ǃKhūb ǂâis tsî khoesi mâǃoas
1 Hûǁî kurib ǃnâ, koroǁî ǁkhâb di disiǁî tsēs ai gu ge ǀnî kaikhoegu Israeli diga ǃKhūba gu nî dîse hā tsî ti aiǃâ hā ge ǂû. 2 Tsîs ge ǃKhūb mîsa tita ǃoa ge hā: 3 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, Israeli kaikhoegu ǀkha ǃhoa, î ǁîga nēti mîba: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, tare-i ǃaroma go ra hā? Tita ǀkha go nî ǃhoase? Tita ûi hâs ao, tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, tita ge sago xa ǃhoa-ūhe tide.’
4 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, ǁîga ǁkharats nî? O agu ǁîgu aboxagu ui-uisa dīga ǂan, 5 î ǁîga nēti mîba: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Tita ge Israelǁîna ǁhûi tsēsa, o ta ge Jakob ommi di surib ǃoa ge nū, tita ge Egipteb ǃnâ ǁîn ǃoa ge ǂanǂansen. Tita ge ǁîn ǃoa nū tsî ge mî: Tita ge ǃKhūta, sadu Elota.’ 6 ǁNā tsēs ai ta ge tita Egipteba xu ta nî ǂgaeǂguiǂui du tsî tita ge ôaǂui ǃhūb, daib tsî danib di ǃhūb, nau ǃhūgu hoagu xa a ǂkhaisab ǃoa nî ūsī du. 7 Tsî ta ge ǁîn ǃoa ge mî: ‘Sadu mûdi ǃnâ a ui-uixana aoxū, mâ-i hoa-i âdo, î tā Egipteb di ǁgôa-elogu ǀkha ǀuriǀurisen; tita ge ǃKhūtasadu Elota.’ 8 Xawen ge ǁîna tita ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen tsî tita ǃgâǂgao tama ge i; ǁîn di ǀgui-i xare-i ge ǁîn mûdi di ui-uisa xūna xu bē tama ge i, tamas ka ion ge Egipteb ǁgôa-eloga ǂhara tama ge i. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ge ǁîn ai nî ǁhōǂui tsî ta ge ti ǁaiba ǁîn ǃoagu Egipteb ǁaegu nî sîsenū. 9 Xawe tita ge ti ǀons ǃaroma ge dī, îs ǁîsa tā sadu ǁanǃnâ hâ ǁaedi xa ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe. ǁÎn mûǁae ta ge ti ǁaesa Egipteba xu ǂgaeǂguiǂuis ǀkha ge ǂanǂansen.
10 “ǁNāti ta ge tita ǁîna Egipteba xu ǂgaeǂguiǂui tsî ǁîna ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ge ǂgaeǂguiǂgā. 11 Tita ge ǁîna ti ǂnûiǂgāde mā tsî ti ǂhanuga ge ǂanǂan. ǁÎde ga ǃkhōǀgaipe khoe-i hoa-i ge ǁîde xu nî ûi. 12 ǁKhāti ta ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge mā, tita tsî ǁîn ǁaegu hâ ǃgaeǀhaos di saos ase, tita ǃKhūta ǁîna ge ǃanuǃanu ǃkhaisan nî ǂanse. 13 Xaweb ge Israeli ommi dina ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ti ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen; ǁîn ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge i, tsî ti ǂhanuga ge ǂhara, ǁîgats ga dī, ots nî ûi ga; ǁkhātin ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ga ǁîn ai ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁhōǂui ti ge ǂâi, ǁîn ǀkha ta nî toase. 14 Xawe ta ge nēsa ti ǀons ǃaroma ge di, ǁîs ǁaedi mûǁae ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe tidese, ǁîn di mûǁae ta ge ǁîna ǂgaeǂguiǂui xui-ao. 15 Xawe ta ge ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna ge nūba, ǁîna ta ǁnā ǃhūb hîa ta ge mîmâibab ǃnâ ǂgaeǂguiǂgā nî tidesa, ǁnā ǃhūb daib tsî danib dib, hoa ǃhūgu xa ǂkhaisaba. 16 ǁÎn ge ti ǂhanuga ǂhara tsî ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge i tsî ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai; ǁîn ǂgaogu ge ǁîn ǁgôa-eloga saoǃgon xui-ao.
17 “Xawes ge ti mûsa ǁîna ge ǀkhom tsî ta ge ǁîna hîkākā tama ge i tamas ka io ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna toa-ū tama ge i. 18 Tita ge ǁîn ôan ǃoa ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ge mî: ‘Tā sadu în di ǂnûiǂgāde sao, tamas ka io ǁîn ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe, tamas ka io ǁîn ǁgôa-elogu ǀkha ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen. 19 Tita ǃKhūta ge sadu Elota; ti ǂnûiǂgāde sao, î ǂōrisase ti ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe. 20 ǁKhāti ti Sabattsēsa khai, îs ǁîsa ǁgauǁgaus ase tita tsî sadu ǁaegu hâ, î du tita ǃKhūta a sadu Elo ǃkhaisa ǂan.’
21 “Xawen ge ǀgôana ti ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen; ǁîn ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge hâ i, xawe ti ǂhanuga ge ǂhara, ǁîgats ga dī, ots nî ûiga; ǁkhātin ge ǁîna ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai. O ta ge ti ǁaiba ta ga ǁîn ai ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁhōǂui ti ge ǂâi tsî ti ǁaiba ǁîn ǃoagu ūhâse. 22 Xawe ta ge ti ǃomma ge ǂgae-oa tsî ti ǀons ǃaroma ǁnāsa ge dī, ǁîs ǁaedi mûǁae ǃanuoǃnâ kaihe tidese, ǁîn di mûǁae ta ge ǁîna ǂgaeǂguiǂui xui-ao. 23 Xawe ta ge tita ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ǁîna ge nūba, ǁîna ta ǁaedi ǃnâ nî ǂapaǂoa kai tsî ǁîna ǃhūgu ǃnâ ǀgaruǀgaru ǃkhaisa. 24 ǁÎn ti ǂhanuga ǃkhōǀgaipe tama ge hâ i, xawen ge ti ǂnûiǂgāde ǂhara tsî ti Sabattsēsa ge ǃanuoǃnâ kai, tsî ǁîn mûdi ge ǁîn aboxagu ǁgôa-elogu ai ge ǃammâisa i.
25 “ǁKhāti ta ge ǃgâi tama ǂnûiǂgādi tsî ǂhanugu ǁîgu ǃoan ge ûi ǁoa iga ǁîna ge mā. 26 Tita ge ǁîna ǁîn ǁguibadi ǂûdi ǃnâ-u ge ǀuriǀuri, ǁîn ǂguroǃnaesagu ge ǀaes ǃnâ-u ge ǃkharu kaihe, ǁîna ta nî ǃaoǃaose, tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisan nî ǂanse.
27 “ǁNā-amaga, khoenôa ǀgôatse, Israeli ommi din ǀkha ǃoa, î ǁîn ǃoa mî: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Nēs ǃnâgu ge ǁkhawa sadu aboxaga ge mîǁgaiǁgai te, ǀhôagao ǀgaub ai tita dī-ūs ǀkha. 28 Tita ge ǁnā ǃhūb hîa ta mā du ta nî ti a nūba dub ǃnâ ge ǂgaeǂguiǂgā du, o du ge mâ ǃnâu-i tsî ǂnarexa hai-i hoa-i hîa du gere mû-i hoa-i tawa ǁguibade gere ǁguiba tsî ti ǁaiba ra ǂoeǂoe ǁguibade gere dī. ǁNāpan ge ǁîna ǃgâihamxūse ība ǁguibade sîǃapa tsî ǂnâǁguibade gere ǁguiba.’ 29 O ta ge ǁîn ǃoa ge mî: ‘Mâsa ǁnā ǀgapi ǃkhais ǁîs ǁga du ra ǃgûsa?’ ǁÎs ge nētsēs kōse Bamas ti ge ǀonǂgaihe. 30 ǁNā-amaga Israeli ommi ǃoa mî: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: Sadu aboxagu di ǀgaub ǀguib ǀkha du kha nî ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen tsî ǁîgu di ui-uisa dīxūn xa nî ǁnāǁgôa kaisen?’ 31 Sadu māde du ga ǁguiba tsî sadu ôana ǀaes ǃnâ-u a ǃkharu kai, o du ge nētsēs kōse sadu ǁgôa-elogu hoagu ǀkha ra ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen. Israeli ommi dido, o du kha nî ôa te? ‘Tita ûi hâs ao,’ tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: ‘Tita ge sadu xa ôakaisen tide.’ 32 Sadu ǃnâ hâ ǂâis ge tātsē ī tide: ‘A da ǁaedi khami ī, nau ǃhūgu di ǃhaodi khami, î da hain tsî ǀuin tsîna ǀgoreǀî.’
Elob ge ǁkhara tsî ra ǀûba
33 “ǃKhūb Elob ge ra mî: ‘Tita ûi hâs ao, amase ǁkhāsiba ūhâ ǃommi tsî ǀhōǂuisa ǁôab ǀkha tsî ǁhōǂuisa ǁaib ǀkha, ta ge tita sadu ǂama gao-aose nî hâ. 34 Tita ge khoena xu nî ūǂui du tsî ǃhūgu ǁîgu ǃnâ du ge ǂapaǂoa ga xu nî ǀhaoǀhao du, ǁkhāsiba ūhâ ǃommi tsî ǀhōǂuisa ǁôab ǀkha tsî ǁhōǂuisa ǁaixasib ǀkha. 35 Tsî tita ge khoen di ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ūǀkhī du tsî ǁnāpa ta ge tita sadu ǀkha aisa xu ais ǁga ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ nî ǂgâ. 36 Egipteb di ǃgaroǃhūb ǃnâ ta ge sadu aboxagu ǀkha ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ ǂgâ hâ i, khami ta ge sadu ǀkha ǀgoraǃgâs ǃnâ nî ǂgâ,’
tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî.37 “Tita ge ǀkharub ǃnaka nî ǃkharu kai du tsî ta ge ǃgaeǀhaos di ǁgui-aidi ǃnâ nî ǂgâxa-ū. 38 Khâikhâisen-aon sadu ǁaegu hân tsî tita ǃoagu ra ǁore khoen tsîna ta ge sadu ǁaeguba xu nî ūǂui. Tita ge ǃhaokhoesen ǁan hâ ǃhūba xu ǁîna nî ūǂui, xawen ge Israelǃhūb ǃnâ ǂgâ tide. O du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan.”
39 Sadu xasa, Israeli ommi dido, nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: “ǃGû, sadu ǁgôa-eloga sī ǃoaba, mâ-i hoa-i âdo nēsi tsî nēs khaoǃgâs tsîna, tita du ga ǃgâ tama io. Xawe du ge ǃaruǀî ti ǀonsa sadu mādi tsî ǁgôa-elogu tsîn ǀkha ǃanuoǃnâ kai tide. 40 Ti ǃanu ǃhommi, Israeli di ǀgapi ǃhommi ai, tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî, hoaraga ommi Israeli dib ge ǁnāpa, hoaragana, ǃhūb ǃnâ nî ǃoaba te. ǁNāpa ta ge tita ǁîna nî ǃkhōǃoa tsî ǁnāpa ta ge sado xu ǁguibade ǃâubasen tsî sadu ǁhûiǂuisa māde, sadu hoaraga ǃnâu xūn hoan ǀkha. 41 ǃGâihamxūse ta ge nî ǃkhōǃoa du, khoena xu ta ga ūǂui du tsî ta ga ǂapaǂoa ǃnâ du hâ ǃhūga xu ǀhaoǀhao duo. Tsî ta ge ǁaedi mûǁae ti ǃanusiba sadu ǃnâ nî ǁapoǁapo. 42 Tita ga Israelǃhūb, sadu aboxaga ta nî māse ta ge nūba dub ǃnâ ǂgaeǂguiǂgā du, o du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan. 43 ǁNāpa du ge sadu daogu tsî hoaraga dīgu ǁîgu ǀkha du ge ǀuriǀurisen ga nî ǂâihō. Sadu ge dī du ge ǂkhabadīgu xa nî uixasen. 44 Ti ǀons ǃaroma ta ga ǁkhara du, o du ge tita a ǃKhū ǃkhaisa nî ǂan; sadu ǂkhaba daogu ǃoa, tamas ka io ǀhôagao dīga xu tama, Israeli omtse,”
tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî.ǃKhawagasǀkhāb ǃnâ hâ ǀaes
45 ǃKhūb di mîs ge tita ǃoa ge hā: 46 “Khoenôa ǀgôatse, sa aisa ǃkhawagasǀkhābǀî ǃoa, ǃkhawagas ǃoagu aoǁnâ, î haiǀgoms Negeb ǃnâ hâs ǃoagu kēbo. 47 Negeb di haiǀgomsa mîba, ǃKhūb di mîsa ǁnâu: ‘Nētib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî: “Tita ge sats ǃnâ ǀaesa nî khau tsî ǁîs ge sats ǃnâ hâ ǃam hai-i tamas ka io ǂnâsa hai-i hoa-e nî ǂhubiǂui. ǂHubi ra ǀaeb di ǁhabub ge ǀarihe tide tsî hoaraga aidi ǃkhawagasǀkhāb tsî ǀapasǀkhāb didi hoadi ge ǁîb xa nî hîkākāhe. 48 Hoaraga ǁgans ge tita ǃKhūta ge nē ǀaeba ǃkhāri ǃkhaisa nî mû, ǁîb ge ǀarihe tide.” ’ ”
49 O ta ge ge mî: “O, ǃKhū Elotse! ǁÎn ge tita xa ra mî: ‘ǁÎba kha ǂkhōdi di kuru-ao tamaba?’ ”
The Lord's Will and Human Defiance
1 It was the tenth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of our exile. Some of the leaders of the Israelite community came to consult me about the Lord's will, and they sat down in front of me. 2 Then the Lord spoke to me. 3 “Mortal man,” he said, “speak to these leaders and tell them that the Sovereign Lord is saying: You have come to ask my will, have you? As surely as I am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken.
4 “Are you ready to pass sentence on them, mortal man? Then do so. Remind them of the disgusting things their ancestors did. 5 Tell them what I am saying. When I chose Israel, I made them a promise. I revealed myself to them in Egypt and told them: I am the Lord your God. 6 It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. 7 I told them to throw away the disgusting idols they loved and not to make themselves unclean with the false gods of Egypt, because I am the Lord their God. 8 But they defied me and refused to listen. They did not throw away their disgusting idols or give up the Egyptian gods. I was ready to let them feel the full force of my anger there in Egypt. 9 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name, for in the presence of the people among whom they were living I had announced to Israel that I was going to lead them out of Egypt.
10 “And so I led them out of Egypt into the desert. 11 I gave them my commands and taught them my laws, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. 12 I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, the Lord, make them holy. 13 But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them. 14 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt. 15 So I made a vow in the desert that I would not take them to the land I had given them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all. 16 I made the vow because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, and profaned the Sabbath—they preferred to worship their idols.
17 “But then I took pity on them. I decided not to kill them there in the desert. 18 Instead, I warned the young people among them: Do not keep the laws your ancestors made; do not follow their customs or defile yourselves with their idols. 19 I am the Lord your God. Obey my laws and my commands. 20 Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am the Lord your God.
21 “But that generation also defied me. They broke my laws and did not keep my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to kill them all. 22 But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt. 23 So I made another vow in the desert. I vowed that I would scatter them all over the world. 24 I did this because they had rejected my commands, broken my laws, profaned the Sabbath, and worshiped the same idols their ancestors had served.
25 “Then I gave them laws that are not good and commands that do not bring life. 26 I let them defile themselves with their own offerings, and I let them sacrifice their first-born sons. This was to punish them and show them that I am the Lord.
27 “Now then, mortal man, tell the Israelites what I, the Sovereign Lord, am saying to them. This is another way their ancestors insulted me by their unfaithfulness. 28 I brought them to the land I had promised to give them. When they saw the high hills and green trees, they offered sacrifices at all of them. They made me angry by the sacrifices they burned and by the wine they brought as offerings. 29 I asked them: What are these high places where you go? So they have been called ‘High Places’ ever since. 30 Now tell the Israelites what I am saying: Why must you commit the same sins your ancestors did and go running after their idols? 31 Even today you offer the same gifts and defile yourselves with the same idols by sacrificing your children to them in the fire. And then you Israelites still come to ask what my will is! As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I will not let you ask me anything. 32 You have made up your minds that you want to be like the other nations, like the people who live in other countries and worship trees and rocks. But that will never be.
God Punishes and Forgives
33 “As surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I warn you that in my anger I will rule over you with a strong hand, with all my power. 34 I will show you my power and my anger when I gather you together and bring you back from all the countries where you have been scattered. 35 I will bring you into the ‘Desert of the Nations,’ and there I will condemn you to your face. 36 I will now condemn you just as I condemned your ancestors in the Sinai Desert,” says the Sovereign Lord.
37 “I will take firm control of you and make you obey my covenant. 38 I will take away from among you those who are rebellious and sinful. I will take them out of the lands where they are living now, but I will not let them return to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
39 The Sovereign Lord says, “And now, all you Israelites, suit yourselves! Go on and serve your idols! But I warn you that after this you will have to obey me and stop dishonoring my holy name by offering gifts to your idols. 40 There in the land, on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, all you people of Israel will worship me. I will be pleased with you and will expect you to bring me your sacrifices, your best offerings, and your holy gifts. 41 After I bring you out of the countries where you have been scattered and gather you together, I will accept the sacrifices that you burn, and the nations will see that I am holy. 42 When I bring you back to Israel, the land that I promised I would give to your ancestors, then you will know that I am the Lord. 43 Then you will remember all the disgraceful things you did and how you defiled yourselves. You will be disgusted with yourselves because of all the evil things you did. 44 When I act to protect my honor, you Israelites will know that I am the Lord, because I do not deal with you as your wicked, evil actions deserve.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
Fire in the South
45 The Lord spoke to me. 46 “Mortal man,” he said, “look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south. 47 Tell the southern forest to hear what the Sovereign Lord is saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames. 48 They will all see that I, the Lord, set it on fire and that no one can put it out.”
49 But I protested, “Sovereign Lord, don't make me do it! Everyone is already complaining that I always speak in riddles.”
