“ Son of man, speak to your people and say to them:‘ When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,

“人子啊，你要告诉本国的子民说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，那一国的民从他们中间选立一人为守望的。

“人子啊，你要吩咐本国的百姓，对他们说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，哪一国的百姓从他们中间选立一人，作为守望者。

“人子啊，你要吩咐本国的百姓，对他们说：我使刀剑临到哪一国，哪一国的百姓从他们中间选立一人，作为守望者。

“人子啊，你要告诉你的同胞，‘我若使战争降临某地，那地方的百姓就应选一人做守望者。

“人子啊！你要告诉你本国的人，说：‘我使刀剑临到一地，那地的人民从他们中间选出一个人，作他们的守望者；

「人子啊，你要告訴本國的子民說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，那一國的民從他們中間選立一人為守望的。

「人子啊，你要吩咐本國的百姓，對他們說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，哪一國的百姓從他們中間選立一人，作為守望者。

「人子啊，你要吩咐本國的百姓，對他們說：我使刀劍臨到哪一國，哪一國的百姓從他們中間選立一人，作為守望者。

「人子啊，你要告訴你的同胞，『我若使戰爭降臨某地，那地方的百姓就應選一人做守望者。

“人子啊！你要告訴你本國的人，說：‘我使刀劍臨到一地，那地的人民從他們中間選出一個人，作他們的守望者；

『人子啊，你要向你本國的子民講話，對他們說：我若使刀劍攻擊哪一地，而那一地的人民從他們範圍內選取了一個人，立為他們的守望者；

人子歟、謂爾民族曰、我若使刃臨於一邦、是邦之民、簡其中一人、立為戍卒、

人子、當告民曰、如我於邦國、降以鋒刃之災、則民簡境內一人、置為戍卒、

人子、當言與爾民、告之曰、如我使一國遭兵刃之災、其國之民、於其中選一人、置為守望者、

“ Son of man, speak to your people. Tell them,‘ Suppose I send enemies against a land. And its people choose one of their men to stand guard.

“ Son of man, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and make him their watchman,

“ Son of man, give your people this message:‘ When I bring an army against a country, the people of that land choose one of their own to be a watchman.

“ Son of man, speak to your people and tell them,‘ Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman.

“ Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them,‘ If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman,

“ Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them:‘ When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

“ Son of man, speak to your people and tell them: Suppose I bring the sword against a land, and the people of that land select a man from among them, appointing him as their watchman,

Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:

“ Son of man, speak to your people, and say to them,‘ Suppose I bring a sword against the land, and the people of the land take one man from their borders and make him their watchman.

“ Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and tell them,‘ When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them, and set him for their watchman;

Go now to your people in exile and speak to them. Say to them,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they listen or fail to listen.”

“ Yet your people say,‘ The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just.

“ As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other,‘ Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’

“ Awake, sword, against my shepherd, against the man who is close to me!” declares the Lord Almighty.“ Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn my hand against the little ones.

But when I speak to you, I will open your mouth and you shall say to them,‘ This is what the Sovereign Lord says.’ Whoever will listen let them listen, and whoever will refuse let them refuse; for they are a rebellious people.

“ Or if I bring a sword against that country and say,‘ Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,

“‘ Alas, sword of the Lord, how long till you rest? Return to your sheath; cease and be still.’But how can it rest when the Lord has commanded it, when he has ordered it to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”

The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.

Over all the barren heights in the desert destroyers will swarm, for the sword of the Lord will devour from one end of the land to the other; no one will be safe.

You fear the sword, and the sword is what I will bring against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.

“ Son of man, prophesy and say,‘ This is what the Lord says:“‘ A sword, a sword, sharpened and polished—sharpened for the slaughter, polished to flash like lightning!“‘ Shall we rejoice in the scepter of my royal son? The sword despises every such stick.“‘ The sword is appointed to be polished, to be grasped with the hand; it is sharpened and polished, made ready for the hand of the slayer.Cry out and wail, son of man, for it is against my people; it is against all the princes of Israel. They are thrown to the sword along with my people. Therefore beat your breast.“‘ Testing will surely come. And what if even the scepter, which the sword despises, does not continue? declares the Sovereign Lord.’“ So then, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together. Let the sword strike twice, even three times. It is a sword for slaughter— a sword for great slaughter, closing in on them from every side.So that hearts may melt with fear and the fallen be many, I have stationed the sword for slaughter at all their gates. Look! It is forged to strike like lightning, it is grasped for slaughter.Slash to the right, you sword, then to the left, wherever your blade is turned.

“ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments— sword and famine and wild beasts and plague— to kill its men and their animals!

“ Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

While David was sitting between the inner and outer gates, the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall. As he looked out, he saw a man running alone.The watchman called out to the king and reported it. The king said,“ If he is alone, he must have good news.” And the runner came closer and closer.Then the watchman saw another runner, and he called down to the gatekeeper,“ Look, another man running alone!” The king said,“ He must be bringing good news, too.”The watchman said,“ It seems to me that the first one runs like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.”“ He’s a good man,” the king said.“ He comes with good news.”

And I will bring the sword on you to avenge the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be given into enemy hands.

This is what the Lord says to me:“ Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert.”And the lookout shouted,“ Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer:‘ Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’”

The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring charges against the nations; he will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword,’” declares the Lord.

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest,

“ Therefore, son of man, say to your people,‘ If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’

When the lookout standing on the tower in Jezreel saw Jehu’s troops approaching, he called out,“ I see some troops coming.”“ Get a horseman,” Joram ordered.“ Send him to meet them and ask,‘ Do you come in peace?’”The horseman rode off to meet Jehu and said,“ This is what the king says:‘ Do you come in peace?’”“ What do you have to do with peace?” Jehu replied.“ Fall in behind me.” The lookout reported,“ The messenger has reached them, but he isn’t coming back.”So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them he said,“ This is what the king says:‘ Do you come in peace?’” Jehu replied,“ What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”The lookout reported,“ He has reached them, but he isn’t coming back either. The driving is like that of Jehu son of Nimshi— he drives like a maniac.”

Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest!Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep.

And if they ask you,‘ Where shall we go?’ tell them,‘ This is what the Lord says:“‘ Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’“ I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” declares the Lord,“ the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds and the wild animals to devour and destroy.

and say:‘ You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord. This is what the Sovereign Lord says to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

Lift up a banner against the walls of Babylon! Reinforce the guard, station the watchmen, prepare an ambush! The Lord will carry out his purpose, his decree against the people of Babylon.

“ When your people ask you,‘ Won’t you tell us what you mean by this?’