1守望者的责任（结3:16-21）
1The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2“人子啊！你要告诉你本国的人，说：‘我使刀剑临到一地，那地的人民从他们中间选出一个人，作他们的守望者；
2Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;
3这人见刀剑临到那地，就吹响号角，警告众人；
3if, when he sees the sword come on the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
4凡听见号角声而不接受警告的，刀剑若来把他除灭，他的罪（“罪”原文作“血”）就要归到自己的头上；
4then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet, and doesn’t take warning, if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be on his own head.
5他既然听见号角声而不接受警告，所以他的罪（“罪”原文作“血”）要归到自己的身上；他若接受警告，就可以救回自己的性命了。
5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and didn’t take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.
6但是，那守望的人若见刀剑临到，却不吹响号角，以致人民没有受到警告，刀剑来把他们中间的一个人除灭；那人虽然因自己的罪孽被除灭，我却要因他的死追究守望的人。’
6But if the watchman sees the sword come, and doesn’t blow the trumpet, and the people aren’t warned, and the sword comes, and take any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
7“人子啊！我立了你作以色列家守望的人，所以你要聆听我口中的话，替我警告他们。
7So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
8如果我对恶人说：‘恶人啊，你必定死亡！’你以西结却不出声警告恶人离开他所行的，这恶人就必因自己的罪孽死亡，我却要因他的死追究你。
8When I tell the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you don’t speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.
9如果你警告恶人，叫他离开他所行的，他仍不转离，他就必因自己的罪孽死亡，你却救了自己的性命。
9Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn’t turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.
10人的善恶各自负责“人子啊！你要对以色列家说：‘你们这样说：我们的过犯和罪恶常在我们身上；我们必因此衰弱而死，怎能存活呢？’
10You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: Thus you speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?
11你要对他们说：‘主耶和华这样宣告：我指着我的永生起誓，我绝不喜悦恶人死亡，却喜悦恶人离开他所行的，得以存活。以色列家啊，回转吧！离开你们所行的，何必死亡呢？’
11Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?
12人子啊！你要对你本国的人说：‘义人的义在他犯罪的日子，不能救他；恶人的恶在他离开恶行的日子，也不会绊倒他；义人在他犯罪的日子，也不能因他的义存活。’
12You, son of man, tell the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his disobedience; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he who is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins.
13我虽然对义人说他必定生存，但是他若恃着自己的义而行恶，他的一切义都必不被记念；他必因所行的恶死亡。
13When I tell the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness, and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die.
14我虽然对恶人说：‘你必定死亡’，但是他若离开他的罪，行公平和正直的事，
14Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
15把抵押归还，把抢夺人的物件偿还，遵行赐生命的律例，不作恶事，他就必存活，不致死亡；
15if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
16他所犯的一切罪，必不被记念；他行了公平和正直的事，就必存活。
16None of his sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him: he has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
17“你本国的人还说：‘主所行的不公平。’其实他们所行的才是不公平。
17Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
18义人若离开他的义，去行恶事，他就必因此死亡；
18When the righteous turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, he shall even die therein.
19恶人若离开他的恶，去行公平和正直的事，他就必因此存活。
19When the wicked turns from his wickedness, and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
20你们还说：‘主所行的不公平。’以色列家啊！我必照着你们各人所行的审判你们。”
20Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not equal. House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways.
21耶路撒冷失陷的消息在我们被掳以后的第十二年十月初五日，有人从耶路撒冷逃到我这里来，说：“城已经被攻陷了。”
21It happened in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me, saying, The city has been struck.
22那人来到的前一天晚上，耶和华的手按在我身上，开了我的口。到了早晨，那人来到我这里，我的口已经开了，不再作哑巴。
22Now the hand of Yahweh had been on me in the evening, before he who was escaped came; and he had opened my mouth, until he came to me in the morning; and my mouth was opened, and I was no more mute.
23耶和华的话临到我说：
23The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
24“人子啊！那些住在以色列地废墟里的人常说：‘亚伯拉罕一个人就得了这地为业；我们人数众多，这地更应该给我们为业。’
24Son of man, they who inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited the land: but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance.
25因此，你要对他们说：‘主耶和华这样说：你们吃带血的祭肉，举目仰望你们的偶像，并且流人的血，你们还可以得这地为业吗？
25Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood: and shall you possess the land?
26你们倚仗自己的刀剑，行可憎恶的事，人人玷污邻舍的妻子，你们还可以得这地为业吗？’
26You stand on your sword, you work abomination, and every one of you defiles his neighbor’s wife: and shall you possess the land?
27你要对他们这样说：‘主耶和华这样说：我指着我的永生起誓，那些在废墟里的，必倒在刀下；在田间的，我必交给野兽吞吃；在堡垒和山洞里的，必因瘟疫而死。
27You shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.
28我必使这地非常荒凉，它因势力而有的骄傲必止息；以色列的山都必荒凉，无人经过。
28I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; and the pride of her power shall cease; and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.
29我必因他们所行一切可憎恶的事，使这地非常荒凉，那时他们就知道我是耶和华。’
29Then shall they know that I am Yahweh, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed.
30先知传讲信息的结果“人子啊！你本国的人在城墙旁边和各家的门口正在谈论你；他们彼此说：‘来吧！听听有什么话从耶和华那里出来。’
30As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk of you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Please come and hear what is the word that comes forth from Yahweh.
31他们成群来到你那里，坐在你面前，像是我的子民一样。其实他们听了你的话，却不去行；他们只是用口表示爱慕，他们的心却是追随不义之财。
31They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but don’t do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.
32在他们眼中，你不过是首情歌，唱得美妙，弹得悦耳，他们听了你的话，却不去行。
32Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don’t do them.
33看哪！这事必定应验，到那时候，他们就知道在他们中间有先知了。”
33When this comes to pass, (behold, it comes), then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.