Hesekiel 16 – ASCB & NIRV

Asante Twi Contemporary Bible

Hesekiel 16:1-63

Odwamanfoɔ Yerusalem Ho Ayɛsɛm

1Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ: 2“Onipa ba, fa akyiwadeɛ a Yerusalem yɛ no si nʼanim 3na ka sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade ka kyerɛ Yerusalem: Wo nananom ne wʼawoɔ firi Kanaanfoɔ asase so; na wʼagya yɛ Amorini ɛnna wo maame nso yɛ Hetini. 4Ɛda a wɔwoo wo no, wɔantwa wo funuma, na wɔamfa nsuo annware wo sɛ wo ho bɛte nso, wɔamfa nkyene ansra wo, na wɔamfa ntoma ankyekyere wo ho. 5Obiara anhunu wo mmɔbɔ, na obiara yam anhyehye no sɛ ɔbɛyɛ yeinom biara ama wo. Mmom wɔtoo wo twenee wiram, ɛfiri sɛ ɛda a wɔwoo woɔ no, wɔbuu wo animtiaa.

6“ ‘Mebɛpuee wo so, na mehunuu sɛ worewɔ wo nan na woda mogya mu, na sɛdeɛ na woda hɔ no, meka kyerɛɛ wo sɛ, “Nya nkwa!” 7Mehwɛɛ wo ma wonyiniiɛ sɛ afifideɛ. Wonyiniiɛ, wofɛeɛ bɛyɛɛ abohemaa mu deɛ ne ho fɛ pa ara. Wo nufu bobɔeɛ na wo ho nwi fuiɛ, wo a na anka woda adagya.

8“ ‘Akyire yi mebɛpuee wo so, na mehwɛɛ woɔ na mehunuu sɛ woaso awadeɛ no, mede mʼatadeɛ fa bi kataa wʼadagya so. Mesuae kyerɛɛ wo na mene wo yɛɛ apam na wobɛyɛɛ me dea, Otumfoɔ Awurade na ɔseɛ.

9“ ‘Mede nsuo dwaree wo, na mehohoroo wo ho mogya na mede sradeɛ ahodoɔ srasraa wo. 10Mede atadeɛ a wɔanwono ano hyɛɛ wo, na mehyɛɛ wo mmoa wedeɛ mpaboa. Mede nwera papa firaa wo na mede ntadeɛ aboɔden guguu so. 11Mede agudeɛ siesiee wo. Mede nkapo guu wʼabakɔn, mede kɔnmuadeɛ too wo kɔn mu, 12na mede kawa hyɛɛ wo hwene mu, ɛnna mede asomuadeɛ hyɛɛ wʼasom na mebɔɔ wo abotire a ɛyɛ fɛ. 13Enti wɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ siesiee wo. Wʼaduradeɛ yɛɛ nwera papa ne ntoma a ne boɔ yɛ den ne deɛ wɔadi mu adwini. Wʼaduane yɛɛ esiam papa, ɛwoɔ ne ngo. Wo ho yɛɛ fɛ na wobɛyɛɛ ɔhemmaa. 14Na wʼahoɔfɛ enti, wo din hyetaa wɔ amanaman mu, ɛfiri sɛ animuonyam a mahyɛ wo no ma wʼahoɔfɛ no di mu, Awurade asɛm nie.

15“ ‘Nanso wʼahoɔfɛ enti, wogyee wo ho diiɛ na wode wo din a ahyeta no bɔɔ adwaman. Wogyaa wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwam na woyɛɛ wɔn adɔeɛ. 16Wode wo ntadeɛ no bi kɔyɛɛ sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ hyirenn, ɛhɔ na wokɔbɔɔ adwaman. Ɛnsɛ sɛ nneɛma a ɛtete sei sisi koraa, na ɛnsɛ sɛ ɛba nso. 17Afei wode wo nnwinneɛ fɛfɛ a mede maa wo no, deɛ mede sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ yɛeɛ no yɛɛ ahoni maa wo ho na wo ne wɔn bɔɔ adwaman. 18Wode wo ntadeɛ a wɔadi mu adwini hyehyɛɛ wɔn na wode me ngo ne nnuhwam brɛɛ wɔn. 19Bio, aduane a mede maa woɔ no, esiam papa, ɛwoɔ ne ngo a mede maa wo sɛ di no, wode brɛɛ wɔn sɛ afɔrebɔdeɛ a ɛyi hwa. Saa na ɛsiiɛ, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.

20“ ‘Wofaa wo mmammarima ne wo mmammaa, a me ne wo woo wɔn no kɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ sɛ aduane maa ahoni. Wʼadwamammɔ no nnɔɔso anaa? 21Wokumm me mma de wɔn bɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa ahoni no. 22Akyiwadeɛ a woyɛeɛ ne wʼadwamammɔ akyi no, woankae wo mmabunu ɛberɛ a na wo ho da hɔ na worewowɔ wo nan wɔ mogya mu no.

23“ ‘Nnome! Nnome nka wo, Otumfoɔ Awurade na ɔseɛ. Wʼamumuyɛ nyinaa akyi no, 24wosii banbɔ pie maa wo ho, na woyɛɛ abosonnan tentene wɔ adwabɔeɛ biara. 25Borɔno so baabiara wosisii abosonnan atentene, na wosɛee wʼahoɔfɛ ɛfiri sɛ honam akɔnnɔ bɔne enti wode wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwam. 26Wo ne Misraimfoɔ a honam akɔnnɔ ayɛ wɔn ma no bɔɔ adwaman, na wode honam akɔnnɔ bɔne hyɛɛ me abufuo. 27Enti metenee me nsa wɔ wo so na metee wʼahyeɛ so. Mede wo maa wʼatamfoɔ aniberefoɔ, Filistifoɔ mmammaa a wʼahohwi bra no yɛɛ wɔn nwanwa. 28Wo ne Asiriafoɔ nso bɔɔ adwaman, ɛfiri sɛ biribiara mmee wo. Na ɛno akyi koraa woammee ara. 29Afei wotoaa wo honam akɔnnɔ bɔne no so de Babilonia, a ɛyɛ adwadifoɔ asase kaa ho, nanso yei ammee wo ara.

30“ ‘Wonni ahohyɛsoɔ koraa, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie, sɛ wotumi yɛ saa nneɛma yi nyinaa te sɛ odwamanfoɔ a nʼani nwu hwee. 31Wosisii banbɔ pie wɔ mmorɔno so na wosisii abosonnan atentene wɔ adwaberem biara, na wonsɛ odwamanfoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ wopoo akatua.

32“ ‘Wo, ɔyere waresɛefoɔ, wopɛ ahɔhoɔ sene wo ara wo kunu! 33Odwamanfoɔ biara gye akatua, nanso wodeɛ, wode nneɛma kyekyɛ wʼadɔfoɔ nyinaa de hyɛ wɔn afono mu sɛ, wɔmfiri baabiara mmra wo nkyɛn. 34Enti wʼadwamammɔ mu no wonte sɛ afoforɔ; obiara mma wo hɔ sɛ yɛ no adɔeɛ. Wo ne wɔn bɔ abira koraa, ɛfiri sɛ wotua ka na obiara mma wo hwee.

35“ ‘Enti, wo odwamanfoɔ, tie Awurade asɛm! 36Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ. Esiane sɛ wohwie wʼahonya guiɛ na wodaa wʼadagya adi, wo ho a woma ɛyɛɛ wo dɛ dodo wɔ wo ne wʼadɔfoɔ nhyiamu, wʼahoni a ɛyɛ akyiwadeɛ na afei wo mma mogya a wode maa wɔn no enti, 37merebɛboaboa wʼadɔfoɔ a wode wɔn gyee wʼani nyinaa ano; wɔn a wodɔɔ wɔn ne wɔn a woampɛ wɔn. Mɛboaboa wɔn nyinaa ano atia wo afiri wo ho baabiara, na mɛpa wo ho wɔ wɔn anim, na wɔbɛhunu wʼadagya nyinaa. 38Mede asotwe a wɔde ma mmaa awaresɛefoɔ ne mogya hwiegufoɔ bɛyɛ wʼatemmuo. Mede me mogya aweretɔ a ɛfiri mʼabufuhyeɛ ne me ninkunutweɛ abufuo mu bɛba wo so. 39Afei, mede wo bɛma wʼadɔfoɔ na wɔbɛbubu banbɔ pie a woahɔre, asɛe abosonnan atentene no. Wɔbɛpa wo ho ntoma. Wɔbɛfa wo nnwinneɛ fɛfɛ no, na wagya wo hɔ adagya mu. 40Wɔde nnipadɔm a wɔbɛsi wo aboɔ na wɔde wɔn akofena atwitwa wo mu nketenkete bɛba wo so. 41Wɔbɛhyehye wʼafie na wɔatwe wʼaso wɔ mmaa bebree anim. Mɛtwa wʼadwamammɔ no so na woagyae akatua a wotua wʼadɔfoɔ no. 42Afei mʼabufuhyeɛ ano bɛdwo na me ninkunutweɛ abufuo no bɛfiri wo so. Mɛyɛ bɔkɔɔ na mebo remfu bio.

43“ ‘Sɛ woankae wo mmabunu nna, na wode yeinom nyinaa hyɛɛ me abufuo enti, ɛkwan biara so mɛma deɛ woayɛ no abɔ wo tiri so, Otumfoɔ Awurade na ɔseɛ. Woanyɛ nneɛma fi anka akyiwadeɛ no ho anaa?

44“ ‘Obiara a ɔbu bɛ no bɛbu saa bɛ yi afa wo ho: “Sɛdeɛ ɛna teɛ no saa ara na ne babaa teɛ.” 45Wo maame sopaa ne kunu ne ne mma. Wo nso saa ara na woteɛ. Wote te sɛ wo nuanom mmaa a wɔsopaa wɔn kununom ne wɔn mma. Wo maame yɛ Hetini ɛnna wʼagya yɛ Amorini. 46Na wo nuabaa panin ne Samaria a na ɔne ne mmammaa te wʼatifi fam, ɛnna wo nuabaa kumaa a ɔne ne mmammaa te wʼanafoɔ fam yɛ Sodom. 47Woannante wɔn akwan mu, ansuasua wɔn akyiwadeɛ nko, na mmom, akwan nyinaa mu, wobɛyɛɛ porɔeɛ sene wɔn. 48Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfoɔ Awurade na ɔseɛ, wo nuabaa Sodom ne ne mmammaa anyɛ deɛ wo ne wo mmammaa ayɛ no da.

49“ ‘Yei ne bɔne a wo nuabaa Sodom yɛeɛ: Ɔno ne mmammaa yɛɛ ahantan. Wɔdidi traa so na hwee amfa wɔn ho, wɔammoa ahiafoɔ ne mmɔborɔfoɔ. 50Wɔyɛɛ ahomasoɔ ne akyiwadeɛ wɔ mʼanim. Ɛno enti meyii wɔn sii nkyɛn sɛdeɛ woahunu no. 51Samaria anyɛ bɔne a woyɛeɛ no mu fa. Woayɛ akyiwadeɛ a ɛboro deɛ wo nuammaanom no yɛeɛ no so koraa, na woama ayɛ sɛ wo nuammaa no tene, ɛsiane saa nneɛma a woayɛ no enti. 52Gye wʼanimguaseɛ, ɛfiri sɛ woama wo nnuammaa adi bem. Wo bɔne mu yɛ duru sene wɔn deɛ, enti ayɛ sɛ wɔtene sene wo. Ɛnneɛ afei gye wʼanimguaseɛ na wama ayɛ sɛ wo nnuammaa tene.

53“ ‘Nanso, mede Sodom siadeɛ ne ne mmammaa, Samaria siadeɛ ne ne mmammaa bɛma wɔn, na mede wo siadeɛ bɛka ho, 54sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛgye wʼanimguaseɛ na wʼani bɛwu wɔ deɛ woayɛ de ama wɔn ahotɔ nyinaa ho. 55Na wo nuammaa Sodom ne ne mmammaa, Samaria ne ne mmammaa bɛsane akɔ wɔn tebea dada mu, na wo ne wo mmammaa nso bɛsane akɔ mo dada mu. 56Anka woremmɔ wo nuabaa Sodom din wɔ wʼahohoahoa ɛda, 57kɔsi sɛ wʼamumuyɛ ho daa hɔ. Ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ Edom mmammaa bɔ wo ahohora, wɔne wɔn a atwa wɔn ho ahyia ne Filistifoɔ mmammaa, ɛne wɔn a atwa wo ho ahyia a wɔbɔ wo ahohora nyinaa. 58Deɛ ɛbɛfiri nneɛma fi a woyɛ ne wʼakyiwadeɛ mu aba no bɛda wo so, Awurade asɛm nie.

59“ ‘Yei ne deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ: Me ne wo bɛdi no sɛdeɛ ɛfata, ɛfiri sɛ woasɛe mʼapam de abu me ntam animtiaa. 60Nanso mɛkae apam a me ne wo yɛɛ wo mmabunu berɛ mu, na me ne wo bɛyɛ apam a ɛbɛtena hɔ afebɔɔ. 61Afei wobɛkae wʼakwan na wʼani awu ɛberɛ a wo nsa aka wo nuammaa; wɔn a wɔanyini sene woɔ ne nkumaa nyinaa. Mede wɔn bɛma wo sɛ wo mmammaa, nanso ɛrennyina apam a me ne wo ayɛ no so. 62Enti me ne wo bɛyɛ apam na wobɛhunu sɛ mene Awurade. 63Afei sɛ meyɛ mpata ma wo wɔ deɛ woayɛ nyinaa ho a, wobɛkae na wʼani bɛwu na woremmue wʼano bio wɔ brɛ a wɔabrɛ wo ase enti, Otumfoɔ Awurade asɛm nie.’ ”

New International Reader’s Version

Ezekiel 16:1-63

Jerusalem Is Like an Unfaithful Wife

1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem the evil things they have done. I hate those things. 3Tell them, ‘The Lord and King speaks to Jerusalem. He says, “Your history in the land of Canaan goes back a long way. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut. You were not washed with water to clean you up. You were not rubbed with salt. And you were not wrapped in large strips of cloth. 5No one took pity on you. No one was concerned enough to do any of these things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into an open field. You were hated on the day you were born.

6“ ‘ “I was passing by. I saw you kicking around in your blood. As you were lying there, I said to you, ‘Live!’ 7I made you grow like a plant in a field. Soon you had grown up. You became a young adult. Your breasts had formed. Your hair had grown. But you were completely naked.

8“ ‘ “Later, I was passing by again. I looked at you. I saw that you were old enough for love. So I married you and took good care of you. I covered your naked body. I made a firm promise to you. I entered into a covenant with you. And you became mine,” announces the Lord and King.

9“ ‘ “I bathed you with water. I washed the blood off you. And I put lotions on you. 10I put a beautiful dress on you. I gave you sandals made out of fine leather. I dressed you in fine linen. I covered you with expensive clothes. 11I decorated you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms. I gave you a necklace for your neck. 12I put rings on your nose and ears. And I gave you a beautiful crown for your head. 13So you were decorated with gold and silver. Your clothes were made out of fine linen. They were made out of expensive and beautiful cloth. Your food was made out of honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful. You became a queen. 14You were so beautiful that your fame spread among the nations. The glory I had given you made your beauty perfect,” announces the Lord and King.

15“ ‘ “But you trusted in your beauty. You used your fame to become a prostitute. You offered your body freely to anyone who passed by. In fact, you gave yourself to anyone who wanted you. 16You used some of your clothes to make high places colorful. That is where people worshiped other gods. You were a prostitute there. You went to your lover and he took your beauty. 17I had given you fine jewelry. It was made out of gold and silver. You used it to make for yourself statues of male gods. You worshiped those gods. You were not faithful to me. 18You put your beautiful clothes on them. You offered my oil and incense to them. 19You also offered them food. It was made out of olive oil, honey and the finest flour. I had given it to you to eat. You offered it as sweet-smelling incense to them. That is what you did,” announces the Lord and King.

20“ ‘ “Then you took your sons and daughters who belonged to me. And you sacrificed them as food to other gods. Wasn’t it enough for you to be a prostitute? 21You killed my children. You sacrificed them to other gods. 22You did not remember the days when you were young. At that time you were completely naked. You were kicking around in your blood. But now you have done evil things. I hate them. You have worshiped other gods. You have not been faithful to me.

23“ ‘ “How terrible it will be for you!” announces the Lord and King. “How terrible for you! You continued to sin against me. 24Your people built up mounds for themselves in every market. They put little places of worship on them. 25They set them up at every street corner. Jerusalem, you misused your beauty. You offered your body to anyone who passed by. You did it again and again. 26You committed shameful acts with the people of Egypt. They were your neighbors who were ready to have sex with you. You offered yourself to them again and again. That made me very angry. 27So I reached out my powerful hand against you. I made your territory smaller. I handed you over to your Philistine enemies. The people in their towns were shocked by your impure conduct. 28You also committed shameful acts with the people of Assyria. Nothing ever seemed to satisfy you. You could never get enough. 29Then you offered yourself to the people of Babylon. But that did not satisfy you either. There are many traders in the land of Babylon.

30“ ‘ “I am filled with great anger against you,” announces the Lord and King. “Just look at all the things you are doing! You are acting like a prostitute who has no shame at all. 31Your people built up mounds at every street corner. You put little places of worship on them in every market. But you did not really act like a prostitute. That’s because you refused to let your lovers pay you anything.

32“ ‘ “You unfaithful wife! You would rather be with strangers than with your own husband! 33Every prostitute receives gifts. Instead, you give gifts to all your lovers. You offer them money to come to you from everywhere. You want them to sleep with you. You are not faithful to me. 34As a prostitute, you are the opposite of others. No one runs after you to sleep with you. You are exactly the opposite. You pay them. They do not pay you.” ’ ”

35You prostitute, listen to the Lord’s message. 36The Lord and King says, “You poured out your desire on your lovers. You took off your clothing and slept with them. You did it again and again. You worshiped other gods. I hate them. You even sacrificed your children to them. 37So I am going to gather together all the lovers you found pleasure with. They include those you loved and those you hated. I will gather them against you from everywhere. I will take your clothes off right in front of them. Then they will see you completely naked. 38I will hand down my sentence against you. You will be punished like women who commit adultery and sacrifice their children to other gods. I am so angry with you. So I will sentence you to death for everything you have done. 39Then I will hand you over to your lovers. They will tear down those mounds you built. They will destroy the little places of worship you put on them. They will take your clothes off. They will remove your fine jewelry. And they will leave you completely naked. 40They will bring a crowd against you. The crowd will put you to death by throwing stones at you. And they will chop you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and punish you. Many women will see it. I will not let you be a prostitute anymore. You will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my great anger against you will die down. My jealous anger will turn away from you. I will be calm. I will not be angry anymore.

43“You did not remember the days when you were young. The things you did made me very angry. So anything that happens to you will be your own fault,” announces the Lord and King. “You added impure conduct to all the other evil things you did. I hate all those things.

44“All those who use proverbs will use this one about you. They will say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are a true daughter of your mother. She hated her husband and children. And you are a true sister of your sisters. They hated their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite. Your father was an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria. She lived north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived south of you with her daughters. 47You lived exactly the way they did. You copied their evil practices. I hate those practices. Everything you did was so sinful that you soon became even worse than they were. 48Your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.

49“Here is the sin your sister Sodom committed. She and her daughters were proud. They ate too much. They were not concerned about others. They did not help those who were poor and in need. 50They were very proud. They did many things that were evil in my eyes. I hated those things. So I got rid of Sodom and her daughters, just as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You sinned even more than they did. I hate those sins. Compared to what you did, you made your sisters seem godly. 52So you will be dishonored. You have given your sisters an excuse for what they did. Your sins were far worse than theirs. In fact, your sisters appear to be more godly than you. So then, be ashamed. You will be dishonored. You have made them appear to be godly.

53“I will not only give you back what you had before. I will also do the same thing for Sodom and her daughters. And I will do the same for Samaria and her daughters. 54That will make you feel dishonored. You will be ashamed of everything you have done. You have made them feel better because you sinned more and were punished more than they were. 55Your sisters Sodom and Samaria and their daughters will return to what they were before. And you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56In the past you would not even mention your sister Sodom. You were proud at that time. 57That was before your sin was uncovered. Now the daughters of Edom make fun of you. So do all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines. Everyone who lives around you hates you. 58You will be punished for your impure conduct. I will also punish you for the other evil things you have done. I hate all those things,” announces the Lord.

59The Lord and King says, “I will punish you in keeping with what you have done. I sealed with a promise the covenant I made with you. You hated that promise. And you broke my covenant. 60But I will remember my covenant with you. I made it with you when you were young. Now I will make a new covenant with you. It will last forever. 61Then you will remember how you have lived. You will be ashamed when I give you Samaria and Sodom. Samaria is your older sister. Sodom is your younger one. I will give them and their daughters to you as daughters. That can’t happen based on my old covenant with you. 62So I will make my new covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 63I will pay for all the sins you have committed. Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed of it. Because of your shame, you will never speak against me again,” announces the Lord and King.