1Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
1耶和華的話又臨到我說：
2'What do you mean by using this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, 'The fathers eat the sour grapes, But the children's teeth are set on edge '?
2你們在以色列地怎麼用這俗語說父親吃了酸葡萄，兒子的牙酸倒了呢？
3'As I live,' declares the Lord GOD, 'you are surely not going to use this proverb in Israel anymore.
3主耶和華說：我指著我的永生起誓，你們在以色列中，必不再有用這俗語的因由。
4'Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die.
4看哪，世人都是屬我的；為父的怎樣屬我，為子的也照樣屬我；犯罪的，他必死亡。
5'But if a man is righteous and practices justice and righteousness,
5人若是公義，且行正直與合理的事：
6and does not eat at the mountain [shrines] or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period--
6未曾在山上吃過祭偶像之物，未曾仰望以色列家的偶像，未曾玷污鄰舍的妻，未曾在婦人的經期內親近他，
7if a man does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, does not commit robbery, [but] gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,
7未曾虧負人，乃將欠債之人的當頭還給他；未曾搶奪人的物件，卻將食物給飢餓的人吃，將衣服給赤身的人穿；
8if he does not lend [money] on interest or take increase, [if] he keeps his hand from iniquity [and] executes true justice between man and man,
8未曾向借錢的弟兄取利，也未曾向借糧的弟兄多要，縮手不作罪孽，在兩人之間，按至理判斷；
9[if] he walks in My statutes and My ordinances so as to deal faithfully-- he is righteous [and] will surely live,' declares the Lord GOD.
9遵行我的律例，謹守我的典章，按誠實行事─這人是公義的，必定存活。這是主耶和華說的。
10'Then he may have a violent son who sheds blood and who does any of these things to a brother
10他若生一個兒子，作強盜，是流人血的，不行以上所說之善，反行其中之惡，乃在山上吃過祭偶像之物，並玷污鄰舍的妻，
11(though he himself did not do any of these things), that is, he even eats at the mountain [shrines], and defiles his neighbor's wife,
11a
12oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore a pledge, but lifts up his eyes to the idols [and] commits abomination,
12虧負困苦和窮乏的人，搶奪人的物，未曾將當頭還給人，仰望偶像，並行可憎的事，
13he lends [money] on interest and takes increase; will he live? He will not live! He has committed all these abominations, he will surely be put to death; his blood will be on his own head.
13向借錢的弟兄取利，向借糧的弟兄多要─這人豈能存活呢？他必不能存活。他行這一切可憎的事，必要死亡，他的罪（原文是血）必歸到他身上。
14'Now behold, he has a son who has observed all his father's sins which he committed, and observing does not do likewise.
14他若生一個兒子，見父親所犯的一切罪便懼怕（有古卷：思量），不照樣去做；
15'He does not eat at the mountain [shrines] or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, or defile his neighbor's wife,
15未曾在山上吃過祭偶像之物，未曾仰望以色列家的偶像，未曾玷污鄰舍的妻，
16or oppress anyone, or retain a pledge, or commit robbery, [but] he gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with clothing,
16未曾虧負人，未曾取人的當頭，未曾搶奪人的物件，卻將食物給飢餓的人吃，將衣服給赤身的人穿，
17he keeps his hand from the poor, does not take interest or increase, [but] executes My ordinances, and walks in My statutes; he will not die for his father's iniquity, he will surely live.
17縮手不害貧窮人，未曾向借錢的弟兄取利，也未曾向借糧的弟兄多要；他順從我的典章，遵行我的律例，就不因父親的罪孽死亡，定要存活。
18'As for his father, because he practiced extortion, robbed [his] brother and did what was not good among his people, behold, he will die for his iniquity.
18至於他父親；因為欺人太甚，搶奪弟兄，在本國的民中行不善，他必因自己的罪孽死亡。
19'Yet you say, 'Why should the son not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity?' When the son has practiced justice and righteousness and has observed all My statutes and done them, he shall surely live.
19你們還說：兒子為何不擔當父親的罪孽呢？兒子行正直與合理的事，謹守遵行我的一切律例，他必定存活。
20'The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.
20惟有犯罪的，他必死亡。兒子必不擔當父親的罪孽，父親也不擔當兒子的罪孽。義人的善果必歸自己，惡人的惡報也必歸自己。
21'But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all My statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
21惡人若回頭離開所做的一切罪惡，謹守我一切的律例，行正直與合理的事，他必定存活，不致死亡。
22'All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live.
22他所犯的一切罪過都不被記念，因所行的義，他必存活。
23'Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,' declares the Lord GOD, 'rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?
23主耶和華說：惡人死亡，豈是我喜悅的麼？不是喜悅他回頭離開所行的道存活麼？
24'But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that a wicked man does, will he live? All his righteous deeds which he has done will not be remembered for his treachery which he has committed and his sin which he has committed; for them he will die.
24義人若轉離義行而作罪孽，照著惡人所行一切可憎的事而行，他豈能存活麼？他所行的一切義都不被記念；他必因所犯的罪、所行的惡死亡。
25'Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?
25你們還說：主的道不公平！以色列家啊，你們當聽，我的道豈不公平麼？你們的道豈不是不公平麼？
26'When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness, commits iniquity and dies because of it, for his iniquity which he has committed he will die.
26義人若轉離義行而作罪孽死亡，他是因所作的罪孽死亡。
27'Again, when a wicked man turns away from his wickedness which he has committed and practices justice and righteousness, he will save his life.
27再者，惡人若回頭離開所行的惡，行正直與合理的事，他必將性命救活了。
28'Because he considered and turned away from all his transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
28因為他思量，回頭離開所犯的一切罪過，必定存活，不致死亡。
29'But the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Are My ways not right, O house of Israel? Is it not your ways that are not right?
29以色列家還說：主的道不公平！以色列家啊，我的道豈不公平麼？你們的道豈不是不公平麼？
30'Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, each according to his conduct,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Repent and turn away from all your transgressions, so that iniquity may not become a stumbling block to you.
30所以主耶和華說：以色列家啊，我必按你們各人所行的審判你們。你們當回頭離開所犯的一切罪過。這樣，罪孽必不使你們敗亡。
31'Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why will you die, O house of Israel?
31你們要將所犯的一切罪過盡行拋棄，自做一個新心和新靈。以色列家啊，你們何必死亡呢？
32'For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,' declares the Lord GOD. 'Therefore, repent and live.'
32主耶和華說：我不喜悅那死人之死，所以你們當回頭而存活。