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1 The Devar Hashem came unto me again, saying: 2 What mean ye, that ye use this mashal concerning Admat Yisroel, saying, Avot have eaten sour grapes, and the teeth of the banim are set on edge? 3 As I live, saith Adonoi Hashem, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this mashal in Yisroel. 4 Behold, all nefashot are Mine; as the nefesh of the av, so also the nefesh of the ben is Mine; the nefesh that sinneth, it shall die.
5 But if an ish be tzaddik, and do that which is mishpat and tzedakah, 6 And hath not eaten [sacrifices of gillulim, idols] upon the harim, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the gillulim of Bais Yisroel, neither hath made tameh the isha of his neighbor, neither hath come near to an isha niddah, 7 And hath not oppressed any ish, but hath restored to the debtor his chavolah (pledge, collateral), hath spoiled none by a robberʼs violence, hath given his lechem to the hungry, and hath covered the eirom (naked) with a garment; 8 He that hath not loaned gelt on neshekh, neither hath taken any tarbit (interest, usury), that hath withdrawn his yad from iniquity, hath executed mishpat emes between ish and ish, 9 Hath walked in My chukkot, and hath been shomer over My mishpatim, to do emes; he is tzaddik, he shall surely live, saith Adonoi Hashem.
10 If he father a ben-paritz shofech dahm (a violent son who sheds blood), and that doeth the like to his brother, 11 Though he* doeth none of these; he† hath eaten [sacrifices to idols] upon the harim, and made tameh the isha of his neighbor, 12 Hath oppressed the oni and evyon, hath spoiled by a robberʼs violence, hath not restored the chavol (pledge), and hath lifted up his eyes to the gillulim, hath committed to'evah (abomination), 13 Hath loaned gelt upon neshekh (usury), and hath taken tarbit (interest); shall he then live? He shall not live; he hath done all these to'evot; he shall surely die; his dahm shall be upon him.
14 Now, hinei, if he father a ben, that seeth all the chattot aviv which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not like such, 15 That hath not eaten [sacrifices to idols] upon the harim, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the gillulim of Bais Yisroel, hath not made tameh the isha of his neighbor, 16 Neither hath oppressed any ish, hath not withheld the chavol (pledge), neither hath spoiled by a robberʼs violence, but hath given his lechem to the hungry, and hath covered the eirom (naked) with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his yad from the oni, that hath not received neshekh (usury) nor tarbit (interest), hath executed My mishpat, hath walked in My chukkot; he shall not die for the avon aviv, he shall surely live. 18 As for aviv, because he cruelly oppressed with extortion, spoiled his brother by a robberʼs violence, and did that which is not tov among his people, hinei, even he shall die in his avon.
19 Yet say ye, Why? Doth not the ben bear the avon (iniquity, guilt) of the av? When the ben hath done that which is mishpat and tzedakah, and hath been shomer over all My chukkot, and hath done them, he shall surely live. 20 The nefesh that sinneth, it shall die. The ben shall not nasah the avon of the av, neither shall the av nasah the avon of the ben; the tzedakat hatzaddik shall be upon him, and the rishat rashah shall be upon him.
21 But if the rashah will turn from all his chattot that he hath committed, and be shomer over all My chukkot, and do that which is mishpat and tzedakah, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 22 All his peysha'im that he hath committed, they shall not be remembered against him: in his tzidkat that he hath done he shall live. 23 Have I any pleasure at all in the mot rashah? saith Adonoi Hashem. And not that he should make teshuvah from the darkhei of him, and live? 24 But when the tzaddik turneth away from his tzedek, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the to'evot that the rashah doeth, shall he live? All his tzedek that he hath done shall not be remembered; in his ma'al (unfaithfulness) that he hath committed treachery, and in his chattat that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
25 Yet ye say, The Derech Adonoi is not proper. Hear now, O Bais Yisroel: Is My Derech not proper? Is it not the drakhim of you that are not proper? 26 When a tzaddik turneth away from his tzedek, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them, for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 27 Again, when a rashah turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is mishpat and tzedakah, he shall save his nefesh alive. 28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his peysha'im that he hath committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet saith Bais Yisroel, The Derech Adonoi is not proper. O Bais Yisroel, is My Derech not proper? Is it not the drakhim of you that are not proper?
30 Therefore I will judge you, O Bais Yisroel, every one according to the drakhim of him, saith Adonoi Hashem. Make teshuvah, and turn yourselves from all your peysha'im, so avon shall not be your michshol (stumbling block, downfall). 31 Cast away from you all your peysha'im, whereby ye have committed peysha; and get you a lev chadash and a ruach chadashah;‡ for why will ye die, O Bais Yisroel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the mot of him that dieth, saith Adonoi Hashem; therefore, make teshuva and live!
* 18:11 the av † 18:11 the ben ‡ 18:31 i.e., regeneration, new birth see Yn 3:3