Individual Responsibility
1 The Lord spoke to me 2 and said, “What is this proverb people keep repeating in the land of Israel?
‘The parents ate the sour grapes,
But the children got the sour taste.’
3 “As surely as I am the living God,” says the Sovereign Lord, “you will not repeat this proverb in Israel any more. 4 The life of every person belongs to me, the life of the parent as well as that of the child. The person who sins is the one who will die.
5 “Suppose there is a truly good man, righteous and honest. 6 He doesn't worship the idols of the Israelites or eat the sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines. He doesn't seduce another man's wife or have intercourse with a woman during her period. 7 He doesn't cheat or rob anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security; he feeds the hungry and gives clothing to the naked. 8 He doesn't lend money for profit. He refuses to do evil and gives an honest decision in any dispute. 9 Such a man obeys my commands and carefully keeps my laws. He is righteous, and he will live,” says the Sovereign Lord.
10 “Then suppose this man has a son who robs and kills, who does any of these things 11 that the father never did. He eats sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines and seduces other men's wives. 12 He cheats the poor, he robs, he keeps what a borrower gives him as security. He goes to pagan shrines, worships disgusting idols, 13 and lends money for profit. Will he live? No, he will not. He has done all these disgusting things, and so he will die. He will be to blame for his own death.
14 “Now suppose this second man has a son. He sees all the sins his father practiced, but does not follow his example. 15 He doesn't worship the idols of the Israelites or eat the sacrifices offered at forbidden shrines. He doesn't seduce another man's wife 16 or oppress anyone or rob anyone. He returns what a borrower gives him as security. He feeds the hungry and gives clothing to the naked. 17 He refuses to do evil and doesn't lend money for profit. He keeps my laws and obeys my commands. He will not die because of his father's sins, but he will certainly live. 18 His father, on the other hand, cheated and robbed and always did evil to everyone. And so he died because of the sins he himself had committed.
19 “But you ask, ‘Why shouldn't the son suffer because of his father's sins?’ The answer is that the son did what was right and good. He kept my laws and followed them carefully, and so he will certainly live. 20 It is the one who sins who will die. A son is not to suffer because of his father's sins, nor a father because of the sins of his son. Good people will be rewarded for doing good, and evil people will suffer for the evil they do.
21 “If someone evil stops sinning and keeps my laws, if he does what is right and good, he will not die; he will certainly live. 22 All his sins will be forgiven, and he will live, because he did what is right. 23 Do you think I enjoy seeing evil people die?” asks the Sovereign Lord. “No, I would rather see them repent and live.
24 “But if a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing all the evil, disgusting things that evil people do, will he go on living? No! None of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his unfaithfulness and his sins.
25 “But you say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ Listen to me, you Israelites. Do you think my way of doing things isn't right? It is your way that isn't right. 26 When a righteous person stops doing good and starts doing evil and then dies, he dies because of the evil he has done. 27 When someone evil stops sinning and does what is right and good, he saves his life. 28 He realizes what he is doing and stops sinning, so he will certainly not die, but go on living. 29 And you Israelites say, ‘What the Lord does isn't right.’ You think my way isn't right, do you? It is your way that isn't right.
30 “Now I, the Sovereign Lord, am telling you Israelites that I will judge each of you by what you have done. Turn away from all the evil you are doing, and don't let your sin destroy you. 31 Give up all the evil you have been doing, and get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? 32 I do not want anyone to die,” says the Sovereign Lord. “Turn away from your sins and live.”
1 OPI go ata kpate märi ekye: 2 “Lapidri gi abe atana kpe kpe ta wari Yisaraele rota ono e'diya? Se ekye:
‘Uti'bai nyayi doŋgo äträ kono ro te,
oko si ŋgàga ro todra leni.’ ”
3 OPI Mbarapara ka ata ekye: “Endaro oso ma be Lu lidriidriro yi ono ronye, ogone lapidri ono delene kpe kpe Yisaraele ya te i'do tona. 4 Adri lidri cini ro orivoya maro, adri uti'ba ro ndi ŋgaga robe. 'Dise kabe takozi oye 'do odrana gini.
5 “Aba ondro 'diaza orivoya mano kado yi, ago ka taŋgye ndi ta 'diri be oye. 6 Nda nya tori se alobe vo mätu ro se 'bereŋwai drisi iyi roko, ago mätu lu edeedero Yisaraele ro ko, rudri kote toko oriazi ndaro robe kode ye ronyi kote toko aza be tu la'bi anyaro rosi. 7 Nda oco 'diaza kote, oko ka ŋga 'dise kozo ŋga be tikoro nda opazana 'do ro logona logo; nda topa ŋga ko, ka ŋgaonya ozo 'dise täbiri ro ri ago ka boŋgo ozo 'dise bägyuluro ri. 8 Nda ozo parata kote ŋga litizana. Nda leko takozi oyene ago ka ta lakole lidri ritu roya edena taŋgye si. 9 Mano anya inye 'do ka ota maro orona ago ka ota maro ätina taoti si. Tana nda orivoya taŋgye'ba yi, ago nda orina ndi lidriidriro, OPI Mbarapara atani inye.
10 “Aba ondro ka'do mano 'do ka'do gwo ŋgwaagoro be se ŋgwa mano ono ro aza ka ŋga topatopa ago ka 'diufu ufu, se ka ŋga kwoi oyena oye 11 se täpi ndaro ye kote cu alona. Nda ka tori se alobe vo mätu ro se 'bereŋwai dri 'do onyana onya ago ka driuru 'ditoko azi robe. 12 Nda ka 'dise mäyuro ago lemeri'bai ro ocona, nda ka ŋgatopa, 'dise kozo ŋga te tikoro ndäri nda logo kote. Nda ka lui edeedero mätu ago ka ŋgase ya maro osoro lomvoigye iyi oyena, 13 ago ka parata ozo ŋga litizana. Inye'do nda orina gindi lidriidriro ya? Nda unina ko orine. Nda koye ŋga cini koziro kwoi bete oso inye 'do, nda odrana ndi. Okozina ndi modo ndaro ayani ta odra ndaro rota.
14 “Ka'do inye ondro ka'do ŋgwa mano käti 'do ro ka'do gwo ŋgwa aza be. Nda ndre takozi se cini täpi ndaro koyebe iyi te, oko so kote taoye ndaro voro. 15 Nda nya tori se alobe vo mätu ro se 'bereŋwai drisi iyi roko ago mätu lui edeedero Yisaraele'bai ro kote. Nda rudri kote toko manoaza robe 16 ago topa ŋga 'diaza ro kote kode eza 'diaza kote. Nda ka ŋgase ozobe ndäri tikoro iyi logona logo. Nda ka ŋgaonya ozoozo 'dise täbiri ro ri ago ka boŋgo ozo 'dise bägyuluro ri. 17 Nda leko taundiro oyene ago ozo parata ko ŋga litizana. Nda ka ota maro ätina ago ka orona. Nda unina ko odrane ta takozi täpi ndaro rota, oko endaro nda orina ndi lidriidriro. 18 Tana täpi ndaro, oco 'di te ago topa ŋga te, ago ondoalo ye takozi te 'dicini ri. Ta'doro nda odrana ndi ta takozi se nda andivona kegyebe 'do rota.
19 “Caoko nyà taeji mikye: ‘Tana e'di ŋgwa ezaru ko ta takozi täpi ndaro rota niya?’ Tadriozana begi ono anjioko ŋgwa yete tase ŋgye ago kado 'do ayani. Nda äti ota maro te ago sote voigye taoti si, ta'doro endaro nda orina ndi lidriidriro. 20 'Dise koye takozi be 'do odrana iro gini. Ko ŋgwa ri ruezane ta takozi täpi ndaro rota, ca kpa ko täpi ri ruezane ta takozi ŋgwa ndaro rota. Ozona päläti 'da mano se kado 'do ri taoye kado ndaro ta, ago mano se koziro 'do ezaruna 'da ta taoye kozi ndaro rota.
21 “Ondro ka'do mano se koziro 'do ke'be takozi oye te ago käti ota maro te, ondro ka'do nda kogo koyete tase ŋgye ndi takado be ayani; endaro nda orina ndi lidriidriro; ndäri odrane i'do. 22 E'bena nda 'da ta takozi cini ndaro rota, ago nda orina 'da lidriidriro, tana nda yete tase ŋgye 'do ayani.” 23 OPI Mbarapara ka taeji ekye: “Inye'do nyùsu amiro be ma orivoya riyä ro odra 'dise koziro ro ondrevoya ya? Hwa, aba male maro drietane ndäri ago orine lidriidriro ayani.
24 “Oko ondro ka'do mano taŋgye'ba aza ke'be takado oye gwo ago keto tase koziro oyena gwo, tase konjiekye se lidri se koziro kayibe loyena iyi, inye'do nda orina gindi lidriidriro ya? Hwa! Änina kote takado se nda koyebe 'do tana oyine. Nda odrana 'da ta ta'diriako ndi ta takozi ndaro be rota.
25 “Caoko nyà ata mìkye: ‘Tase Opi kabe oyena ono ko orivoya ŋgye.’ Nyèri yauono ta maro, ami Yisaraele'bai. Inye'do tase mabe oyena ono ko ŋgye ya? Liti taoye amiro ro koni ŋgye. 26 Ondro mano taŋgye'ba aza ke'be takado oye te ago keto takozi oyete, ndana odrana ndi. Nda odrana ndi ta tase koziro nda kabe loyena 'do rota. 27 Ondro mano koziro aza ke'be takozi oye te ago kate tase ŋgye ago kadoro 'do oyena, nda opana adri ndaro ndi. 28 Nda ni tase nda kabe ugu oyena ndi ago e'be takozi oye te, ta'doro nda ni kote odrane, oko ugu orina te lidriidriro. 29 Ago ami Yisaraele'bai nyà ata mikye: ‘Tase Opi kabe oyena ko orivoya ŋgye.’ Inye'do tase mabe oyena ono ko ŋgye ya? Liti taoye amiro ro koni ŋgye.
30 “Ka'do inye ma, OPI Mbarapara, mapena vure amiro 'da ami Yisaraele'bai 'di alo alo a'do taoye anyaro ro voro. Nyètadri ni takozi se cini nyàbe loyena 'do yasi, ukyi takozi amiro tufu ami 'da. 31 Nyè'be tase cini undiro nyà'dobe loyevonaya märi iyi, ago andivo amiro nyà'do tausu to'di drî ro ndi ya robe. Tana e'di ami Yisaraele'bai mile gwo odrane odra niya? 32 Male ko 'diaza ri odrane. Ka'do inye nyètadri ni takozi amiro yasi miri robe lidriidriro.” OPI Mbarapara atani inye.