǁîb ǃaroma nî ǁō. 19 Tsî eloxoresa-i ga eloxoresasib â-e xu ǃhobasen tsî ǂhanub tsî ǂhanu-aisiba dī, o i ge ǁnās ǃaroma nî ûi. 20 Xawe du ge sadu Israels ommi dido, ‘ǃKhūb di daob ge ǂhanu tama hâ’ ti ra mî. Tita ge sado sadu dīga ǃoa nî ǀgoraǃgâ.”
Jerusalems di ǁnās
21 Disiǀgamǀaǁî kurib sida ǃkhōsis dib di disiǁî ǁkhâb di koroǁî tsēs aib ge ǀguib Jerusalemsa xu ge ûiǂoaba, ǃās ge ǁnā ǃkhaisa hā ge mîba te. 22 Tsî ǁnā ǃuia, ûiǂoa geb nî hās aiǃâb ge ǃKhūb di ǃomma tita ai ge hâ i. ǁÎb ge ti amsa ge khowaba te, nē khoeb ǁgoaga tita ǃoa nî hās aiǃâ. ǁNātis ge ti amsa ge khowahe tsî ta ge ǃaruǀî ge ǃgome tama hâ i.
ǁAes di ǁoren
23 ǃKhūb di mîs ge tita ǃoa ge hā: 24 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, hîkākāsa ǃkhaidi Israeli didi ǃnâ ǁan hâ khoen ge ra mî: ‘Abrahammi ge ǀgui khoes ǀguisa ge ī i, xaweb ge ǃhūba ūhâxūse ge hōbasen. Sida ge a ǂgui tsî da ge ǃhūba ūhâ da nîse ge māhe.’
25 “ǁNā-amaga ǁîna mîba nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Sadu ge ǁgan-e ǀaob hâǃnâse ra ǂû. Sadu ge ǁgôa-eloga ra ǀgoreǀî. Sadu ge ra ǀaoǂnâxū. Tsî du kha ǃhūba ūhâxūse ra ǂhâba? 26 Sadu gôab ai du ge ra ǂgomaiǂnûi; ui-uisa xūna du ge ra dī; mâb hoab ge naub di taras ǀkha ra ǁgoe. Tsî du kha ǃhūba ūhâxūse ra ǂhâba?
27 “ǁÎna mîba nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Tita ûi hâ ǃkhais aon ge ǁnān, hîkākāsa ǃkhaidi ǃnâ ǁan hâna amase nî ǃgamhe. ǁNān hîa ǃaub ǃnâ ǂgāgu ai ǁan hân ge ǀgurun xa nî hapuhe. ǁNān hîa ǁkhui-omgu tsî ǁhoagu ǃnâ hân ge ǂhīǁōb xa nî ǁō. 28 Tsî ǃhūba ta ge ǃū-aisa tsî hîkākāsa ǃkhaise nî dī, tsîb ge ǁîb di ǀgaib, ǁîb aib ge ǂnīsa iba nî ǀam. Israeli di ǃhomgu ge nî ǃū-aisa, tsî i ge khoe-i xare-e ǁîgu ǃnâ-u ǃkharu tide. 29 ǃHūba ta ga ǃū-aisa tsî hîkākāsase xūse dī, ǁîn gere dī ui-uisa xūn ǃaroma, on ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.
Kēbo-aob ǂhôas di ǃnurib
30 “Satsa khoenôa ǀgôatse, sa ǁaes di khoen ge ǂnubiǂgoagu tawa tsî omdi dao-amdi ǃnâ sats xa ra ǃhoa; mâ-i hoa-i ge nau-e ǃoa ra mî: ‘Hā, î da mâ mîs go ǃKhūba xu a hā ǃkhaisa sī ǁnâu.’ 31 Tsîn ge ǂnubis ase sats tawa hā tsî sats aiǃâ ti ǁaes ase hā ra ǂnû, tsîn ge sa mîde ra ǁnâu, xawen ge ǁîde dī tama hâ. ǀNammi mîdi ge ǁîn amǁgaugu ai hâ, xawe ǁîn ǂgaogu ge xūǃgunuxasiba ra sauruǃgon. 32 Tsî mû, sats ge ǁîna ǀnammi tsanasa ra ǁnaeb, ǃgâi ǁnaedomma ūhâb tsî ǃgâise ǀkhō ǁkhāb khami ǀgui iba. ǁNā-amagan ge sa mîden ra ǁnâu, xawe ǁîde dī tama hâ. 33 Xawe sats ra mîn ga hāo, amasen ge nî hā, on ge kēbo-ao-i ge ǁîn ǁaegu hâ i ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.”
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.
