Ezekiel, 21

1. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

1. The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms,

2. Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop [thy word] toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,

2. "Son of man, look towards the south; direct your words to the south and prophesy against Forest of the south.

3. And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I [am] against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked.

3. Say to the forest: 'O forest, hear the word of Yahweh: I am kindling a fire that will burn every tree, both green and dry; its flame will not be quenched but from the south to the north every face will be scorched.

4. Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

4. Everyone will see that it was I, Yahweh, who kindled it and that it will not be put out."

5. That all flesh may know that I the LORD have drawn forth my sword out of his sheath: it shall not return any more.

5. This time I said, "Lord Yahweh, they say that I am always talking in parables."

6. Sigh therefore, thou son of man, with the breaking of [thy] loins; and with bitterness sigh before their eyes.

6. But the word of Yahweh came to me in these terms,

7. And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak [as] water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD.

7. "Son of man, look towards Jerusalem; address your words to the sanctuary and prophesy against Israel.

8. Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

8. Say to Israel: I come against you; I will unsheathe my sword and cut off from you both the good and the wicked.

9. Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished:

9. Yes: against both the good and the wicked. My sword is unsheathed against all mortals from north to south.

10. It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter: should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, [as] every tree.

10. And all will know that I, Yahweh, have unsheathed my sword, and unsheathed it will remain."

11. And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled: this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.

11. And you, son of man, groan in the bitterness of a broken heart, groan in their presence.

12. Cry and howl, son of man: for it shall be upon my people, it [shall be] upon all the princes of Israel: terrors by reason of the sword shall be upon my people: smite therefore upon [thy] thigh.

12. When they say to you, 'Why are you groaning?' you will answer: 'Because of what will happen; when you hear of it, every heart will melt, every hand become limp, every spirit will be faint and knees shall be as weak as water.' It is to happen; it has come, word of the Lord Yahweh."

13. Because [it is] a trial, and what if [the sword] contemn even the rod? it shall be no [more], saith the Lord GOD.

13. The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms,

14. Thou therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite [thine] hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain: it [is] the sword of the great [men that are] slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.

14. "Son of man; prophesy and say on my behalf: The sword has been polished and sharpened.

15. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that [their] heart may faint, and [their] ruins be multiplied: ah! [it is] made bright, [it is] wrapped up for the slaughter.

15. It has been sharpened for a massacre.

16. Go thee one way or other, [either] on the right hand, [or] on the left, whithersoever thy face [is] set.

16. Yahweh gave it to be polished and seized by the hand. He has had the sword sharpened and polished to hand to the executioner.

17. I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest: I the LORD have said [it].

17. Cry out and wail, son of man, for this sword is intended for my people and for the princes of Israel. They shall be given over to the sword with my people; beat your breast, word of Yahweh.

18. The word of the LORD came unto me again, saying,

18. -

19. Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come: both twain shall come forth out of one land: and choose thou a place, choose [it] at the head of the way to the city.

19. And you, son of man, prophesy and clap your hands! The sword will strike and strike again for the slaughter, for the massacre.

20. Appoint a way, that the sword may come to Rabbath of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the defenced.

20. Hearts languish and people fall for I have placed at every gate the sword for slaughter.

21. For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made [his] arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.

21. It has been sharpened and shines. O sword! slash to the right, slash to the left, wherever you turn.

22. At his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, to appoint captains, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the voice with shouting, to appoint [battering] rams against the gates, to cast a mount, [and] to build a fort.

22. For my part I clap my hands and release my fury; I, Yahweh, have spoken."

23. And it shall be unto them as a false divination in their sight, to them that have sworn oaths: but he will call to remembrance the iniquity, that they may be taken.

23. The word of Yahweh came to me in these terms,

24. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, [I say], that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.

24. "Son of man, mark two roads for the coming of the king of Babylon's sword. The two should leave from the same point.

25. And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity [shall have] an end,

25. At the head of each road place a sign, the first directing the sword to Rammah of the Ammonites and the second to Judah and the fortified city of Jerusalem.

26. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this [shall] not [be] the same: exalt [him that is] low, and abase [him that is] high.

26. The king of Babylon, in fact, is now standing at the parting of the ways, at the head of both roads looking for an omen. He is shaking arrows, questioning the idols, looking at the liver of the victims.

27. I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no [more], until he come whose right it is; and I will give it [him].

27. The lot falls upon Jerusalem. Then he raises a warcry, 'Set a battering ram at the gates, construct a ramp and erect siegeworks.'

28. And thou, son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword [is] drawn: for the slaughter [it is] furbished, to consume because of the glittering:

28. Those who have sworn allegiance to him in Jerusalem do not dare believe it; but he remembers their guilt and they are captured.

29. Whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of [them that are] slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity [shall have] an end.

29. That is why Yahweh has spoken: Your evil deeds have brought to mind your wickedness and made known your sins. And when I remembered you, sin appeared in all your deeds. Because of this you will be taken captive.

30. Shall I cause [it] to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.

30. As for you, dishonored criminal, prince of Israel, the day and moment of your punishment has come.

31. And I will pour out mine indignation upon thee, I will blow against thee in the fire of my wrath, and deliver thee into the hand of brutish men, [and] skilful to destroy.

31. They will remove your turban, take away your crown. All will be changed: what is lowly will be lifted high and what is lofty will be brought low.

32. Thou shalt be for fuel to the fire; thy blood shall be in the midst of the land; thou shalt be no [more] remembered: for I the LORD have spoken [it].

32. I will make it a ruins, a ruins such as never has been, until the one comes whose right it is to rule, the one I shall send.

33.

33. And you, son of man, prophesy and say: This is Yahweh's word concerning the Ammonites and their insults. This is what you are to say: The sword is unsheathed for the slaughter, polished and flashing for the work of destruction.

34.

34. Beware of your false visions and lying omens, when your sword is laid to the necks of the wicked for their time has come and their punishment is near.

35.

35. People of Ammon, put back the sword in its shealth. In your own place, in the land of your birth you will be judged.

36.

36. I will pour out my wrath on you, against you I will breathe the fire of my fury and hand you over to brutal men, experts in destruction.

37.

37. You will be fuel for the fire; your blood will be spilled throught the land and you shall be remembered no more for I, Yahweh, have spoken."