Ezekiel, 13

1. Thus the word of the LORD came to me:

1. The word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows,

2. Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel, prophesy! Say to those who prophesy their own thought: Hear the word of the LORD:

2. 'Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel; prophesy, and say to those who make up prophecies out of their own heads, "Hear what Yahweh says:

3. Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to those prophets who are fools, who follow their own spirit and have seen no vision.

3. The Lord Yahweh says this: Disaster is in store for the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!

4. Like foxes among ruins are your prophets, O Israel!

4. Your prophets, Israel, are like ruin-haunting jackals!

5. You did not step into the breach, nor did you build a wall about the house of Israel that would stand firm against attack on the day of the LORD.

5. "You have not ventured into the breach; you have not built up the wall round the House of Israel, to hold fast in battle on the Day of Yahweh.

6. Their visions are false and their divination lying. They say, "Thus says the LORD!" though the LORD did not send them; then they wait for him to fulfill their word!

6. Theirs are futile visions and false predictions, who say: A prophecy from Yahweh, when Yahweh has not sent them; yet they expect their words to come true.

7. Was not the vision you saw false, and your divination lying?

7. Have not the visions you see been futile, have not the predictions you make been false, although you say: A prophecy of Yahweh, when I have not spoken?

8. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have spoken falsehood and have seen lying visions, therefore see! I am coming at you, says the Lord GOD.

8. "Very well, the Lord Yahweh says this: Because of your futile words and false predictions, I am now against you -- declares Lord Yahweh.

9. But I will stretch out my hand against the prophets who have false visions and who foretell lies. They shall not belong to the community of my people, nor be recorded in the register of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

9. My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and give false predictions; they will not be admitted to the council of my people, their names will not be entered in the roll of the House of Israel, they will not set foot on the soil of Israel; and they will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.

10. For the very reason that they led my people astray, saying, "Peace!" when there was no peace, and that, as one built a wall, they would cover it with whitewash,

10. This is because they have misled my people by saying Peace! when there is no peace. When my people were repairing a wall, these men came and plastered it over!

11. say then to the whitewashers: I will bring down a flooding rain; hailstones shall fall, and a stormwind shall break out.

11. Tell these plasterers: It will rain hard, it will hail, it will blow a gale,

12. And when the wall has fallen, will you not be asked: Where is the whitewash you spread on?

12. and down will come the wall! Will not people ask you: What has become of the plaster you slapped on it?

13. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: In my fury I will let loose stormwinds; because of my anger there shall be a flooding rain, and hailstones shall fall with destructive wrath.

13. Well then, the Lord Yahweh says this: I am going to unleash a stormy wind in my fury, torrential rain in my anger, hailstones in my destructive fury,

14. I will tear down the wall that you have whitewashed and level it to the ground, laying bare its foundations. When it falls, you shall be crushed beneath it; thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

14. and I shall shatter the wall you plastered and knock it down and lay its foundations bare. It will fall and you will perish under it; then you will know that I am Yahweh."

15. When I have spent my fury on the wall and its whitewashers, I tell you there shall be no wall, nor shall there be whitewashers--

15. 'When I have sated my anger on the wall and those who plastered it, I shall say to you, "The wall is gone, and so are those who plastered over it,

16. those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw for it visions of peace when there was no peace, says the Lord GOD.

16. the prophets of Israel who prophesy about Jerusalem and have visions of peace for her when there is no peace -- declares the Lord Yahweh."

17. Now, son of man, turn toward the daughters of your people who prophesy their own thoughts; against these, prophesy: Thus says the Lord GOD:

17. 'Also, son of man, turn to the women of your people who make up prophecies out of their own heads; prophesy against them.

18. Woe to those who sew bands for everyone's wrists and make veils for every size of head so as to entrap their owners. Do you think to entrap the lives of my people, yet keep yourselves alive?

18. Say, "The Lord Yahweh says this: Disaster is in store for women who sew ribbons round each wrist and make head-cloths for people of all sizes, in their hunt for souls! Are you to hunt the souls of my people and keep your own souls safe?

19. You dishonor me before my people with handfuls of barley and crumbs of bread, killing those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, lying to my people who willingly hear lies.

19. You dishonour me in front of my people for a few handfuls of barley, a few bits of bread, killing those who ought not to die and sparing those who ought not to live, lying to my people who love listening to lies.

20. Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: See! I am coming at those bands of yours in which you entrap men's lives: I will tear them from their arms and set free those you have caught.

20. "Very well, the Lord Yahweh says this: Look, I am now against your ribbons, with which you hunt souls like birds, and I shall tear them off your arms and free those souls whom you hunt like birds.

21. I will tear off your veils and rescue my people from your power, so that they shall no longer be prey to your hands. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

21. I shall tear your head-cloths to pieces and rescue my people from your clutches; no longer will they be fair game for you to ensnare. Then you will know that I am Yahweh.

22. Because you have disheartened the upright man with lies when I did not wish him grieved, and have encouraged the wicked man not to turn from his evil conduct and save his life;

22. "For having intimidated with lies the heart of the upright whom I had done nothing to alarm, and for having encouraged the wicked not to give up wicked ways and so be saved,

23. therefore you shall no longer see false visions and practice divination, but I will rescue my people from your power. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD.

23. very well, you will have no more futile visions and make no more predictions, for I shall rescue my people from your clutches, and you will know that I am Yahweh." '