And the wordוַ דְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcameיְהִיto me,אֵלַיsaying,לֵאמֹר
“What do you mean,מַה לָּכֶםyouאַתֶּםwho speakמֹשְׁלִיםthisהַזֶּהproverbאֶת הַמָּשָׁלabout the soilעַל אַדְמַתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלsaying,לֵאמֹר‘The fathersאָבוֹתeatיֹאכְלוּunripe grapes,בֹסֶרand the children’sהַבָּנִיםteethוְשִׁנֵּיare set on edge’?תִּקְהֶינָה
As I live,חַי אָנִיdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH,יְהוִהyou will surely notאִםhaveיִהְיֶה לָכֶםoccasion any longerעוֹדto speakמְשֹׁלthisהַזֶּהproverbהַמָּשָׁלin Israel.בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל
Look,הֵןallכָּלsoulsהַנְּפָשׁוֹתare mine;לִי הֵנָּהas the soulכְּנֶפֶשׁof the father,הָאָבso the soulוּכְנֶפֶשׁof the son,הַבֵּןthey are mine;לִי הֵנָּהthe soulהַנֶּפֶשׁwho sins,הַחֹטֵאתitהִיאwill die.תָמוּת
And a man,וְאִישׁifכִּיhe isיִהְיֶהrighteousצַדִּיקand doesוְעָשָׂהjusticeמִשְׁפָּטand righteousness:וּצְדָקָה
he does notלֹאeatאָכָלon the mountains,אֶל הֶהָרִיםand does notוְ לֹאlift upנָשָׂאhis eyesעֵינָיוto the idolsאֶל גִּלּוּלֵיof the houseבֵּיתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלand does notוְ לֹאdefileטִמֵּאhis neighbor’sרֵעֵהוּwife,אֶת אֵשֶׁתand does notוְ לֹאapproachיִקְרָבa womanאֶל אִשָּׁהin her menstruation;נִדָּה
and does not oppressלֹא יוֹנֶהanyone,וְאִישׁrestoresיָשִׁיבhis pledgeחֲבֹלָתוֹfor a debt,חוֹבcommits noלֹאrobbery,גְּזֵלָה יִגְזֹלgivesיִתֵּןhis breadלַחְמוֹto the hungry,לְרָעֵבand coversוְ יְכַסֶּהthe nakedעֵירֹםwith clothing;בָּגֶד
he does notלֹאlendיִתֵּןat interestבַּנֶּשֶׁךְnorוְ לֹאtakeיִקָּחprofit;תַרְבִּיתfrom injusticeמֵעָוֶלhe withdrawsיָשִׁיבhis hand;יָדוֹhe executesיַעֲשֶׂהtrueאֱמֶתjudgmentמִשְׁפַּטbetween manבֵּין אִישׁand man;לְאִישׁ
in my statutesבְּחֻקּוֹתַיhe walks,יְהַלֵּךְand my rulesוּמִשְׁפָּטַיhe keeps,שָׁמַרto actלַעֲשׂוֹתfaithfully;אֱמֶתhe is righteous;צַדִּיק הוּאhe will surely live,חָיֹה יִחְיֶהdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH.יְהוִה
And if he fathersוְהוֹלִידa sonבֵּןwho is violent,פָּרִיץa shedderשֹׁפֵךְof blood,דָּםand doesוְעָשָׂהanyאָחoneמֵאַחַדof these thingsמֵאֵלֶּה
(though heוְהוּאdid notלֹאdoעָשָׂהany of allאֶת כָּלthese things),אֵלֶּהwhoכִּיevenגַםeatsאָכַלon the mountainsאֶל הֶהָרִיםand defilesוְ טִמֵּאhis neighbor’sרֵעֵהוּwife,אֶת אֵשֶׁת
oppressesהוֹנָהthe poorעָנִיand the needy,וְאֶבְיוֹןcommitsגָּזָלrobberies,גְּזֵלוֹתdoes notלֹאrestoreיָשִׁיבthe pledge,חֲבֹלand lifts upוְ נָשָׂאhis eyesעֵינָיוto the idols,אֶל הַגִּלּוּלִיםcommitsעָשָׂהabomination,תּוֹעֵבָה
lendsנָתַןat interestבַּנֶּשֶׁךְand takesוְ לָקַחprofit:תַרְבִּיתwill he live?וָחָיHe will notלֹאlive.יִחְיֶהAllאֵת כָּלtheseהָאֵלֶּהabominationsהַתּוֹעֵבוֹתhe has done;עָשָׂהhe will surelyמוֹתbe put to death;יוּמָתhis bloodדָּמָיוwill beיִהְיֶהon him.בּוֹ
And look,וְהִנֵּהif he fathersהוֹלִידa sonבֵּןwho seesוַיַּרְאallאֶת כָּלthe sinsחַטֹּאתof his fatherאָבִיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe has done,עָשָׂהand sees,וַיִּרְאֶהand does notוְלֹאdoיַעֲשֶׂהlikewise:כָּהֵן
he does notלֹאeatאָכָלon the mountains,עַל הֶהָרִיםand does notוְ לֹאlift upנָשָׂאhis eyesעֵינָיוto the idolsאֶל גִּלּוּלֵיof the houseבֵּיתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלdoes notלֹאdefileטִמֵּאhis neighbor’sרֵעֵהוּwife,אֶת אֵשֶׁת
and does not oppressלֹא הוֹנָהanyone,וְאִישׁdoes notלֹאtakeחָבָלa pledge,חֲבֹלand commits noוּ לֹאrobbery,גְזֵלָה גָזָלgivesנָתָןhis breadלַחְמוֹto the hungry,לְרָעֵבand coversוְ כִּסָּהthe nakedעֵרוֹםwith clothing;בָגֶד
from the poorמֵעָנִיhe withdrawsהֵשִׁיבhis hand;יָדוֹhe does notלֹאtakeלָקָחinterestנֶשֶׁךְor profit;וְתַרְבִּיתhe doesעָשָׂהmy rulesמִשְׁפָּטַיand walksהָלָךְin my statutes:בְּחֻקּוֹתַיheהוּאwill notלֹאdieיָמוּתfor the iniquityבַּעֲוֺןof his father;אָבִיוhe will surely live.חָיֹה יִחְיֶה
His father,אָבִיוbecauseכִּיhe practicedעָשַׁקexploitation,עֹשֶׁקrobbedגָּזַלhis brotherאָחof what he robbed,גֵּזֶלand didוַ עָשָׂהwhatאֲשֶׁרis notלֹאgoodטוֹבamongבְּתוֹךְhis people,עַמָּיוlook,וְהִנֵּהhe will dieמֵתfor his iniquity.בַּעֲוֺנוֹ
And you say,וַאֲמַרְתֶּם‘Whyמַדֻּעַdoes the sonהַבֵּןnotלֹאbearנָשָׂאthe iniquityבַּעֲוֺןof the father?’הָאָבWhen the sonוְהַבֵּןhas doneעָשָׂהjusticeמִשְׁפָּטand righteousness,וּצְדָקָהhas keptשָׁמַרallאֵת כָּלmy statutesחֻקּוֹתַיand doneוַיַּעֲשֶׂהthem,אֹתָםhe will surely live.חָיֹה יִחְיֶה
The soulהַנֶּפֶשׁwho sins,הַחֹטֵאתitהִיאwill die.תָמוּתThe sonבֵּןwill notלֹאbearיִשָּׂאthe iniquityבַּעֲוֺןof the father,הָאָבnorוְ לֹאwill the fatherאָבbearיִשָּׂאthe iniquityבַּעֲוֺןof the son;הַבֵּןthe righteousnessצִדְקַתof the righteousהַצַּדִּיקwill beתִּהְיֶהon himself,עָלָיוand the wickednessוְרִשְׁעַתof the wickedהָרָשָׁעwill beתִּהְיֶהon himself.עָלָיו
And the wicked,וְהָרָשָׁעifכִּיhe turnsיָשׁוּבfrom allמִכָּלhis sinsחַטֹּאתָיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe has done,עָשָׂהand keepsוְשָׁמַרallאֶת כָּלmy statutes,חֻקּוֹתַיand doesוְעָשָׂהjusticeמִשְׁפָּטand righteousness,וּצְדָקָהhe will surely live;חָיֹה יִחְיֶהhe will notלֹאdie.יָמוּת
Allכָּלhis transgressionsפְּשָׁעָיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe has doneעָשָׂהwill notלֹאbe rememberedיִזָּכְרוּagainst him;לוֹfor his righteousnessבְּצִדְקָתוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe has doneעָשָׂהhe will live.יִחְיֶה
Do I take any pleasureהֶחָפֹץ אֶחְפֹּץin the deathמוֹתof the wicked,רָשָׁעdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH?יְהוִהIs it notהֲלוֹאin his turningבְּשׁוּבוֹfrom his ways,מִדְּרָכָיוthat he may live?וְחָיָה
But when a righteous manוּבְ צַדִּיקturnsשׁוּבfrom his righteousnessמִצִּדְקָתוֹand doesוְעָשָׂהinjustice,עָוֶלaccording to allכְּכֹלthe abominationsהַתּוֹעֵבוֹתthatאֲשֶׁרthe wicked manהָרָשָׁעhas done,עָשָׂהwill he do soיַעֲשֶׂהand live?וָחָיAllכָּלhis righteous deedsצִדְקֹתָיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe has doneעָשָׂהwill notלֹאbe remembered;תִזָּכַרְנָהfor his breach of faithבְּמַעֲלוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe committedמָעַלand for his sinוּבְחַטָּאתוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe sinned,חָטָאfor themבָּםhe will die.יָמוּת
Yet you say,וַאֲמַרְתֶּם‘The wayדֶּרֶךְof Adonaiאֲדֹנָיis notלֹאrightly weighed.’יִתָּכֵןHearשִׁמְעוּnow,נָאhouseבֵּיתof Israel:יִשְׂרָאֵלIs my wayהֲדַרְכִּיnotלֹאrightly weighed?יִתָּכֵןIs it notהֲלֹאyour waysדַרְכֵיכֶםthat are notלֹאrightly weighed?יִתָּכֵנוּ
When a righteous manבְּ צַדִּיקturnsשׁוּבfrom his righteousnessמִצִּדְקָתוֹand doesוְעָשָׂהinjustice,עָוֶלand diesוּמֵתbecause of it,עֲלֵיהֶםfor his injusticeבְּעַוְלוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe has doneעָשָׂהhe will die.יָמוּת
And when a wicked manוּבְ רָשָׁעturnsשׁוּבfrom his wickednessמֵרִשְׁעָתוֹthatאֲשֶׁרhe has done,עָשָׂהand doesוַיַּעַשׂjusticeמִשְׁפָּטand righteousness,וּצְדָקָהheהוּאwill keepיְחַיֶּהhis soulאֶת נַפְשׁוֹalive.יְחַיֶּה
Because he consideredוַיִּרְאֶהand turnedוַיָּשָׁבfrom allמִכָּלhis transgressionsפְּשָׁעָיוthatאֲשֶׁרhe had done,עָשָׂהhe will surely live;חָיוֹ יִחְיֶהhe will notלֹאdie.יָמוּת
Yet the houseוְ בֵּיתof Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלsays,אָמְרוּ‘The wayדֶּרֶךְof Adonaiאֲדֹנָיis notלֹאrightly weighed.’יִתָּכֵןAre my waysהַדְּרָכַיnotלֹאrightly weighed,יִתָּכְנּוּhouseבֵּיתof Israel?יִשְׂרָאֵלIs it notהֲלֹאyour waysדַרְכֵיכֶםthat are notלֹאrightly weighed?יִתָּכֵן
ThereforeלָכֵןI will judgeאֶשְׁפֹּטyou,אֶתְכֶםhouseבֵּיתof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלeachאִישׁaccording to his ways,כִּדְרָכָיוdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH.יְהוִהTurn back,שׁוּבוּand turn others awayוְהָשִׁיבוּfrom allמִכָּלyour transgressions,פִּשְׁעֵיכֶםso that iniquityוְ עָוֺןwill notלֹאbeיִהְיֶהa stumbling blockלְמִכְשׁוֹלfor you.לָכֶם
Cast awayהַשְׁלִיכוּfrom youמֵעֲלֵיכֶםallאֶת כָּלyour transgressionsפִּשְׁעֵיכֶםwith whichאֲשֶׁר בָּםyou have transgressed,פְּשַׁעְתֶּםand makeוַעֲשׂוּyourselvesלָכֶםa newחָדָשׁheartלֵבand a newוְ חֲדָשָׁהspirit.רוּחַWhyוְלָמָּהwill you die,תָמֻתוּhouseבֵּיתof Israel?יִשְׂרָאֵל
ForכִּיI take noלֹאpleasureאֶחְפֹּץin the deathבְּמוֹתof the one who dies,הַמֵּתdeclaresנְאֻםAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH.יְהוִהSo turn back,וְהָשִׁיבוּand live.”וִחְיוּ