“ But suppose this son has a son of his own. And the son sees all the sins his father commits. He sees them, but he does not do them.

“他若生一个儿子，见父亲所犯的一切罪便惧怕，不照样去做；

“看哪，他若生了儿子，儿子见父亲所犯的一切罪，他见了，却不照样去做；

“看哪，他若生了儿子，儿子见父亲所犯的一切罪，他见了，却不照样去做；

“倘若这不肖子有一个好儿子，他看见父亲的所作所为，不愿步父亲的后尘。

“他若生一个儿子，这儿子看见他父亲所犯的一切罪，他虽然看见了，却不照样去作：

「他若生一個兒子，見父親所犯的一切罪便懼怕，不照樣去做；

「看哪，他若生了兒子，兒子見父親所犯的一切罪，他見了，卻不照樣去做；

「看哪，他若生了兒子，兒子見父親所犯的一切罪，他見了，卻不照樣去做；

「倘若這不肖子有一個好兒子，他看見父親的所作所為，不願步父親的後塵。

“他若生一個兒子，這兒子看見他父親所犯的一切罪，他雖然看見了，卻不照樣去作：

『但是他若生個兒子，這兒子見他父親所犯的一切罪，便懼怕，不照樣去行；

設斯人生子、見父所犯諸罪、則懼、而不效之、

如此惡人有子、見父作惡、思改其行、

如彼有有原文作生子、見父所作之罪、而自忖思、不效之以行、

“ But suppose this son has a son who sees all the sins his father commits, and though he sees them, he does not do such things:

“ Now suppose this man fathers a son who sees all the sins that his father has done; he sees, and does not do likewise:

“ But suppose that sinful son, in turn, has a son who sees his father’s wickedness and decides against that kind of life.

“ Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise.

“ Now behold, he has fathered a son who saw all his father’s sins which he committed, but he has seen them and does not do likewise.

“ If, however, he begets a son Who sees all the sins which his father has done, And considers but does not do likewise;

Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins, which he hath done, and feareth, and doeth not such like;

“ Now suppose he has a son who sees all the sins his father has committed, and though he sees them, he does not do likewise.

Now, lo,[ if] he beget a son, that seeth all his father’s sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like,

“ But suppose he in turn has a son who notices all the sins his father commits, considers them, and does not follow his father’s example.

“ Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father’s sins, which he has done, and fears, and does not such like;

“ Go. Ask the Lord for advice. Ask him about what is written in this book that has been found. Do it for me. Also do it for the people who remain in Israel and Judah. The Lord has been very angry with us. That’s because our people before us didn’t obey what the Lord had said. They didn’t do everything written in this book.”

The father of a godly child is very happy. A man who has a wise son is glad.

They think about all the evil things they have done. And they turn away from them. So you can be sure they will live. They will not die.

But they do not realize that I remember all the evil things they do. Their sins pile up and cover them. I am always aware of their sins.

I have listened carefully. But they do not say what is right. They refuse to turn away from their sins. None of them says,‘ What have I done?’ Each of them goes their own way. They are like horses charging into battle.

The Lord who rules over all says,“ Think carefully about how you are living.

So go ahead and finish the sins that those who lived before you started!

I spoke to their children there. I said,‘ Do not follow the rules your parents gave you. Do not obey their laws. Do not make yourselves“ unclean” by worshiping their gods.

It is the 24th day of the ninth month. From this day on, here is what you should think carefully about. Think about the day when the foundation of my temple was laid.

No one even stops to think about this. No one has any sense or understanding. If anyone did, they would say,“ I used half of the wood for fuel. I even baked bread over the fire. I cooked meat. Then I ate it. Should I now make a statue of a god out of the wood that’s left over? Should I bow down to a block of wood? The Lord would hate that.”

“ Then he began to think clearly again. He said,‘ How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough food! But here I am dying from hunger!I will get up and go back to my father. I will say to him,“ Father, I have sinned against heaven. And I have sinned against you.I am no longer fit to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

He continues,“ Think carefully about how you are living.

“ But suppose he has a mean son who harms other people. The son commits murder. Or he does some other things that are wrong.

We will certainly do everything we said we would. We’ll burn incense to the female god called the Queen of Heaven. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her. We’ll do just as we and our people of long ago have done. Our kings and our officials also did it. All of us did it in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food. We were well off. We didn’t suffer any harm.

You were set free from an empty way of life. This way of life was handed down to you by your own people of long ago. You know that you were not bought with things that can pass away, like silver or gold.

In the first month of Hezekiah’s first year as king, he opened the doors of the Lord’ s temple. He repaired them.He brought the priests and Levites in. He gathered them together in the open area on the east side of the temple.He said,“ Levites, listen to me! Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Set apart the temple of the Lord. He’s the God of your people who lived long ago. Remove anything‘ unclean’ from the temple.Our people weren’t faithful. They did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord our God. They deserted him. They turned their faces away from the place where he lives. They turned their backs on him.They also shut the doors of the temple porch. They put the lamps out. They didn’t burn incense at the temple. They didn’t sacrifice burnt offerings there to the God of Israel.So the Lord has become angry with Judah and Jerusalem. He has made them look so bad that everyone is shocked when they see them. They laugh at them. You can see it with your own eyes.That’s why our fathers have been killed by swords. That’s why our sons and daughters and wives have become prisoners.So I’m planning to make a covenant with the Lord, the God of Israel. Then he’ll stop being angry with us.My sons, don’t fail to obey the Lord. He has chosen you to stand in front of him and work for him. He wants you to serve him and burn incense to him.”

I have thought about the way I live. And I have decided to follow your covenant laws.I won’t waste any time. I will be quick to obey your commands.

Instead, they have done what their stubborn hearts wanted them to do. They have worshiped the gods that are named Baal. They have done what their people have taught them to do through the years.”

It is sad to have a foolish child. The parents of a godless fool have no joy.