¹ Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

³ If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

⁴ Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

⁶ But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

⁷ So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.

⁸ When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

⁹ Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

¹⁰ Therefore, O thou son of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?

¹¹ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

¹² Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

¹³ When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

¹⁴ Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

¹⁵ If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

¹⁶ None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

¹⁷ Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

¹⁸ When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

¹⁹ But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

²⁰ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

²¹ And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

²² Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

²³ Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

²⁴ Son of man, they that inhabit those wastes of the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

²⁵ Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?

²⁶ Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife: and shall ye possess the land?

²⁷ Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; As I live, surely they that are in the wastes shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that be in the forts and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

²⁸ For I will lay the land most desolate, and the pomp of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, that none shall pass through.

²⁹ Then shall they know that I am the LORD, when I have laid the land most desolate because of all their abominations which they have committed.

³⁰ Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the LORD.

³¹ And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

³² And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

³³ And when this cometh to pass, (lo, it will come,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

---

¹ Again the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came unto me, saying, ^H559

² Son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 speak ^H1696 to the children ^H1121 of thy people, ^H5971 and say ^H559 unto them, When I bring ^H935 the sword ^H2719 upon a land, ^H776 if the people ^H5971 of the land ^H776 take ^H3947 a ^H259 man ^H376 of their coasts, ^H7097 and set ^H5414 him for their watchman: ^H6822

³ If when he seeth ^H7200 the sword ^H2719 come ^H935 upon the land, ^H776 he blow ^H8628 the trumpet, ^H7782 and warn ^H2094 the people; ^H5971

⁴ Then whosoever ^H8085 heareth ^H8085 the sound ^H6963 of the trumpet, ^H7782 and taketh not warning; ^H2094 if the sword ^H2719 come, ^H935 and take him away, ^H3947 his blood ^H1818 shall be upon his own head. ^H7218

⁵ He heard ^H8085 the sound ^H6963 of the trumpet, ^H7782 and took not warning; ^H2094 his blood ^H1818 shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning ^H2094 shall deliver ^H4422 his soul. ^H5315

⁶ But if the watchman ^H6822 see ^H7200 the sword ^H2719 come, ^H935 and blow ^H8628 not the trumpet, ^H7782 and the people ^H5971 be not warned; ^H2094 if the sword ^H2719 come, ^H935 and take ^H3947 any person ^H5315 from among them, he is taken away ^H3947 in his iniquity; ^H5771 but his blood ^H1818 will I require ^H1875 at the watchman's ^H6822 hand. ^H3027

⁷ So thou, O son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 I have set ^H5414 thee a watchman ^H6822 unto the house ^H1004 of Israel; ^H3478 therefore thou shalt hear ^H8085 the word ^H1697 at my mouth, ^H6310 and warn ^H2094 them from me.

⁸ When I say ^H559 unto the wicked, ^H7563 O wicked ^H7563 man, thou shalt surely ^H4191 die; ^H4191 if thou dost not speak ^H1696 to warn ^H2094 the wicked ^H7563 from his way, ^H1870 that wicked ^H7563 man shall die ^H4191 in his iniquity; ^H5771 but his blood ^H1818 will I require ^H1245 at thine hand. ^H3027

⁹ Nevertheless, if thou warn ^H2094 the wicked ^H7563 of his way ^H1870 to turn ^H7725 from it; if he do not turn ^H7725 from his way, ^H1870 he shall die ^H4191 in his iniquity; ^H5771 but thou hast delivered ^H5337 thy soul. ^H5315

¹⁰ Therefore, O thou son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 speak ^H559 unto the house ^H1004 of Israel; ^H3478 Thus ye speak, ^H559 saying, ^H559 If our transgressions ^H6588 and our sins ^H2403 be upon us, and we pine away ^H4743 in them, how should we then live? ^H2421

¹¹ Say ^H559 unto them, As I live, ^H2416 saith ^H5002 the Lord ^H136 GOD, ^H3069 I have no pleasure ^H2654 in the death ^H4194 of the wicked; ^H7563 but that the wicked ^H7563 turn ^H7725 from his way ^H1870 and live: ^H2421 turn ^H7725 ye, turn ^H7725 ye from your evil ^H7451 ways; ^H1870 for why will ye die, ^H4191 O house ^H1004 of Israel? ^H3478

¹² Therefore, thou son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 say ^H559 unto the children ^H1121 of thy people, ^H5971 The righteousness ^H6666 of the righteous ^H6662 shall not deliver ^H5337 him in the day ^H3117 of his transgression: ^H6588 as for the wickedness ^H7564 of the wicked, ^H7563 he shall not fall ^H3782 thereby in the day ^H3117 that he turneth ^H7725 from his wickedness; ^H7562 neither shall the righteous ^H6662 be able ^H3201 to live ^H2421 for his righteousness in the day ^H3117 that he sinneth. ^H2398

¹³ When I shall say ^H559 to the righteous, ^H6662 that he shall surely ^H2421 live; ^H2421 if he trust ^H982 to his own righteousness, ^H6666 and commit ^H6213 iniquity, ^H5766 all his righteousnesses ^H6666 shall not be remembered; ^H2142 but for his iniquity ^H5766 that he hath committed, ^H6213 he shall die ^H4191 for it.

¹⁴ Again, when I say ^H559 unto the wicked, ^H7563 Thou shalt surely ^H4191 die; ^H4191 if he turn ^H7725 from his sin, ^H2403 and do ^H6213 that which is lawful ^H4941 and right; ^H6666

¹⁵ If the wicked ^H7563 restore ^H7725 the pledge, ^H2258 give again ^H7999 that he had robbed, ^H1500 walk ^H1980 in the statutes ^H2708 of life, ^H2416 without committing ^H6213 iniquity; ^H5766 he shall surely ^H2421 live, ^H2421 he shall not die. ^H4191

¹⁶ None of his sins ^H2403 that he hath committed ^H2398 shall be mentioned ^H2142 unto him: he hath done ^H6213 that which is lawful ^H4941 and right; ^H6666 he shall surely ^H2421 live. ^H2421

¹⁷ Yet the children ^H1121 of thy people ^H5971 say, ^H559 The way ^H1870 of the Lord ^H136 is not equal: ^H8505 but as for them, their way ^H1870 is not equal. ^H8505

¹⁸ When the righteous ^H6662 turneth ^H7725 from his righteousness, ^H6666 and committeth ^H6213 iniquity, ^H5766 he shall even die ^H4191 thereby.

¹⁹ But if the wicked ^H7563 turn ^H7725 from his wickedness, ^H7564 and do ^H6213 that which is lawful ^H4941 and right, ^H6666 he shall live ^H2421 thereby.

²⁰ Yet ye say, ^H559 The way ^H1870 of the Lord ^H136 is not equal. ^H8505 O ye house ^H1004 of Israel, ^H3478 I will judge ^H8199 you every one ^H376 after his ways. ^H1870

²¹ And it came to pass in the twelfth ^{H8147 H6240} year ^H8141 of our captivity, ^H1546 in the tenth ^H6224 month, in the fifth ^H2568 day of the month, ^H2320 that one that had escaped ^H6412 out of Jerusalem ^H3389 came ^H935 unto me, saying, ^H559 The city ^H5892 is smitten. ^H5221

²² Now the hand ^H3027 of the LORD ^H3068 was upon me in the evening, ^H6153 afore ^H6440 he that was escaped ^H6412 came; ^H935 and had opened ^H6605 my mouth, ^H6310 until he came ^H935 to me in the morning; ^H1242 and my mouth ^H6310 was opened, ^H6605 and I was no more dumb. ^H481

²³ Then the word ^H1697 of the LORD ^H3068 came unto me, saying, ^H559

²⁴ Son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 they that inhabit ^H3427 those wastes ^H2723 of the land ^H127 of Israel ^H3478 speak, ^H559 saying, ^H559 Abraham ^H85 was one, ^H259 and he inherited ^H3423 the land: ^H776 but we are many; ^H7227 the land ^H776 is given ^H5414 us for inheritance. ^H4181

²⁵ Wherefore say ^H559 unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 Ye eat ^H398 with the blood, ^H1818 and lift up ^H5375 your eyes ^H5869 toward your idols, ^H1544 and shed ^H8210 blood: ^H1818 and shall ye possess ^H3423 the land? ^H776

²⁶ Ye stand ^H5975 upon your sword, ^H2719 ye work ^H6213 abomination, ^H8441 and ye defile ^H2930 every one ^H376 his neighbour's ^H7453 wife: ^H802 and shall ye possess ^H3423 the land? ^H776

²⁷ Say ^H559 thou thus unto them, Thus saith ^H559 the Lord ^H136 GOD; ^H3069 As I live, ^H2416 surely they that are in the wastes ^H2723 shall fall ^H5307 by the sword, ^H2719 and him that is in the open ^H6440 field ^H7704 will I give ^H5414 to the beasts ^H2416 to be devoured, ^H398 and they that be in the forts ^H4679 and in the caves ^H4631 shall die ^H4191 of the pestilence. ^H1698

²⁸ For I will lay ^H5414 the land ^H776 most ^H4923 desolate, ^H8077 and the pomp ^H1347 of her strength ^H5797 shall cease; ^H7673 and the mountains ^H2022 of Israel ^H3478 shall be desolate, ^H8074 that none shall pass through. ^H5674

²⁹ Then shall they know ^H3045 that I am the LORD, ^H3068 when I have laid ^H5414 the land ^H776 most ^H4923 desolate ^H8077 because of all their abominations ^H8441 which they have committed. ^H6213

³⁰ Also, thou son ^H1121 of man, ^H120 the children ^H1121 of thy people ^H5971 still are talking ^H1696 against ^H681 thee by the walls ^H7023 and in the doors ^H6607 of the houses, ^H1004 and speak ^H1696 one ^H2297 to another, ^H259 every one ^H376 to his brother, ^H251 saying, ^H559 Come, ^H935 I pray you, and hear ^H8085 what is the word ^H1697 that cometh forth ^H3318 from the LORD. ^H3068

³¹ And they come ^H935 unto thee as the people ^H5971 cometh, ^H3996 and they sit ^H3427 before ^H6440 thee as my people, ^H5971 and they hear ^H8085 thy words, ^H1697 but they will not do ^H6213 them: for with their mouth ^H6310 they shew ^H6213 much love, ^H5690 but their heart ^H3820 goeth ^H1980 after ^H310 their covetousness. ^H1215

³² And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely ^H5690 song ^H7892 of one that hath a pleasant ^H3303 voice, ^H6963 and can play well ^H2895 on an instrument: ^H5059 for they hear ^H8085 thy words, ^H1697 but they do ^H6213 them not.

³³ And when this cometh to pass, ^H935 (lo, it will come,) ^H935 then shall they know ^H3045 that a prophet ^H5030 hath been among ^H8432 them.

---

¹ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

³ if, when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

⁴ then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.

⁶ But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, and the sword come, and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

⁷ So thou, son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

⁸ When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die, and thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand.

⁹ Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he turn not from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul.

¹⁰ And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Thus ye speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?

¹¹ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

¹² And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall he that is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sinneth.

¹³ When I say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he hath committed, therein shall he die.

¹⁴ Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

¹⁵ if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

¹⁶ None of his sins that he hath committed shall be remembered against him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

¹⁷ Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

¹⁸ When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die therein.

¹⁹ And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

²⁰ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

²¹ And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth `month', in the fifth `day' of the month, that one that had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten.

²² Now the hand of Jehovah had been upon me in the evening, before he that was escaped came; and he had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

²³ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

²⁴ Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

²⁵ Wherefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes unto your idols, and shed blood: and shall ye possess the land?

²⁶ Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbor's wife: and shall ye possess the land?

²⁷ Thus shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: As I live, surely they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured; and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

²⁸ And I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.

²⁹ Then shall they know that I am Jehovah, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed.

³⁰ And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people talk of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from Jehovah.

³¹ And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but do them not; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their gain.

³² And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

³³ And when this cometh to pass, (behold, it cometh,) then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

---

¹ And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

² `Son of man, speak unto the sons of thy people, and thou hast said unto them: A land -- when I bring in against it a sword, And the people of the land have taken one man out of their borders, And made him to them for a watchman.

³ And he hath seen the sword coming against the land, And hath blown with a trumpet, and hath warned the people,

⁴ And the hearer hath heard the voice of the trumpet, and he hath not taken warning, And come in doth the sword, and taketh him away, His blood is on his head.

⁵ The voice of the trumpet he heard, And he hath not taken warning, his blood is on him, And he who took warning his soul hath delivered.

⁶ And the watchman, when he seeth the sword coming in, And he hath not blown with a trumpet, And the people hath not been warned, And come in doth a sword, And taketh away of them -- a soul, He in his iniquity is taken away, And his blood from the hand of the watchman I require.

⁷ And thou, son of man, A watchman I gave thee to the house of Israel, And thou hast heard from My mouth a word, And thou hast warned them from Me.

⁸ In My saying to the wicked, O wicked one -- thou dost surely die, And thou hast not spoken to warn the wicked from his way, He -- the wicked -- in his iniquity doth die, And his blood from thy hand I require.

⁹ And thou, when thou hast warned the wicked of his way, to turn back from it, And he hath not turned back from his way, He in his iniquity doth die, And thou thy soul hast delivered.

¹⁰ And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel: Rightly ye have spoken, saying: Surely our transgressions and our sins `are' on us, And in them we are wasting away, How, then, do we live?

¹¹ Say unto them, I live -- an affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, I delight not in the death of the wicked, But -- in the turning of the wicked from his way, And he hath lived, Turn back, turn back, from your evil ways, Yea, why do ye die, O house of Israel?

¹² And thou, son of man, say unto the sons of thy people: The righteousness of the righteous doth not deliver him in the day of his transgression, And the wickedness of the wicked, He doth not stumble for it in the day of his turning from his wickedness, And the righteous is not able to live in it in the day of his sinning.

¹³ In My saying of the righteous: He surely liveth, And -- he hath trusted on his righteousness, And he hath done perversity, All his righteous acts are not remembered, And for his perversity that he hath done, For it he doth die.

¹⁴ And in My saying to the wicked: Thou surely diest, And -- he hath turned back from his sin, And hath done judgment and righteousness,

¹⁵ (The pledge the wicked restoreth, plunder he repayeth,) In the statutes of life he hath walked, So as not to do perversity, He surely liveth -- he doth not die.

¹⁶ None of his sin that he hath sinned is remembered to him, Judgment and righteousness he hath done, He doth surely live.

¹⁷ And the sons of thy people have said: The way of the Lord is not pondered, As to them -- their way is not pondered.

¹⁸ In the turning back of the righteous from his righteousness, And he hath done perversity -- he dieth for it.

¹⁹ And in the turning back of the wicked from his wickedness, And he hath done judgment and righteousness, by them he liveth.

²⁰ And ye have said: The way of the Lord is not pondered, Each according to his ways do I judge you, O house of Israel.'

²¹ And it cometh to pass, in the twelfth year -- in the tenth `month', in the fifth of the month -- of our removal, come in unto me doth one who is escaped from Jerusalem, saying, `The city hath been smitten.'

²² And the hand of Jehovah hath been unto me in the evening, before the coming in of the escaped one, and He openeth my mouth till the coming in unto me in the morning, and opened is my mouth, and I have not been silent again.

²³ And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

²⁴ `Son of man, the inhabitants of these wastes on the ground of Israel are speaking, saying: Alone hath been Abraham -- and he possesseth the land, and we `are' many -- to us hath the land been given for a possession.

²⁵ Therefore say unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: With the blood ye do eat, And your eyes ye lift up unto your idols, And blood ye shed, and the land ye inherit!

²⁶ Ye have stood on your sword, Ye have done abomination, Each the wife of his neighbour ye have defiled, And the land ye possess!

²⁷ Thus dost thou say unto them: Thus said the Lord Jehovah: I live -- do not they who `are' in the wastes by the sword fall? And they who `are' on the face of the field, To the beast I have given for food, And they who are in strongholds and in caves by pestilence die.

²⁸ And I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, And ceased hath the excellency of its strength, And desolated have been mountains of Israel, Without any one passing through.

²⁹ And they have known that I `am' Jehovah, In My making the land a desolation and an astonishment, For all their abominations that they have done.

³⁰ And thou, son of man, the sons of thy people who are speaking about thee, By the walls, and in openings of the houses, Have spoken one with another, each with his brother, Saying: Come in, I pray you, And hear what `is' the word that cometh out from Jehovah.

³¹ And they come in unto thee as the coming in of a people, And they sit before thee -- My people, And have heard thy words, and they do them not, For doting loves with their mouth they are making, After their dishonest gain their heart is going.

³² And lo, thou `art' to them as a singer of doting loves, A pleasant voice, and playing well on an instrument, And they have heard thy words, and they are not doing them.

³³ And in its coming in -- lo, it hath come, And they have known that a prophet hath been in their midst!'

---

¹ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

² Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them all, and set him for their watchman:

³ if he see the sword coming upon the land, and blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

⁴ then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning, if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.

⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood is upon him: whereas had he taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.

⁶ But if the watchman see the sword coming, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned, if the sword come and take a person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

⁷ So thou, son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; and thou shalt hear the word from my mouth, and warn them from me.

⁸ When I say unto the wicked, Wicked [man], thou shalt certainly die; and thou speakest not to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked [man] shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand.

⁹ But if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

¹⁰ And thou, son of man, say unto the house of Israel, Thus ye speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and we waste away in them, how then should we live?

¹¹ Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord Jehovah, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

¹² And thou, son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sinneth.

¹³ When I say to the righteous that he shall certainly live, and he trusteth to his righteousness and doeth what is wrong, none of his righteous acts shall be remembered; but in his unrighteousness which he hath done, in it shall he die.

¹⁴ And when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt certainly die, and he turneth from his sin, and doeth judgment and justice;

¹⁵ if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, doing nothing that is wrong; he shall certainly live, he shall not die.

¹⁶ None of his sins which he hath committed shall be remembered against him: he hath done judgment and justice; he shall certainly live.

¹⁷ Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

¹⁸ When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and doeth what is wrong, then he shall die therein.

¹⁹ And when the wicked turneth from his wickedness, and doeth judgment and justice, he shall live for these things.

²⁰ Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.

²¹ And it came to pass in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth [month], on the fifth of the month, that one who had escaped out of Jerusalem came unto me, saying, The city is smitten!

²² Now the hand of Jehovah had been upon me in the evening, before he that had escaped came; and he had opened my mouth against his coming to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumb.

²³ And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

²⁴ Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited this land, and we are many: the land is given us for a possession.

²⁵ Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Ye eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes toward your idols, and shed blood; and shall ye possess the land?

²⁶ Ye stand upon your sword, ye work abomination, and ye defile every one his neighbour's wife; and shall ye possess the land?

²⁷ Say thou thus unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: [As] I live, verily they that are in the waste places shall fall by the sword, and him that is in the open field will I give to the beasts to be devoured, and they that are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

²⁸ And I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment, and the pride of her strength shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolated, so that none shall pass through.

²⁹ And they shall know that I [am] Jehovah, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment because of all their abominations which they have committed.

³⁰ And as for thee, son of man, the children of thy people keep talking of thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, every one to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from Jehovah.

³¹ And they come unto thee as a people cometh, and they sit before thee [as] my people, and they hear thy words, but they do them not; for with their mouth they shew much love, [but] their heart goeth after their dishonest gain.

³² And behold, thou art unto them as a lovely song, a pleasant voice, and one that playeth well on an instrument; and they hear thy words, but they do them not.

³³ And when this cometh to pass (behold, it will come), then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them.

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¹ The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

² Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

³ if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;

⁴ then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and doesn't take warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be on his own head.

⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn't take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.

⁶ But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn't blow the trumpet, and the people aren't warned, and the sword comes, and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.

⁷ So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

⁸ When I tell the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you don't speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.

⁹ Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn't turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.

¹⁰ You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: Thus you speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?

¹¹ Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn you, turn you from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?

¹² You, son of man, tell the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his disobedience; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he who is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins.

¹³ When I tell the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die.

¹⁴ Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;

¹⁵ if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.

¹⁶ None of his sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.

¹⁷ Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.

¹⁸ When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall even die therein.

¹⁹ When the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.

²⁰ Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. House of Israel, I will judge you everyone after his ways.

²¹ It happened in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth [month], in the fifth [day] of the month, that one who had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city has been struck.

²² Now the hand of Yahweh had been on me in the evening, before he who was escaped came; and he had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more mute.

²³ The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

²⁴ Son of man, they who inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.

²⁵ Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land?

²⁶ You stand on your sword, you work abomination, and you defile everyone his neighbor's wife: and shall you possess the land?

²⁷ Thus shall you tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.

²⁸ I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.

²⁹ Then shall they know that I am Yahweh, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed.

³⁰ As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk of you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Please come and hear what is the word that comes forth from Yahweh.

³¹ They come to you as the people comes, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don't do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.

³² Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don't do them.

³³ When this comes to pass, (behold, it comes), then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.

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

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:

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

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;

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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?

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?

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.

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.

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,

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.

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.

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.

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