The One Who Sins Will Die
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“What do you people mean by quoting this proverb about the land of Israel:
“ ‘The parents eat sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge’?
3“As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, you will no longer quote this proverb in Israel. 4For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.
5“Suppose there is a righteous man
who does what is just and right.
6He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife
or have sexual relations with a woman during her period.
7He does not oppress anyone,
but returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
8He does not lend to them at interest
or take a profit from them.
He withholds his hand from doing wrong
and judges fairly between two parties.
9He follows my decrees
and faithfully keeps my laws.
That man is righteous;
he will surely live,
declares the Sovereign Lord.
10“Suppose he has a violent son, who sheds blood or does any of these other things18:10 Or things to a brother 11(though the father has done none of them):
“He eats at the mountain shrines.
He defiles his neighbor’s wife.
12He oppresses the poor and needy.
He commits robbery.
He does not return what he took in pledge.
He looks to the idols.
He does detestable things.
13He lends at interest and takes a profit.
Will such a man live? He will not! Because he has done all these detestable things, he is to be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
14“But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:
15“He does not eat at the mountain shrines
or look to the idols of Israel.
He does not defile his neighbor’s wife.
16He does not oppress anyone
or require a pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery
but gives his food to the hungry
and provides clothing for the naked.
17He withholds his hand from mistreating the poor
and takes no interest or profit from them.
He keeps my laws and follows my decrees.
He will not die for his father’s sin; he will surely live. 18But his father will die for his own sin, because he practiced extortion, robbed his brother and did what was wrong among his people.
19“Yet you ask, ‘Why does the son not share the guilt of his father?’ Since the son has done what is just and right and has been careful to keep all my decrees, he will surely live. 20The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.
21“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. 22None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. 23Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?
24“But if a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin and does the same detestable things the wicked person does, will they live? None of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered. Because of the unfaithfulness they are guilty of and because of the sins they have committed, they will die.
25“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear, you Israelites: Is my way unjust? Is it not your ways that are unjust? 26If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and commits sin, they will die for it; because of the sin they have committed they will die. 27But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life. 28Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die. 29Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?
30“Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? 32For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!
Munthu Wochimwa Adzafa
1Yehova anandiyankhula nati: 2“Kodi anthu inu mumatanthauza chiyani mukamabwerezabwereza kunena mwambi uwu wokhudza dziko la Israeli kuti:
“ ‘Nkhuyu zodya akulu zimapota
ndi ana omwe?’ ”
3“Ndithu pali Ine wamoyo, akutero Ambuye Yehova, simudzanenanso mwambi umenewu mu Israeli. 4Pakuti moyo uliwonse ndi wanga. Moyo wa abambo ndi wanga, wamwananso ndi wanga. Munthu wochimwa ndi amene adzafe.
5“Tiyerekeze kuti pali munthu wolungama
amene amachita zolungama ndi zolondola.
6Iye sadyera nawo pa mapiri a chipembedzo
kapena kupembedza mafano a Aisraeli.
Iye sayipitsa mkazi wa mnzake
kapena kugonana ndi mkazi pamene akusamba.
7Iye sapondereza munthu wina aliyense,
koma amabwezera wangongole nʼchigwiriro chake.
Iye salanda zinthu za osauka,
koma amapereka chakudya kwa anthu anjala,
ndipo amapereka zovala kwa anthu ausiwa.
8Iye sakongoletsa ndalama mwa katapira,
kapena kulandira chiwongoladzanja chachikulu.
Amadziletsa kuchita zoyipa
ndipo sakondera poweruza milandu.
9Iye amatsatira malangizo anga,
ndipo amasunga malamulo anga mokhulupirika.
Munthu ameneyo ndi wolungama;
iye adzakhala ndithu ndi moyo,
akutero Ambuye Yehova.
10“Tiyerekeze kuti munthu wolungama chotere wabala mwana chimbalangondo amene amakhalira kupha anthu ndi kuchita zinthu zina zotere. 11Iye nʼkumachita zinthu zimene ngakhale abambo ake sanachitepo.
“Amadyera nawo ku mapiri achipembedzo.
Amayipitsa mkazi wa mnzake.
12Iye amapondereza munthu wosauka ndi wosowa.
Amalanda zinthu za osauka.
Sabweza chikole cha munthu wa ngongole.
Iye amatembenukira ku mafano
nachita zonyansa.
13Iye amakongoletsa mwa katapira ndipo amalandira chiwongoladzanja chachikulu.
Kodi munthu wotereyu nʼkukhala ndi moyo? Ayi ndithu! Chifukwa wachita zinthu zonyansa zonsezi, adzaphedwa ndipo adzalandira chilango chomuyenera.
14“Tsono tiyerekeze kuti munthu woyipa uyu wabala mwana amene amaona machimo onse amene abambo ake ankachita. Ngakhale amaona koma osatsanzira ntchito zake zoyipazo.
15“Sadyera nawo pa mapiri achipembedzo.
Sapembedza mafano a ku Israeli.
Sayipitsa mkazi wa mnzake.
16Sapondereza munthu wina aliyense.
Satenga chikole akabwereketsa chinthu. Salanda zinthu za osauka.
Salanda zinthu za munthu.
Amapereka chakudya kwa anthu anjala.
Amapereka zovala kwa anthu aumphawi.
17Amadziletsa kuchita zoyipa.
Sakongoletsa kuti apezepo phindu. Salandira chiwongoladzanja.
Amasunga malangizo anga ndi kumvera malamulo anga.
Munthu wotereyo sadzafa chifukwa cha machimo a abambo ake. Adzakhala ndi moyo ndithu. 18Koma abambo ake, popeza kuti anazunza anthu ena ndi kubera mʼbale wawo ndiponso popeza kuti sanachitire zabwino anansi ake, adzafera machimo ake omwe.
19“Mwina inu mukhoza kufunsa kuti, ‘Nʼchifukwa chiyani mwana salangidwa chifukwa cha kulakwa kwa abambo ake? Ayi, mwanayo adzakhala ndi moyo chifukwa ankachita zolungama ndi zolondola ndipo ankasamala kumvera malamulo anga onse. 20Munthu wochimwa ndiye amene adzafe. Mwana sadzapezeka wolakwa chifukwa cha abambo ake, kapena abambo kupezeka wolakwa chifukwa cha mwana wawo. Chilungamo cha munthu wolungama ndicho chidzamupulutse, ndipo kuyipa kwa munthu wochimwa ndiko kudzamuwonongetse.
21“ ‘Munthu woyipa akatembenuka mtima ndi kusiya machimo amene ankachita ndi kuyamba kumvera malamulo anga ndi kumachita zolungama ndi zokhulupirika, ndiye kuti adzakhala ndi moyo. Sadzafa ayi. 22Zoyipa zake zonse zidzakhululukidwa. Chifukwa cha zinthu zolungama zimene anazichita adzakhala ndi moyo. 23Kodi Ine ndimakondwera ndi imfa ya munthu woyipa? Ayi, ndimakondwera pamene woyipa watembenuka mtima kuti akhale ndi moyo. Akutero Ambuye Yehova.
24“ ‘Koma ngati munthu wolungama apatuka kusiya zachilungamo ndi kuyamba kuchita tchimo ndi zonyansa za mtundu uliwonse zimene amachita anthu oyipa, kodi munthu wotereyu nʼkukhala ndi moyo? Ayi ndithu, zolungama zake zonse sizidzakumbukiridwa. Iye adzayenera kufa chifukwa cha machimo amene anachita.
25“Komabe inu mukunena kuti, ‘Zimene Ambuye amachita ndi zopanda chilungamo.’ Tamvani tsono inu Aisraeli: Kodi zochita zanga ndizo zosalungama? Kodi si zochita zanu zimene ndi zosalungama? 26Ngati munthu wolungama atembenuka kusiya chilungamo chake ndi kuchita tchimo, iye adzafa chifukwa cha tchimolo. 27Koma ngati munthu woyipa aleka zoyipa zake zimene anazichita ndi kuyamba kuchita zimene ndi zolungama ndi zolondola, iye adzapulumutsa moyo wake. 28Popeza waganizira za zolakwa zonse ankachita ndipo wazileka, iye adzakhala ndi moyo ndithu; sadzafa. 29Komabe Aisraeli akunena kuti, ‘Zimene Ambuye amachita ndi zopanda chilungamo.’ Kodi zochita zanga ndizo zopanda chilungamo, inu Aisraeli? Kodi si zochita zanu zimene ndi zopanda chilungamo?
30“Chifukwa chake Ine Ambuye Yehova ndikuti: inu Aisraeli, Ine ndidzakuweruzani aliyense wa inu molingana ndi ntchito zake. Lapani! Lekani zoyipa zanu kuti musawonongeke nazo. 31Tayani zolakwa zanu zonse zimene munandichimwira nazo ndipo khalani ndi mtima watsopano ndi mzimu watsopano. Kodi muferanji inu Aisraeli? 32Ine sindikondwera ndi imfa ya munthu aliyense, akutero Ambuye Yehova. Chifukwa chake, lapani kuti mukhale ndi moyo.”
