The Soul Who Sins Will Die

1 וַיְהִ֥י (And came) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH) אֵלַ֥י (to me) לֵאמֹֽר׃ (saying), 2 מַה־ (What is it) לָּכֶ֗ם (to you⁺) אַתֶּם֙ (you⁺) מֹֽשְׁלִים֙ (are quoting) אֶת־ (-) הַמָּשָׁ֣ל (the proverb) הַזֶּ֔ה (this) עַל־ (concerning) אַדְמַ֥ת (the land) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel), לֵאמֹ֑ר (saying),

אָבוֹת֙ (The fathers) יֹ֣אכְלוּ (eat) בֹ֔סֶר (sour grapes),

וְשִׁנֵּ֥י (and the teeth) הַבָּנִ֖ים (of the sons) תִּקְהֶֽינָה׃ (are set on edge)?

3 חַי־ (As live), אָ֕נִי (as I) נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH), אִם־ (not) יִֽהְיֶ֨ה (it will be) לָכֶ֜ם (for you⁺) ע֗וֹד (any longer) מְשֹׁ֛ל (to quote) הַמָּשָׁ֥ל (the proverb) הַזֶּ֖ה (this) בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (in Israel). 4 הֵ֤ן (Behold), כָּל־ (all) הַנְּפָשׁוֹת֙ (souls) לִ֣י (are unto Me) הֵ֔נָּה (they) כְּנֶ֧פֶשׁ (as the soul) הָאָ֛ב (of the father), וּכְנֶ֥פֶשׁ (and also the soul) הַבֵּ֖ן (of the son) לִי־ (are unto Me) הֵ֑נָּה (they) הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (the soul) הַחֹטֵ֖את (that is sinning), הִ֥יא (it alone) תָמֽוּת׃ס (will die).

5 וְאִ֖ישׁ (And a man) כִּי־ (if) יִהְיֶ֣ה (he is) צַדִּ֑יק (righteous), וְעָשָׂ֥ה (and does) מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (justice) וּצְדָקָֽה׃ (and righteousness),

6 אֶל־ (if on) הֶֽהָרִים֙ (the mountains), לֹ֣א (not) אָכָ֔ל (he has eaten)

וְעֵינָיו֙ (and his eyes) לֹ֣א (not) נָשָׂ֔א (he has lifted up) אֶל־ (to) גִּלּוּלֵ֖י (the idols) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),

וְאֶת־ (and) אֵ֤שֶׁת (the wife), רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ (of his neighbor) לֹ֣א (not) טִמֵּ֔א (has he defiled)

וְאֶל־ (and toward) אִשָּׁ֥ה (a woman), נִדָּ֖ה (in her impurity) לֹ֥א (not) יִקְרָֽב׃ (has he come near).

7 וְאִישׁ֙ (And if a man), לֹ֣א (not) יוֹנֶ֔ה (does oppress) חֲבֹלָת֥וֹ (his pledge),

חוֹב֙ (to the debtor) יָשִׁ֔יב (he does return)

גְּזֵלָ֖ה (with violence), לֹ֣א (not) יִגְזֹ֑ל (he has robbed)

לַחְמוֹ֙ (his bread) לְרָעֵ֣ב (to the hungry), יִתֵּ֔ן (he gives)

וְעֵירֹ֖ם (and the naked) יְכַסֶּה־ (he covers) בָּֽגֶד׃ (with clothing);

8 בַּנֶּ֣שֶׁךְ (in usury), לֹֽא־ (not) יִתֵּ֗ן (he does give)

וְתַרְבִּית֙ (and an increase), לֹ֣א (not) יִקָּ֔ח (does he take)

מֵעָ֖וֶל (from iniquity), יָשִׁ֣יב (he turns back) יָד֑וֹ (his hand)

מִשְׁפַּ֤ט (judgment) אֱמֶת֙ (true) יַֽעֲשֶׂ֔ה (he does) בֵּ֥ין (between) אִ֖ישׁ (man) לְאִֽישׁ׃ (and man),

9 בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֧י (in My statutes), יְהַלֵּ֛ךְ (he walks)

וּמִשְׁפָּטַ֥י (and My ordinances), שָׁמַ֖ר (he keeps) לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת (to act) אֱמֶ֑ת (in faithfulness);

צַדִּ֥יק (righteous), הוּא֙ (he is)

חָיֹ֣ה (and living) יִֽחְיֶ֔ה (he will live),

נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) אֲדֹנָ֥י (of the Lord) יְהוִֽה׃ (YHWH).

10 וְהוֹלִ֥יד (And if he begets) בֵּן־ (a son) פָּרִ֖יץ (violent), שֹׁפֵ֣ךְ (one shedding) דָּ֑ם (blood), וְעָ֣שָׂה (or who does) אָ֔ח (to a brother) מֵאַחַ֖ד (one) מֵאֵֽלֶּה׃ (of these things). 11 וְה֕וּא (And he) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) אֵ֖לֶּה (of these things) לֹ֣א (not) עָשָׂ֑ה (has done)

כִּ֣י (for) גַ֤ם (even) אֶל־ (on) הֶֽהָרִים֙ (the mountains), אָכַ֔ל (he has eaten)

וְאֶת־ (and) אֵ֥שֶׁת (the wife), רֵעֵ֖הוּ (of his neighbor) טִמֵּֽא׃ (he has defiled).

12 עָנִ֤י (The poor) וְאֶבְיוֹן֙ (and needy), הוֹנָ֔ה (he has oppressed)

גְּזֵל֣וֹת (by violence), גָּזָ֔ל (he has plundered)

חֲבֹ֖ל (the pledge), לֹ֣א (not) יָשִׁ֑יב (he does return)

וְאֶל־ (and to) הַגִּלּוּלִים֙ (the idols), נָשָׂ֣א (he has lifted up) עֵינָ֔יו (his eyes)

תּוֹעֵבָ֖ה (an abomination), עָשָֽׂה׃ (he has done).

13 בַּנֶּ֧שֶׁךְ (In usury), נָתַ֛ן (he has given)

וְתַרְבִּ֥ית (and increase); לָקַ֖ח (he has taken)

וָחָ֑י (will he live) לֹ֣א (not) יִֽחְיֶ֗ה (he will live)? אֵ֣ת (-) כָּל־ (all) הַתּוֹעֵב֤וֹת (abominations); הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ (these) עָשָׂ֔ה (he has done) מ֣וֹת (dying) יוּמָ֔ת (he will die); דָּמָ֖יו (and his blood) בּ֥וֹ (upon him) יִהְיֶֽה׃ (will be).

14 וְהִנֵּה֙ (And behold), הוֹלִ֣יד (If he begets) בֵּ֔ן (a son), וַיַּ֕רְא (and he sees) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) חַטֹּ֥את (the sins) אָבִ֖יו (of his father) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) עָשָׂ֑ה (he has done), וַיִּרְאֶ֕ה (and sees it), וְלֹ֥א (not) יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה (does he do) כָּהֵֽן׃ (like them).

15 עַל־ (On) הֶֽהָרִים֙ (the mountains), לֹ֣א (not) אָכָ֔ל (has he eaten)

וְעֵינָיו֙ (and his eyes) לֹ֣א (not) נָשָׂ֔א (has he lifted) אֶל־ (to) גִּלּוּלֵ֖י (the idols) בֵּ֣ית (of the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),

אֶת־ (-) אֵ֥שֶׁת (the wife), רֵעֵ֖הוּ (of his neighbor) לֹ֥א (not) טִמֵּֽא׃ (has he defiled).

16 וְאִישׁ֙ (And a man), לֹ֣א (not) הוֹנָ֔ה (has he oppressed)

חֲבֹל֙ (a pledge), לֹ֣א (not) חָבָ֔ל (has he withheld) וּגְזֵלָ֖ה (and with violence), לֹ֣א (not) גָזָ֑ל (he robbed)

לַחְמוֹ֙ (his bread) לְרָעֵ֣ב (to the hungry), נָתָ֔ן (he has given)

וְעֵר֖וֹם (and the naked) כִּסָּה־ (he has covered) בָֽגֶד׃ (with clothing),

17 מֵעָנִ֞י (from the poor), הֵשִׁ֣יב (he has turned back) יָד֗וֹ (his hand)

נֶ֤שֶׁךְ (usury) וְתַרְבִּית֙ (and increase), לֹ֣א (he has not) לָקָ֔ח (taken)

מִשְׁפָּטַ֣י (My ordinances), עָשָׂ֔ה (he has done)

בְּחֻקּוֹתַ֖י (and in My statutes); הָלָ֑ךְ (has walked)

ה֗וּא (He) לֹ֥א (not) יָמ֛וּת (will die) בַּעֲוֺ֥ן (for the iniquity) אָבִ֖יו (of his father), חָיֹ֥ה (living) יִחְיֶֽה׃ (he will live).

18 אָבִ֞יו (His father), כִּֽי־ (because) עָ֣שַׁק (he pressed) עֹ֗שֶׁק (with oppression), גָּזַל֙ (he robbed) גֵּ֣זֶל (by violence), אָ֔ח (his brother) וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר (and what is) לֹא־ (not) ט֛וֹב (good) עָשָׂ֖ה (he has done) בְּת֣וֹךְ (in the midst) עַמָּ֑יו (of his people), וְהִנֵּה־ (and behold), מֵ֖ת (he will die) בַּעֲוֺנֽוֹ׃ (for his iniquity).

19 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (And you⁺ may say) מַדֻּ֛עַ (Why)? לֹא־ (Not) נָשָׂ֥א (should bear) הַבֵּ֖ן (the son) בַּעֲוֺ֣ן (the guilt) הָאָ֑ב (of the father)?

וְהַבֵּ֞ן (And the son) מִשְׁפָּ֧ט (justice) וּצְדָקָ֣ה (and righteousness), עָשָׂ֗ה (has done) אֵ֣ת (-) כָּל־ (all) חֻקּוֹתַ֥י (My statutes), שָׁמַ֛ר (he has kept) וַיַּעֲשֶׂ֥ה (and he has done) אֹתָ֖ם (them) חָיֹ֥ה (living) יִחְיֶֽה׃ (he will live).

20 הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ (The soul) הַחֹטֵ֖את (sinning), הִ֣יא (it alone) תָמ֑וּת (will die). בֵּ֞ן (The son) לֹא־ (not) יִשָּׂ֣א׀ (will bear) בַּעֲוֺ֣ן (the guilt) הָאָ֗ב (of the father), וְאָב֙ (and the father) לֹ֤א (not) יִשָּׂא֙ (will bear) בַּעֲוֺ֣ן (the guilt) הַבֵּ֔ן (of the son); צִדְקַ֤ת (the righteousness) הַצַּדִּיק֙ (of the righteous) עָלָ֣יו (upon himself) תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה (will be) וְרִשְׁעַ֥ת (and the wickedness) רָשָׁע (of the wicked) עָלָ֥יו (upon himself) תִּֽהְיֶֽה׃ס (will be).

21 וְהָרָשָׁ֗ע (And a wicked one) כִּ֤י (if) יָשׁוּב֙ (he should turn away) מִכָּל־ (from all) חַטָּאתוֹ (his sins) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) עָשָׂ֔ה (he has done), וְשָׁמַר֙ (and should keep) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) חֻקּוֹתַ֔י (My statutes), וְעָשָׂ֥ה (and do) מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (justice) וּצְדָקָ֑ה (and righteousness), חָיֹ֥ה (living) יִחְיֶ֖ה (he will live), לֹ֥א (he will not) יָמֽוּת׃ (die). 22 כָּל־ (All) פְּשָׁעָיו֙ (the transgressions) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) עָשָׂ֔ה (he has done), לֹ֥א (not) יִזָּכְר֖וּ (will be remembered) ל֑וֹ (against him) בְּצִדְקָת֥וֹ (because of the righteousness) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂ֖ה (he has done) יִֽחְיֶֽה׃ (he will live). 23 הֶחָפֹ֤ץ (Delighting) אֶחְפֹּץ֙ (do I take delight) מ֣וֹת (in the death) רָשָׁ֔ע (of the wicked)? נְאֻ֖ם (A declaration) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH); הֲל֛וֹא (no) בְּשׁוּב֥וֹ (in his turning aside) מִדְּרָכָ֖יו (from his ways), וְחָיָֽה׃ס (and he lives)?

24 וּבְשׁ֨וּב (And in the turning away) צַדִּ֤יק (of a righteous man) מִצִּדְקָתוֹ֙ (from his righteousness), וְעָ֣שָׂה (and he has done) עָ֔וֶל (iniquity), כְּכֹ֨ל (according to all) הַתּוֹעֵב֜וֹת (the abominations) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂ֧ה (does) הָרָשָׁ֛ע (the wicked one) יַעֲשֶׂ֖ה (he does), וָחָ֑י (then will he live) כָּל־ (all) צִדְקָתוֹ (the righteousness) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂה֙ (he has done) לֹ֣א (not) תִזָּכַ֔רְנָה (will be remembered); בְּמַעֲל֧וֹ (because of the unfaithfulness), אֲשֶׁר־ (with which) מָעַ֛ל (he was unfaithful) וּבְחַטָּאת֥וֹ (and the sin) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) חָטָ֖א (he has sinned), בָּ֥ם (in them) יָמֽוּת׃ (he will die).

25 וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֕ם (And you⁺ have said), לֹ֥א (Not) יִתָּכֵ֖ן (is just). דֶּ֣רֶךְ (The way) אֲדֹנָ֑י (of the Lord)

שִׁמְעוּ־ (Hear) נָא֙ (now), בֵּ֣ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel); הֲדַרְכִּי֙ (Is it My way) לֹ֣א (that not) יִתָּכֵ֔ן (is just)? הֲלֹ֥א (Is it not) דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ ways) לֹ֥א (that not) יִתָּכֵֽנוּ׃ (are just)?

26 בְּשׁוּב־ (In the turning away) צַדִּ֧יק (of a righteous one) מִצִּדְקָת֛וֹ (from his righteousness), וְעָ֥שָׂה (when he does) עָ֖וֶל (iniquity), וּמֵ֣ת (and dies) עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם (in it) בְּעַוְל֥וֹ (because of the iniquity) אֲשֶׁר־ (that) עָשָׂ֖ה (he has done) יָמֽוּת׃ס (he dies).

27 וּבְשׁ֣וּב (And in the turning away of) רָשָׁ֗ע (the wicked one) מֵֽרִשְׁעָתוֹ֙ (from the wickedness) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) עָשָׂ֔ה (he has done), וַיַּ֥עַשׂ (when he does) מִשְׁפָּ֖ט (justice) וּצְדָקָ֑ה (and righteousness), ה֖וּא (he) אֶת־ (-) נַפְשׁ֥וֹ (his soul) יְחַיֶּֽה׃ (will keep alive). 28 וַיִּרְאֶ֣ה (And he considers), וַיָּשׁוֹב (and turns away) מִכָּל־ (from all) פְּשָׁעָ֖יו (the transgressions) אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) עָשָׂ֑ה (he had done), חָי֥וֹ (living) יִחְיֶ֖ה (he will live), לֹ֥א (not) יָמֽוּת׃ (will he die).

29 וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ (And says) בֵּ֣ית (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), לֹ֥א (Not) יִתָּכֵ֖ן (is just). דֶּ֣רֶךְ (The way) אֲדֹנָ֑י (of the Lord)

הַדְּרָכַ֞י (My ways) לֹ֤א (not) יִתָּֽכְנּוּ֙ (are just)? בֵּ֣ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), הֲלֹ֥א (is it not) דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם (your⁺ ways) לֹ֥א (that not) יִתָּכֵֽן׃ (are just)?

30 לָכֵן֩ (Therefore) אִ֨ישׁ (each man) כִּדְרָכָ֜יו (according to his ways), אֶשְׁפֹּ֤ט (I will judge) אֶתְכֶם֙ (you⁺) בֵּ֣ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (of Israel), נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH) שׁ֤וּבוּ (Turn away), וְהָשִׁ֙יבוּ֙ (and turn away) מִכָּל־ (from all) פִּשְׁעֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ transgressions); וְלֹֽא־ (and not) יִהְיֶ֥ה (it will be) לָכֶ֛ם (to you⁺) לְמִכְשׁ֖וֹל (as a stumbling block) עָוֺֽן׃ (iniquity). 31 הַשְׁלִ֣יכוּ (Cast away) מֵעֲלֵיכֶ֗ם (from you⁺) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) פִּשְׁעֵיכֶם֙ (the transgressions), אֲשֶׁ֣ר (that) פְּשַׁעְתֶּ֣ם (you⁺ have transgressed); בָּ֔ם (by them) וַעֲשׂ֥וּ (and make) לָכֶ֛ם (for yourselves) לֵ֥ב (a heart) חָדָ֖שׁ (new) וְר֣וּחַ (and a spirit)! חֲדָשָׁ֑ה (New) וְלָ֥מָּה (and for why) תָמֻ֖תוּ (should you⁺ die), בֵּ֥ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel)?

32 כִּ֣י (For) לֹ֤א (not) אֶחְפֹּץ֙ (do I delight) בְּמ֣וֹת (in the death) הַמֵּ֔ת (of the one dying), נְאֻ֖ם (a declaration) אֲדֹנָ֣י (of the Lord) יְהוִ֑ה (YHWH); וְהָשִׁ֖יבוּ (and turn back) וִֽחְיֽוּ׃פ (and live).