1
The word[H1697] of the LORD[H3068] came unto me again, saying[H559],
2
What mean ye, that ye use[H4911] this proverb[H4912] concerning the land[H127] of Israel[H3478], saying[H559], The fathers[H1] have eaten[H398] sour grapes[H1155], and the children's teeth[H8127] are set on edge?[H6949]
3
As I live[H2416], saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069], ye shall not have occasion any more to use[H4911] this proverb[H4912] in Israel[H3478].
4
Behold, all souls[H5315] are mine; as the soul[H5315] of the father[H1], so also the soul[H5315] of the son[H1121] is mine: the soul[H5315] that sinneth[H2398], it shall die[H4191].
5
But if a man[H376] be just[H6662], and do[H6213] that which is lawful[H4941] and right[H6666],
6
And hath not eaten[H398] upon the mountains[H2022], neither hath lifted up[H5375] his eyes[H5869] to the idols[H1544] of the house[H1004] of Israel[H3478], neither hath defiled[H2930] his neighbour's wife[H802], neither hath come near[H7126] to a menstruous[H5079]woman[H802],
7
And hath not oppressed[H3238]any[H376], but hath restored[H7725] to the debtor[H2326] his pledge[H2258], hath spoiled[H1497] none by violence[H1500], hath given[H5414] his bread[H3899] to the hungry[H7457], and hath covered[H3680] the naked[H5903] with a garment[H899];
8
He that hath not given forth[H5414] upon usury[H5392], neither hath taken[H3947] any increase[H8636], that hath withdrawn[H7725] his hand[H3027] from iniquity[H5766], hath executed[H6213]true[H571]judgment[H4941] between man[H376] and man[H376],
9
Hath walked[H1980] in my statutes[H2708], and hath kept[H8104] my judgments[H4941], to deal[H6213]truly[H571]; he is just[H6662], he shall surely[H2421]live[H2421], saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069].
10
If he beget[H3205] a son[H1121] that is a robber[H6530], a shedder[H8210] of blood[H1818], and that doeth[H6213] the like[H251] to any one[H259] of these things,
11
And that doeth[H6213] not any of those duties, but even hath eaten[H398] upon the mountains[H2022], and defiled[H2930] his neighbour's wife[H802],
12
Hath oppressed[H3238] the poor[H6041] and needy[H34], hath spoiled[H1497] by violence[H1500], hath not restored[H7725] the pledge[H2258], and hath lifted up[H5375] his eyes[H5869] to the idols[H1544], hath committed[H6213]abomination[H8441],
13
Hath given forth[H5414] upon usury[H5392], and hath taken[H3947]increase[H8636]: shall he then live?[H2425] he shall not live[H2421]: he hath done[H6213] all these abominations[H8441]; he shall surely[H4191]die[H4191]; his blood[H1818] shall be upon him.
14
Now, lo, if he beget[H3205] a son[H1121], that seeth[H7200] all his father's sins[H2403] which he hath done[H6213], and considereth[H7200], and doeth[H6213] not such like[H2004],
15
That hath not eaten[H398] upon the mountains[H2022], neither hath lifted up[H5375] his eyes[H5869] to the idols[H1544] of the house[H1004] of Israel[H3478], hath not defiled[H2930] his neighbour's wife[H802],
16
Neither hath oppressed[H3238]any[H376], hath not withholden[H2254] the pledge[H2258], neither hath spoiled[H1497] by violence[H1500], but hath given[H5414] his bread[H3899] to the hungry[H7457], and hath covered[H3680] the naked[H5903] with a garment[H899],
17
That hath taken off[H7725] his hand[H3027] from the poor[H6041], that hath not received[H3947]usury[H5392] nor increase[H8636], hath executed[H6213] my judgments[H4941], hath walked[H1980] in my statutes[H2708]; he shall not die[H4191] for the iniquity[H5771] of his father[H1], he shall surely[H2421]live[H2421].
18
As for his father[H1], because he cruelly[H6233]oppressed[H6231], spoiled[H1497] his brother[H251] by violence[H1499], and did[H6213] that which is not good[H2896]among[H8432] his people[H5971], lo, even he shall die[H4191] in his iniquity[H5771].
19
Yet say[H559] ye, Why? doth not the son[H1121]bear[H5375] the iniquity[H5771] of the father?[H1] When the son[H1121] hath done[H6213] that which is lawful[H4941] and right[H6666], and hath kept[H8104] all my statutes[H2708], and hath done[H6213] them, he shall surely[H2421]live[H2421].
20
The soul[H5315] that sinneth[H2398], it shall die[H4191]. The son[H1121] shall not bear[H5375] the iniquity[H5771] of the father[H1], neither shall the father[H1]bear[H5375] the iniquity[H5771] of the son[H1121]: the righteousness[H6666] of the righteous[H6662] shall be upon him, and the wickedness[H7564] of the wicked[H7563] shall be upon him.
21
But if the wicked[H7563] will turn[H7725] from all his sins[H2403] that he hath committed[H6213], and keep[H8104] all my statutes[H2708], and do[H6213] that which is lawful[H4941] and right[H6666], he shall surely[H2421]live[H2421], he shall not die[H4191].
22
All his transgressions[H6588] that he hath committed[H6213], they shall not be mentioned[H2142] unto him: in his righteousness[H6666] that he hath done[H6213] he shall live[H2421].
23
Have I any pleasure[H2654] at all[H2654] that the wicked[H7563] should die?[H4194]saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069]: and not that he should return[H7725] from his ways[H1870], and live?[H2421]
24
But when the righteous[H6662] turneth away[H7725] from his righteousness[H6666], and committeth[H6213]iniquity[H5766], and doeth[H6213] according to all the abominations[H8441] that the wicked[H7563] man doeth[H6213], shall he live?[H2425] All his righteousness[H6666] that he hath done[H6213] shall not be mentioned[H2142]: in his trespass[H4603] that he hath trespassed[H4604], and in his sin[H2403] that he hath sinned[H2398], in them shall he die[H4191].
25
Yet ye say[H559], The way[H1870] of the Lord[H136] is not equal[H8505]. Hear[H8085] now, O house[H1004] of Israel[H3478]; Is not my way[H1870]equal?[H8505] are not your ways[H1870]unequal?[H8505]
26
When a righteous[H6662] man turneth away[H7725] from his righteousness[H6666], and committeth[H6213]iniquity[H5766], and dieth[H4191] in them; for his iniquity[H5766] that he hath done[H6213] shall he die[H4191].
27
Again, when the wicked[H7563] man turneth away[H7725] from his wickedness[H7564] that he hath committed[H6213], and doeth[H6213] that which is lawful[H4941] and right[H6666], he shall save[H2421] his soul[H5315]alive[H2421].
28
Because he considereth[H7200], and turneth away[H7725] from all his transgressions[H6588] that he hath committed[H6213], he shall surely[H2421]live[H2421], he shall not die[H4191].
29
Yet saith[H559] the house[H1004] of Israel[H3478], The way[H1870] of the Lord[H136] is not equal[H8505]. O house[H1004] of Israel[H3478], are not my ways[H1870]equal?[H8505] are not your ways[H1870]unequal?[H8505]
30
Therefore I will judge[H8199] you, O house[H1004] of Israel[H3478], every one[H376] according to his ways[H1870], saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069]. Repent[H7725], and turn[H7725] yourselves from all your transgressions[H6588]; so iniquity[H5771] shall not be your ruin[H4383].
31
Cast away[H7993] from you all your transgressions[H6588], whereby ye have transgressed[H6586]; and make[H6213] you a new[H2319]heart[H3820] and a new[H2319]spirit[H7307]: for why will ye die[H4191], O house[H1004] of Israel?[H3478]
32
For I have no pleasure[H2654] in the death[H4194] of him that dieth[H4191], saith[H5002] the Lord[H136]GOD[H3069]: wherefore turn[H7725] yourselves, and live[H2421] ye.