1 The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying, 2 What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. 4 Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.
5 But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right, 6 And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour’s wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman, 7 And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment; 8 He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man, 9 Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord GOD.
10 If he beget a son that is a robber, a shedder of blood, and that doeth the like to any one of these things, 11 And that doeth not any of those duties, but even hath eaten upon the mountains, and defiled his neighbour’s wife, 12 Hath oppressed the poor and needy, hath spoiled by violence, hath not restored the pledge, and hath lifted up his eyes to the idols, hath committed abomination, 13 Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.
14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour’s wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.
19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? 26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
1 耶和华的话临到我说：
2 "论到以色列地， 你们为什么引用这俗语说： ‘父亲吃了酸葡萄， 儿子的牙酸倒了’呢？
3 我指着我的永生起誓： 你们在以色列中必不再引用这俗语了。这是主耶和华的话。
4 看哪！ 所有的人都是属我的， 作父亲的怎样属我， 作儿子的也怎样属我， 唯独犯罪的， 才会灭亡。
5 "人若是公义， 又行公道和正直的事：
6 他不在山上吃祭肉， 眼目也不仰望以色列家的偶像， 不玷污邻舍的妻子， 不亲近在经期中的妇人；
7 不欺压任何人， 把欠债人的抵押归还； 他不抢夺人的物件， 却把自己的食物给饥饿的人， 把衣服给赤身的人穿着；
8 他借东西给人不取利息， 也不多要， 他使自己的手远离罪恶， 在人与人之间施行诚实的判断；
9 他遵行我的律例， 谨守我的典章， 行事诚实， 这人是个义人， 他必定存活。这是主耶和华的宣告。
10 "他若是生一个儿子， 是个强暴的人， 流人的血， 又向兄弟行上述任何一件恶事
11 （虽然他父亲并没有作这样的事）： 他在山上吃祭肉， 又玷污邻舍的妻子；
12 他欺压困苦和贫穷的人， 抢夺人的物件， 没有把抵押品归还， 眼目仰望偶像， 并行可憎的事；
13 他借东西给人要收利息， 也向人多要， 这样的人能存活吗？他必不能存活； 他行了这一切可憎的事， 必要灭亡； 他的罪（"罪"原文作"血"）要归到他身上。
14 "他若生一个儿子， 这儿子看见他父亲所犯的一切罪， 他虽然看见了， 却不照样去作：
15 他不在山上吃祭肉， 眼目不仰望以色列家的偶像， 不玷污邻舍的妻子；
16 不欺压任何人， 不索取抵押品， 不抢夺人的物件， 却把自己的食物给饥饿的人， 把衣服给赤身的人穿着；
17 他不伸手欺压困苦人， 借东西给人不取利息， 也不多要； 他遵守我的典章， 遵行我的律例， 这人就必不因他父亲的罪孽而灭亡； 他必要存活。
18 至于他的父亲， 因为他勒索， 抢夺兄弟的物件， 在自己的同胞中行不善的事， 所以他必因自己的罪孽而灭亡。
19 "你们还问： ‘儿子为什么不担当父亲的罪孽呢？’儿子若行正直和公义的事， 谨守遵行我的一切律例， 就必存活。
20 唯独犯罪的， 才会灭亡； 儿子必不担当父亲的罪孽， 父亲也必不担当儿子的罪孽； 义人的义必归他自己， 恶人的恶也必归他自己。
21 "恶人若回转， 离开他所犯的一切罪， 谨守我的一切律例， 行正直和公义的事， 就必存活， 不致灭亡。
22 他所犯的一切罪过都不会被记念， 作控诉他的理由； 他必因自己所行的义而存活。
23 难道我喜悦恶人死亡吗？我不是喜悦他回转离开他所行的而存活吗？这是主耶和华的宣告。
24 "义人若转离他的义去行恶， 照着恶人所行一切可憎的事而行， 他能存活吗？他所行的一切义都不会被记念； 他必因他所行不忠的事和他所犯的罪而灭亡。
25 "你们还说： ‘主所行的不公平。’以色列家啊， 你们要听！ 我所行的哪里不公平呢？岂不是你们所行的不公平吗？
26 义人若转离他的义去行恶， 他就必因此灭亡； 他必因着他所行的不义灭亡。
27 还有， 恶人若回转离开他所行的恶， 行正直公义的事， 他就可以使自己的性命存活。
28 因为他思量了， 就转离他所犯的一切罪过， 所以他必然存活， 不致灭亡。
29 但以色列家还说： ‘主所行的不公平。’以色列家啊， 我所行的哪里不公平呢？岂不是你们所行的不公平吗？
30 "因此， 以色列家啊， 我必照着你们各人所行的审判你们。你们回转吧！ 离开你们的一切罪过吧！ 免得罪孽成为你们的绊脚石。这是主耶和华的宣告。
31 你们要把你们所犯的一切罪过弃掉， 为自己造一个新的心和新的灵。以色列家啊， 你们为什么要灭亡呢？
32 "我不喜悦任何人灭亡， 所以你们要回转， 得以存活。这是主耶和华的宣告。"