וַיְהִי דְבַר־ה' אֵלַי לֵאמֹר

The word of the Lord was with me, saying:

מַה־לָּכֶם אַתֶּם מֹשְׁלִים אֶת־הַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה עַל־אַדְמַת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר אָבוֹת יֹאכְלוּ בֹסֶר וְשִׁנֵּי הַבָּנִים תִּקְהֶינָה !

What is it with you that you relate this parable concerning the territory of Israel, saying: Fathers will eat unripe grapes, and the children’s teeth will be damaged? In other words, why are children punished for the sins of their fathers?

חַי־אָנִי נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים אִם יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עוֹד מְשֹׁל הַמָּשָׁל הַזֶּה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

I take an oath, as I live – the utterance of the Lord God – surely there will no longer be a reason for relating this parable for you in Israel. It will disappear from your language and thoughts.

הֵן כָּל־הַנְּפָשׁוֹת לִי הֵנָּה כְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָב וּכְנֶפֶשׁ הַבֵּן לִי־הֵנָּה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֹטֵאת הִיא תָמוּת

Behold, all lives are Mine. Since they are all in My possession, I can assess them and determine their fate. Alternatively, this means that God does not employ favoritism in His dealings with people. The life of the father and the life of the son alike are Mine, and therefore, the person who sins, he will die. Each individual is personally responsible for his choices, for good or for evil.

וְאִישׁ כִּי־יִהְיֶה צַדִּיק וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה

God explains this principle in detail: If a man is righteous, and he performs justice and righteousness,

אֶל הֶהָרִים לֹא אָכָל וְעֵינָיו לֹא נָשָׂא אֶל גִּלּוּלֵי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא טִמֵּא וְאֶל־אִשָּׁה נִדָּה לֹא יִקְרָב

did not eat idolatrous offerings upon the mountains, where idols were normally established, and did not raise his eyes enviously to the idols of the house of Israel and was not drawn into the worship of the idols that were popular among his people, did not defile his neighbor’s wife by committing adultery with her, and would not approach a menstruating woman, even if it was his own wife. He refrained from committing sins between both man and God, e.g., idol worship, and between man and woman, e.g., forbidden sexual relations.

ואִישׁ לֹא יוֹנֶה חֲבֹלָתוֹ חוֹב יָשִׁיב גְּזֵלָה לֹא יִגְזֹל לַחְמוֹ לְרָעֵב יִתֵּן וְעֵירֹם יְכַסֶּה־בָּגֶד

In monetary matters, he would not mistreat, cheat or harm, any man, and would return his collateral for a debt to the poor borrower every day so that he could use it, as required by Torah law; he would not commit a robbery, he would give his bread to the hungry, and he would cover the naked with a garment;

בַּנֶּשֶׁךְ לֹא־יִתֵּן וְתַרְבִּית לֹא יִקָּח מֵעָוֶל יָשִׁיב יָדוֹ מִשְׁפַּט אֱמֶת יַעֲשֶׂה בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִישׁ

he would not give a loan with interest and would not take increase, any profit for giving a loan; he would withdraw his hand from injustice, and would execute true justice between a man and another;

בְּחֻקּוֹתַי יְהַלֵּךְ וּמִשְׁפָּטַי שָׁמַר לַעֲשׂוֹת אֱמֶת צַדִּיק הוּא חָיֹה יִחְיֶה נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים

he would follow My statutes and observe My ordinances to perform faithfully. This is a general description of one who fulfills God’s commandments and refrains from sin. He is a righteous man; he will live – the utterance of the Lord God.

וְהוֹלִיד בֵּן־פָּרִיץ שֹׁפֵךְ דָּם וְעָשָׂה אָח מֵאַחַד מֵאֵלֶּה

But if he begot a scoundrel of a son [ben-paritz], one who breaches [poretz] the boundaries of justice and morality, a shedder of blood, and he performed, alas [ah·], apparently a cry of anguish (see 6:11, 21:20), one of these deeds, from which his father refrained,

וְהוּא אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה לֹא עָשָׂה כִּי גַם אֶל־הֶהָרִים אָכַל וְאֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ טִמֵּא

and he did not perform all of those meritorious practices of his father, for he also ate upon the mountains, and he defiled his neighbor’s wife,

עָנִי וְאֶבְיוֹן הוֹנָה גְּזֵלוֹת גָּזָל חֲבֹל לֹא יָשִׁיב וְאֶל־הַגִּלּוּלִים נָשָׂא עֵינָיו תּוֹעֵבָה עָשָׂה

mistreated the poor and the indigent, committed robberies, would not return collateral, raised his eyes to the false gods, performed abomination,

בַּנֶּשֶׁךְ נָתַן וְתַרְבִּית לָקַח וָחָי! לֹא יִחְיֶה אֵת כָּל־הַתּוֹעֵבוֹת הָאֵלֶּה עָשָׂה מוֹת יוּמָת דָּמָיו בּוֹ יִהְיֶה

gave his money with interest and took increase: Will he live? Can it be supposed that such a wicked person merits life? He will not live. He performed all these abominations; he will be put to death, his blood will be upon him. This evil son deserves to die, and he will be punished with utmost severity, despite his father’s righteousness.

וְהִנֵּה הוֹלִיד בֵּן וַיַּרְא אֶת־כָּל־חַטֹּאת אָבִיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיִּרְאֶה וְלֹא יַעֲשֶׂה כָּהֵן

The prophet continues the story of the family: Behold, if he, the evil son, also begot a son, and he, the child, saw all the sins of his father that he performed; he saw, but he did not act in accordance with them. Although the son of the evil son grew up in a corrupt home, and presumably received an immoral education, he recognized his father’s wicked ways and chose to refrain from following in his path:

עַל־הֶהָרִים לֹא אָכָל וְעֵינָיו לֹא נָשָׂא אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא טִמֵּא

Upon the mountains he did not eat, and he did not raise his eyes to the false gods of the house of Israel, did not defile his neighbor’s wife,

וְאִישׁ לֹא הוֹנָה חֲבֹל לֹא חָבָל וּגְזֵלָה לֹא גָזָל לַחְמוֹ לְרָעֵב נָתָן וְעֵרוֹם כִּסָּה־בָגֶד

did not mistreat any man, did not unlawfully take collateral and did not commit robbery, gave his bread to the hungry and covered the naked with a garment;

מֵעָנִי הֵשִׁיב יָדוֹ נֶשֶׁךְ וְתַרְבִּית לֹא לָקָח מִשְׁפָּטַי עָשָׂה בְּחֻקּוֹתַי הָלָךְ הוּא לֹא יָמוּת בַּעֲוֹן אָבִיו חָיֹה יִחְיֶה

withdrew his hand from against the poor, who are typically the most vulnerable; did not take interest or increase, performed My ordinances, followed My statutes. He will not die for the iniquity of his father; he will live.

אָבִיו כִּי־עָשַׁק עֹשֶׁק גָּזַל גֵּזֶל אָח וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא־טוֹב עָשָׂה בְּתוֹךְ עַמָּיו וְהִנֵּה־מֵת בַּעֲוֹנוֹ

His father, because he engaged in exploitation, committed robbery of his brother, and that which is not good he did among his people, behold, he died for his iniquity. Although a wicked father will die for his sins, they will not affect his righteous son.

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם מַדֻּעַ לֹא־נָשָׂא הַבֵּן בַּעֲוֹן הָאָב וְהַבֵּן מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה עָשָׂה אֵת כָּל־חֻקּוֹתַי שָׁמַר וַיַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם חָיֹה יִחְיֶה

Yet you say, questioning this principle: Why didn’t the son bear the iniquity of the father? But the answer is that the son performed justice and righteousness; he observed all My statutes and performed them in the proper manner. Therefore, he will live.

הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַחֹטֵאת הִיא תָמוּת בֵּן לֹא־יִשָּׂא בַּעֲוֹן הָאָב וְאָב לֹא יִשָּׂא בַּעֲוֹן הַבֵּן צִדְקַת הַצַּדִּיק עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה וְרִשְׁעַת הָרָשָׁע עָלָיו תִּהְיֶה

The prophet clarifies the basic principle: The person who sins, he will die; a son will not bear the iniquity of the father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself. Righteousness and wickedness are not hereditary. Each person is responsible for his actions, and not for those of his parents or children.

וְהָרָשָׁע כִּי יָשׁוּב מִכָּל־חַטֹּאתָו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וְשָׁמַר אֶת־כָּל־חֻקּוֹתַי וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה חָיֹה יִחְיֶה לֹא יָמוּת

But even though the wicked person is responsible for his past behavior, if he repents all his sins that he committed, observes all My statutes, and performs justice and righteousness, he will live; he will not die.

כָּל־פְּשָׁעָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לֹא יִזָּכְרוּ לוֹ בְּצִדְקָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יִחְיֶה

All his transgressions that he committed will not be remembered against him; for his righteousness that he performed he will live. Since he repented, his previous wickedness will be forgiven, and he will merit life.

הֶחָפֹץ אֶחְפֹּץ מוֹת רָשָׁע! נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים הֲלוֹא בְּשׁוּבוֹ מִדְּרָכָיו וְחָיָה

God explains why this is so: Do I desire a wicked person’s death? I have no wish to kill the wicked – the utterance of the Lord God. Isn’t it through his repenting his ways, which I prefer, that he will live? Since the preferred outcome is repentance, I lovingly accept the repentance of the wicked.

וּבְשׁוּב צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקָתוֹ וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל כְּכֹל הַתּוֹעֵבוֹת אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה הָרָשָׁע יַעֲשֶׂה וָחָי! כָּל־צִדְקֹתָו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה לֹא תִזָּכַרְנָה בְּמַעֲלוֹ אֲשֶׁר־מָעַל וּבְחַטָּאתוֹ אֲשֶׁר־חָטָא בָּם יָמוּת

However, this principle applies equally to the opposite case as well: But when the righteous turns from his righteousness, forsaking his former ways, and commits iniquity, will he act in accordance with all the abominations that the wicked performed, and live? All his righteous deeds that he performed will not be remembered; for his trespass that he committed and for his sin that he sinned, for them he will die.

וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לֹא יִתָּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ אֲדֹנָי שִׁמְעוּ־נָא בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הֲדַרְכִּי לֹא יִתָּכֵן! הֲלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם לֹא יִתָּכֵנוּ!

Yet you say: The way of the Lord is improper, contending that this is unfair: Why should a renowned righteous person whose reputation was complicated by scandals in his later years be condemned? Shouldn’t his past virtues be considered, and his punishment reduced? Hear now, house of Israel: Is My way improper? Aren’t your ways improper? Your standard is flawed; one’s family background and past conduct should not determine the present.

בְּשׁוּב־צַדִּיק מִצִּדְקָתוֹ וְעָשָׂה עָוֶל וּמֵת עֲלֵיהֶם בְּעַוְלוֹ אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה יָמוּת

When the righteous turns back from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he will die on their, his iniquities’, account; for his iniquity that he committed he will die.

וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה הוּא אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ יְחַיֶּה

However, past actions do not preclude the possibility of remedy: When the wicked repents his wickedness that he committed and performs justice and righteousness, he will preserve his life through repentance.

וַיִּרְאֶה וַיָּשָׁב מִכָּל־פְּשָׁעָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה חָיוֹ יִחְיֶה לֹא יָמוּת

The reason is that he scrutinized his actions, and repented all his transgressions that he had committed. He will live; he will not die.

וְאָמְרוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא יִתָּכֵן דֶּרֶךְ אֲדֹנָי! הַדְּרָכַי לֹא יִתָּכְנוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל! הֲלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם לֹא יִתָּכֵן!

The prophet reiterates: But the house of Israel have said: The way of the Lord is improper. Are My ways improper, house of Israel? Aren’t your ways improper?

לָכֵן אִישׁ כִּדְרָכָיו אֶשְׁפֹּט אֶתְכֶם בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים שׁוּבוּ וְהָשִׁיבוּ מִכָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיכֶם וְלֹא־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם לְמִכְשׁוֹל עָוֹן

Therefore, I will judge you, each person in accordance with his ways, house of Israel – the utterance of the Lord God. Repent and facilitate the repentance of others for all your transgressions, and it will not be an obstacle of iniquity for you.

הַשְׁלִיכוּ מֵעֲלֵיכֶם אֶת־כָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר פְּשַׁעְתֶּם בָּם וַעֲשׂוּ לָכֶם לֵב חָדָשׁ וְרוּחַ חֲדָשָׁה וְלָמָּה תָמֻתוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל

Cast from upon you all your transgressions with which you transgressed, and make a new heart and a new spirit for yourselves. Why should you die, house of Israel? If your path is corrupt, nothing is forcing you to continue along that path. There is no reason to persist in performing the immoral deeds you have performed. Renew your hearts and your spirits, and you will be rewarded with life.

כִּי לֹא אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת נְאֻם ה' אֱלוֹהִים וְהָשִׁיבוּ וחיוּ

For I do not desire the death of the one who dies – the utterance of the Lord God. I do not seek vengeance on a sinner by killing him. Therefore, facilitate the repentance of others and live.