1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

2 Son of man, give a word to the children of your people, and say to them, When I make the sword come on a land, if the people of the land take a man from among their number and make him their watchman:

2 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם דַּבֵּ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֶ֕רֶץ כִּֽי־אָבִ֥יא עָלֶ֖יהָ חָ֑רֶב וְלָקְח֨וּ עַם־הָאָ֜רֶץ אִ֤ישׁ אֶחָד֙ מִקְצֵיהֶ֔ם וְנָתְנ֥וּ אֹתֹ֛ו לָהֶ֖ם לְצֹפֶֽה׃

3 If, when he sees the sword coming on the land, by sounding the horn he gives the people news of their danger;

3 וְרָאָ֥ה אֶת־הַחֶ֖רֶב בָּאָ֣ה עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְתָקַ֥ע בַּשֹּׁופָ֖ר וְהִזְהִ֥יר אֶת־הָעָֽם׃

4 Then anyone who, hearing the sound of the horn, does not take note of it, will himself be responsible for his death, if the sword comes and takes him away.

4 וְשָׁמַ֨ע הַשֹּׁמֵ֜עַ אֶת־קֹ֤ול הַשֹּׁופָר֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּ֥בֹוא חֶ֖רֶב וַתִּקָּחֵ֑הוּ דָּמֹ֥ו בְרֹאשֹׁ֖ו יִֽהְיֶֽה׃

5 On hearing the sound of the horn, he did not take note; his blood will be on him; for if he had taken note his life would have been safe.

5 אֵת֩ קֹ֨ול הַשֹּׁופָ֤ר שָׁמַע֙ וְלֹ֣א נִזְהָ֔ר דָּמֹ֖ו בֹּ֣ו יִֽהְיֶ֑ה וְה֥וּא נִזְהָ֖ר נַפְשֹׁ֥ו מִלֵּֽט׃

6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming, and does not give a note on the horn, and the people have no word of the danger, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them; he will be taken away in his sin, but I will make the watchman responsible for his blood.

6 וְ֠הַצֹּפֶה כִּֽי־יִרְאֶ֨ה אֶת־הַחֶ֜רֶב בָּאָ֗ה וְלֹֽא־תָקַ֤ע בַּשֹּׁופָר֙ וְהָעָ֣ם לֹֽא־נִזְהָ֔ר וַתָּבֹ֣וא חֶ֔רֶב וַתִּקַּ֥ח מֵהֶ֖ם נָ֑פֶשׁ ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו נִלְקָ֔ח וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיַּֽד־הַצֹּפֶ֥ה אֶדְרֹֽשׁ׃

7 So you, son of man, I have made you a watchman for the children of Israel; and you are to give ear to the word of my mouth and give them news from me of their danger.

7 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם צֹפֶ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְבֵ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְשָׁמַעְתָּ֤ מִפִּי֙ דָּבָ֔ר וְהִזְהַרְתָּ֥ אֹתָ֖ם מִמֶּֽנִּי׃

8 When I say to the evil-doer, Death will certainly overtake you; and you say nothing to make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his way; death will overtake that evil man in his evil-doing, but I will make you responsible for his blood.

8 בְּאָמְרִ֣י לָרָשָׁ֗ע רָשָׁע֙ מֹ֣ות תָּמ֔וּת וְלֹ֣א דִבַּ֔רְתָּ לְהַזְהִ֥יר רָשָׁ֖ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֤וּא רָשָׁע֙ בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְדָמֹ֖ו מִיָּדְךָ֥ אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ׃

9 But if you make clear to the evil-doer the danger of his way for the purpose of turning him from it, and he is not turned from his way, death will overtake him in his evil-doing, but your life will be safe.

9 וְ֠אַתָּה כִּֽי־הִזְהַ֨רְתָּ רָשָׁ֤ע מִדַּרְכֹּו֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִמֶּ֔נָּה וְלֹא־שָׁ֖ב מִדַּרְכֹּ֑ו ה֚וּא בַּעֲוֹנֹ֣ו יָמ֔וּת וְאַתָּ֖ה נַפְשְׁךָ֥ הִצַּֽלְתָּ׃

10 And you, son of man, say to the children of Israel, You say, Our wrongdoing and our sins are on us and we are wasting away in them; how then may we have life?

10 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹר֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כֵּ֤ן אֲמַרְתֶּם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר כִּֽי־פְשָׁעֵ֥ינוּ וְחַטֹּאתֵ֖ינוּ עָלֵ֑ינוּ וּבָ֛ם אֲנַ֥חְנוּ נְמַקִּ֖ים וְאֵ֥יךְ נִֽחְיֶֽה׃

11 Say to them, By my life, says the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the evil-doer; it is more pleasing to me if he is turned from his way and has life: be turned, be turned from your evil ways; why are you looking for death, O children of Israel?

11 אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם חַי־אָ֣נִי׀ נְאֻ֣ם׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙ בְּמֹ֣ות הָרָשָׁ֔ע כִּ֣י אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכֹּ֖ו וְחָיָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ שׁ֜וּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם הָרָעִ֛ים וְלָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּתוּ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

12 And you, son of man, say to the children of your people, The righteousness of the upright man will not make him safe in the day when he does wrong; and the evil-doing of the evil man will not be the cause of his fall in the day when he is turned from his evil-doing; and the upright man will not have life because of his righteousness in the day when he does evil.

12 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֗ם אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־בְּנֵֽי־עַמְּךָ֙ צִדְקַ֣ת הַצַּדִּ֗יק לֹ֤א תַצִּילֶ֙נּוּ֙ בְּיֹ֣ום פִּשְׁעֹ֔ו וְרִשְׁעַ֤ת הָֽרָשָׁע֙ לֹֽא־יִכָּ֣שֶׁל בָּ֔הּ בְּיֹ֖ום שׁוּבֹ֣ו מֵֽרִשְׁעֹ֑ו וְצַדִּ֗יק לֹ֥א יוּכַ֛ל לִֽחְיֹ֥ות בָּ֖הּ בְּיֹ֥ום חֲטֹאתֹֽו׃

13 When I say to the upright that life will certainly be his; if he puts his faith in his righteousness and does evil, not one of his upright acts will be kept in memory; but in the evil he has done, death will overtake him.

13 בְּאָמְרִ֤י לַצַּדִּיק֙ חָיֹ֣ה יִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְהֽוּא־בָטַ֥ח עַל־צִדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל כָּל־ צִדְקָתֹו צִדְקֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה וּבְעַוְלֹ֥ו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֖ה בֹּ֥ו יָמֽוּת׃

14 And when I say to the evil-doer, Death will certainly be your fate; if he is turned from his sin and does what is ordered and right;

14 וּבְאָמְרִ֥י לָֽרָשָׁ֖ע מֹ֣ות תָּמ֑וּת וְשָׁב֙ מֵֽחַטָּאתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָֽה׃

15 If the evil-doer lets one who is in his debt have back what is his, and gives back what he had taken by force, and is guided by the rules of life, doing no evil; life will certainly be his, death will not overtake him.

15 חֲבֹ֨ל יָשִׁ֤יב רָשָׁע֙ גְּזֵלָ֣ה יְשַׁלֵּ֔ם בְּחֻקֹּ֤ות הַֽחַיִּים֙ הָלַ֔ךְ לְבִלְתִּ֖י עֲשֹׂ֣ות עָ֑וֶל חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶ֖ה לֹ֥א יָמֽוּת׃

16 Not one of the sins which he has done will be kept in mind against him: he has done what is ordered and right, life will certainly be his.

16 כָּל־ חַטָּאתֹו חַטֹּאתָיו֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָטָ֔א לֹ֥א תִזָּכַ֖רְנָה לֹ֑ו מִשְׁפָּ֧ט וּצְדָקָ֛ה עָשָׂ֖ה חָיֹ֥ו יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

17 But the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: when it is they whose way is not equal.

17 וְאָמְרוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֔ לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י וְהֵ֖מָּה דַּרְכָּ֥ם לֹֽא־יִתָּכֵֽן׃

18 When the upright man, turning away from his righteousness, does evil, death will overtake him in it.

18 בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּ֥יק מִצִּדְקָתֹ֖ו וְעָ֣שָׂה עָ֑וֶל וּמֵ֖ת בָּהֶֽם׃

19 And when the evil man, turning away from his evil-doing, does what is ordered and right, he will get life by it.

19 וּבְשׁ֤וּב רָשָׁע֙ מֵֽרִשְׁעָתֹ֔ו וְעָשָׂ֥ה מִשְׁפָּ֖ט וּצְדָקָ֑ה עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם ה֥וּא יִֽחְיֶֽה׃

20 And still you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O children of Israel, I will be your judge, giving to everyone the reward of his ways.

20 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם לֹ֥א יִתָּכֵ֖ן דֶּ֣רֶךְ אֲדֹנָ֑י אִ֧ישׁ כִּדְרָכָ֛יו אֶשְׁפֹּ֥וט אֶתְכֶ֖ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

21 Now in the twelfth year after we had been taken away prisoners, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, one who had got away in flight from Jerusalem came to me, saying, The town has been taken.

21 וַיְהִ֞י בִּשְׁתֵּ֧י עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה שָׁנָ֗ה בָּעֲשִׂרִ֛י בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה לַחֹ֖דֶשׁ לְגָלוּתֵ֑נוּ בָּא־אֵלַ֨י הַפָּלִ֧יט מִירוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לֵאמֹ֖ר הֻכְּתָ֥ה הָעִֽיר׃

22 Now the hand of the Lord had been on me in the evening, before the man who had got away came to me; and he made my mouth open, ready for his coming to me in the morning; and my mouth was open and I was no longer without voice.

22 וְיַד־יְהוָה֩ הָיְתָ֨ה אֵלַ֜י בָּעֶ֗רֶב לִפְנֵי֙ בֹּ֣וא הַפָּלִ֔יט וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח אֶת־פִּ֔י עַד־בֹּ֥וא אֵלַ֖י בַּבֹּ֑קֶר וַיִּפָּ֣תַח פִּ֔י וְלֹ֥א נֶאֱלַ֖מְתִּי עֹֽוד׃

23 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

23 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה³ אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

24 Son of man, those who are living in these waste places in the land of Israel say, Abraham was but one, and he had land for his heritage: but we are a great number; the land is given to us for our heritage.

24 בֶּן־אָדָ֗ם יֹ֠שְׁבֵי הֶחֳרָבֹ֨ות הָאֵ֜לֶּה עַל־אַדְמַ֤ת יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֹמְרִ֣ים לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶחָד֙ הָיָ֣ה אַבְרָהָ֔ם וַיִּירַ֖שׁ אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַאֲנַ֣חְנוּ רַבִּ֔ים לָ֛נוּ נִתְּנָ֥ה הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמֹורָשָֽׁה׃

25 For this cause say to them, This is what the Lord has said: You take your meat with the blood, your eyes are lifted up to your images, and you are takers of life: are you to have the land for your heritage?

25 לָכֵן֩ אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהֹוִ֗ה עַל־הַדָּ֧ם׀ תֹּאכֵ֛לוּ וְעֵינֵכֶ֛ם תִּשְׂא֥וּ אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵיכֶ֖ם וְדָ֣ם תִּשְׁפֹּ֑כוּ וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃

26 You put your faith in your swords, you do disgusting things, everyone takes his neighbour's wife: are you to have the land for your heritage?

26 עֲמַדְתֶּ֤ם עַֽל־חַרְבְּכֶם֙ עֲשִׂיתֶ֣ן תֹּועֵבָ֔ה וְאִ֛ישׁ אֶת־אֵ֥שֶׁת רֵעֵ֖הוּ טִמֵּאתֶ֑ם וְהָאָ֖רֶץ תִּירָֽשׁוּ׃

27 This is what you are to say to them: The Lord has said, By my life, truly, those who are in the waste places will be put to the sword, and him who is in the open field I will give to the beasts for their food, and those who are in the strong places and in holes in the rocks will come to their death by disease.

27 כֹּֽה־תֹאמַ֨ר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִה֮ חַי־אָנִי֒ אִם־לֹ֞א אֲשֶׁ֤ר בֶּֽחֳרָבֹות֙ בַּחֶ֣רֶב יִפֹּ֔לוּ וַֽאֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה לַחַיָּ֥ה נְתַתִּ֖יו לְאָכְלֹ֑ו וַאֲשֶׁ֛ר בַּמְּצָדֹ֥ות וּבַמְּעָרֹ֖ות בַּדֶּ֥בֶר יָמֽוּתוּ׃

28 And I will make the land a waste and a cause of wonder, and the pride of her strength will come to an end; and the mountains of Israel will be made waste so that no one will go through.

28 וְנָתַתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה וְנִשְׁבַּ֖ת גְּאֹ֣ון עֻזָּ֑הּ וְשָֽׁמְמ֛וּ הָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאֵ֥ין עֹובֵֽר׃

29 Then they will be certain that I am the Lord, when I have made the land a waste and a cause of wonder, because of all the disgusting things which they have done,

29 וְיָדְע֖וּ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֑ה בְּתִתִּ֤י אֶת־הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ שְׁמָמָ֣ה וּמְשַׁמָּ֔ה עַ֥ל כָּל־תֹּועֲבֹתָ֖ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשֽׂוּ׃

30 And as for you, son of man, the children of your people are talking together about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, saying to one another, Come now, give ear to the word which comes from the Lord.

30 וְאַתָּ֣ה בֶן־אָדָ֔ם בְּנֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ הַנִּדְבָּרִ֤ים בְּךָ֙ אֵ֣צֶל הַקִּירֹ֔ות וּבְפִתְחֵ֖י הַבָּתִּ֑ים וְדִבֶּר־חַ֣ד אֶת־אַחַ֗ד אִ֤ישׁ אֶת־אָחִיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֹּֽאוּ־נָ֣א וְשִׁמְע֔וּ מָ֣ה הַדָּבָ֔ר הַיֹּוצֵ֖א מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָֽה׃

31 And they come to you as my people come, and are seated before you as my people, hearing your words but doing them not: for deceit is in their mouth and their heart goes after profit for themselves.

31 וְיָבֹ֣ואוּ אֵ֠לֶיךָ כִּמְבֹוא־עָ֞ם וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ עַמִּ֔י וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְאֹותָ֖ם לֹ֣א יַֽעֲשׂ֑וּ כִּֽי־עֲגָבִ֤ים בְּפִיהֶם֙ הֵ֣מָּה עֹשִׂ֔ים אַחֲרֵ֥י בִצְעָ֖ם לִבָּ֥ם הֹלֵֽךְ׃

32 And truly you are to them like a love song by one who has a very pleasing voice and is an expert player on an instrument: for they give ear to your words but do them not.

32 וְהִנְּךָ֤ לָהֶם֙ כְּשִׁ֣יר עֲגָבִ֔ים יְפֵ֥ה קֹ֖ול וּמֵטִ֣ב נַגֵּ֑ן וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־דְּבָרֶ֔יךָ וְעֹשִׂ֥ים אֵינָ֖ם אֹותָֽם׃

33 And when this comes about (see, it is coming), then it will be clear to them that a prophet has been among them.

33 וּבְבֹאָ֑הּ הִנֵּ֣ה בָאָ֔ה וְיָ֣דְע֔וּ כִּ֥י נָבִ֖יא הָיָ֥ה בְתֹוכָֽם׃