Ezekiel 23

The word of the Lord came to me:

وَأَوْحَى إِلَيَّ الرَّبُّ بِكَلِمَتِهِ قَائِلاً:

“Son of man, there were two women, daughters of the same mother.

«يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، كَانَتْ هُنَاكَ امْرَأَتَانِ، ابْنَتَا أُمٍّ وَاحِدَةٍ،

They became prostitutes in Egypt, engaging in prostitution from their youth. In that land their breasts were fondled and their virgin bosoms caressed.

زَنَتَا فِي صِبَاهُمَا فِي مِصْرَ حَيْثُ دُوعِبَتْ ثُدِيُّهُمَا، وَعُبِثَ بِتَرَائِبِ عِذْرَتِهِمَا.

The older was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. They were mine and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

اسْمُ الْكُبْرَى أُهُولَةُ وَاسْمُ أُخْتِهَا أُهُولِيبَةُ، وَكَانَتَا لِي وَأَنَجْبَتَا أَبْنَاءَ وَبَنَاتٍ، أَمَّا السَّامِرَةُ فَهِيَ أُهُولَةُ، وَأُورُشَلِيمُ هِيَ أُهُولِيبَةُ.

“Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was still mine; and she lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians—warriors

وَزَنَتْ أُهُولَةُ مَعَ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ لِي، وَعَشِقَتْ مُحِبِّيهَا الأَشُّورِيِّينَ الأَبْطَالَ.

clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, and mounted horsemen.

الْلّابِسِينَ الأَرْدِيَةَ الأُرْجُوَانِيَّةَ مِنْ وُلاةٍ وَقَادَةٍ. وَكُلُّهُمْ شُبَّانُ شَهْوَةٍ، وَفُرْسَانُ خَيْلٍ.

She gave herself as a prostitute to all the elite of the Assyrians and defiled herself with all the idols of everyone she lusted after.

فَأَغْدَقَتْ عَلَى نُخْبَةِ أَبْنَاءِ أَشُورَ زِنَاهَا، وَتَنَجَّسَتْ بِكُلِّ مَنْ عَشِقَتْهُمْ وَبِكُلِّ أَصْنَامِهِمْ.

She did not give up the prostitution she began in Egypt, when during her youth men slept with her, caressed her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her.

وَلَمْ تَتَخَلَّ عَنْ زِنَاهَا مُنْذُ أَيَّامِ مِصْرَ لأَنَّهُمْ ضَاجَعُوهَا مُنْذُ حَدَاثَتِهَا، وَعَبَثُوا بِتَرَائِبِ عِذْرَتِهَا وَسَكَبُوا عَلَيْهَا شَهْوَاتِهِمْ،

“Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, the Assyrians, for whom she lusted.

لِذَلِكَ سَلَّمْتُهَا لِيَدِ عُشَّاقِهَا أَبْنَاءِ أَشُورَ الَّذِينَ أُوْلِعَتْ بِهِمْ.

They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters and killed her with the sword. She became a byword among women, and punishment was inflicted on her.

فَفَضَحُوا عَوْرَتَهَا، وَأَسَرُوا أَبْنَاءَهَا وَبَنَاتِهَا، وَذَبَحُوهَا بِالسَّيْفِ، فَصَارَتْ عِبْرَةً لِلنِّسَاءِ وَنَفَّذُوا فِيهَا قَضَاءً.

“Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet in her lust and prostitution she was more depraved than her sister.

وَمَعَ أَنَّ أُخْتَهَا أُهُولِيبَةَ شَهِدَتْ هَذَا، فَإِنَّهَا أَوْغَلَتْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهَا فِي عِشْقِهَا وَزِنَاهَا،

She too lusted after the Assyrians—governors and commanders, warriors in full dress, mounted horsemen, all handsome young men.

إِذْ عَشِقَتْ أَبْنَاءَ أَشُّورَ مِنْ وُلاةٍ وَقَادَةٍ، الْمُرْتَدِينَ أَفْخَرَ الثِّيَابِ، فُرْسَانَ خَيْلٍ وَجَمِيعُهُمْ شُبَّانُ شَهْوَةٍ.

I saw that she too defiled herself; both of them went the same way.

فَرَأَيْتُ أَنَّهَا قَدْ تَنَجَّسَتْ، وَسَلَكَتَا كِلْتَاهُمَا فِي ذَاتِ الطَّرِيقِ.

“But she carried her prostitution still further. She saw men portrayed on a wall, figures of Chaldeans^[a] portrayed in red,

غَيْرَ أَنَّ أُهُولِيبَةَ تَفَوَّقَتْ فِي زِنَاهَا، إِذْ حِينَ نَظَرَتْ إِلَى صُوَرِ رِجَالِ الْكَلْدَانِيِّينَ الْمَرْسُومَةِ عَلَى الْحَائِطِ بِالْمُغْرَةِ،

with belts around their waists and flowing turbans on their heads; all of them looked like Babylonian chariot officers, natives of Chaldea.^[b]

مُتَحَزِّمِينَ بِمَنَاطِقَ عَلَى خُصُورِهِمْ، وَعَمَائِمُهُمْ مَسْدُولَةٌ عَلَى رُؤُوسِهِمْ، وَكُلُّهُمْ بَدَوْا كَرُؤَسَاءِ مَرْكَبَاتٍ مُمَاثِلِينَ تَمَاماً لأَبْنَاءِ الْكَلْدَانِيِّينَ فِي بَابِلَ أَرْضِ مِيلادِهِمْ،

As soon as she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.

عَشِقَتْهُمْ وَبَعَثَتْ إِلَيْهِمْ رُسُلاً إِلَى أَرْضِ الْكَلْدَانِيِّينَ.

Then the Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and in their lust they defiled her. After she had been defiled by them, she turned away from them in disgust.

فَأَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهَا أَبْنَاءُ بَابِلَ وَعَاشَرُوهَا فِي مَضْجَعِ الْحُبِّ وَنَجَّسُوهَا بِزِنَاهُمْ. وَبَعْدَ أَنْ تَنَجَّسَتْ بِهِمْ كَرِهَتْهُمْ.

When she carried on her prostitution openly and exposed her naked body, I turned away from her in disgust, just as I had turned away from her sister.

وَإِذْ وَاظَبَتْ عَلَى زِنَاهَا عَلانِيَةً، وَتَبَاهَتْ بِعَرْضِ عُرْيِهَا، كَرِهْتُهَا كَمَا كَرِهْتُ أُخْتَهَا.

Yet she became more and more promiscuous as she recalled the days of her youth, when she was a prostitute in Egypt.

وَمَعَ ذَلِكَ أَكْثَرَتْ مِنْ فُحْشِهَا، ذَاكِرَةً أَيَّامَ حَدَاثَتِهَا حَيْثُ زَنَتْ فِي دِيَارِ مِصْرَ.

There she lusted after her lovers, whose genitals were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of horses.

فَأُوْلِعَتْ بِعُشَّاقِهَا هُنَاكَ، الَّذِينَ عَوْرَتُهُمْ كَعَوْرَةِ الْحَمِيرِ وَمَنِيُّهُمْ كَمَنِيِّ الْخَيْلِ.

So you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when in Egypt your bosom was caressed and your young breasts fondled.^[c]

وَتُقْتِ إِلَى فُجُورِ حَدَاثَتِكِ حِينَ كَانَ الْمِصْرِيُّونَ يُدَاعِبُونَ تَرَائِبَ عِذْرَتِكِ طَمَعاً فِي نَهْدِ حَدَاثَتِكِ.

“Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will stir up your lovers against you, those you turned away from in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side—

لِذَلِكَ يَا أُهُولِيبَةُ، هَذَا مَا يُعْلِنُهُ السَّيِّدُ الرَّبُّ: هَا أَنَا أُثِيرُ عَلَيْكِ عُشَّاقَكِ الَّذِينَ جَفَتْهُمْ نَفْسُكِ، وَآتِي بِهِمْ عَلَيْكِ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ.

the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, the men of Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, all of them governors and commanders, chariot officers and men of high rank, all mounted on horses.

أَبْنَاءَ الْبَابِلِيِّينَ، وَسَائِرَ الْكَلْدَانِيِّينَ مِنْ أَقْوَامِ فَقُودَ وَشُوعَ وَقُوعَ وَمَعَهُمْ جَمِيعُ أَبْنَاءِ أَشُورَ، شُبَّانُ شَهْوَةٍ، مِنْ وُلاةٍ وَقَادَةٍ وَرُؤَسَاءِ مَرْكَبَاتٍ وَذَوِي الشُّهْرَةِ، وَكُلُّهُمْ فُرْسَانُ خَيْلٍ.

They will come against you with weapons,^[d] chariots and wagons and with a throng of people; they will take up positions against you on every side with large and small shields and with helmets. I will turn you over to them for punishment, and they will punish you according to their standards.

فَيُهَاجِمُونَكِ بِأَسْلِحَةٍ وَمَرْكَبَاتٍ وَعَرَبَاتٍ وَأَقْوَامِ شُعُوبٍ وَيُحَاصِرُونَكِ بِتُرْسٍ وَمِجَنٍّ وَخُوذَةٍ. وَأَعْهَدُ إِلَيْهِمْ بِمُقَاضَاتِكِ فَيَحْكُمُونَ عَلَيْكِ بِمُقْتَضَى أَحْكَامِهِمْ.

I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in fury. They will cut off your noses and your ears, and those of you who are left will fall by the sword. They will take away your sons and daughters, and those of you who are left will be consumed by fire.

وَأَصُبُّ سَخَطِي عَلَيْكِ فَيُعَامِلُونَكِ بِغَيْظٍ. يَجْدَعُونَ أَنْفَكِ وَأُذُنَيْكِ، وَتُقْتَلُ بَقِيَّتُكِ بِالسَّيْفِ. يَأْسِرُونَ أَبْنَاءَكِ وَبَنَاتِكِ، وَتَلْتَهِمُ النَّارُ بَقِيَّتَكِ،

They will also strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry.

وَيُجَرِّدُونَكِ مِنْ ثِيَابِكِ وَيَسْتَوْلُونَ عَلَى حُلِيِّكِ.

So I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you began in Egypt. You will not look on these things with longing or remember Egypt anymore.

وَهَكَذَا أَضَعُ حَدّاً لِعَهْرِكِ وَزِنَاكِ اللَّذَيْنِ شَرَعْتِ فِيهِمَا فِي أَرْضِ مِصْرَ، فَلا تَعُودِينَ تَتَعَلَّقِينَ بِهِمْ، أَوْ تَذْكُرِينَ مِصْرَ بَعْدُ.

“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am about to deliver you into the hands of those you hate, to those you turned away from in disgust.

هَا أَنَا أُسَلِّمُكِ إِلَى يَدِ الَّذِينَ كَرِهْتِهِمْ وَإِلَى أَيْدِي الَّذِينَ جَفَتْهُمْ نَفْسُكِ.

They will deal with you in hatred and take away everything you have worked for. They will leave you stark naked, and the shame of your prostitution will be exposed. Your lewdness and promiscuity

فَيُعَامِلُونَكِ بِبُغْضٍ وَيَسْتَوْلُونَ عَلَى كُلِّ ثِمَارِ تَعَبِكِ، وَيَتْرُكُونَكِ مُتَجَرِّدَةً عَارِيَةً، فَتَنْفَضِحُ عَوْرَةُ زِنَاكِ وَعَهَرِكِ.

have brought this on you, because you lusted after the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.

وَأُوْقِعُ بِكِ هَذِهِ الأُمُورَ لأَنَّكِ ضَلَلْتِ وَرَاءَ الأُمَمِ، وَتَنَجَّسْتِ بِعِبَادَةِ أَصْنَامِهِمْ،

You have gone the way of your sister; so I will put her cup into your hand.

وَسَلَكْتِ فِي أَثَرِ أُخْتِكِ، لِهَذَا أُجَرِّعُكِ كَأْسَهَا

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

تَشْرَبِينَهَا وَتَمْتَصِّينَهَا، ثُمَّ تَقْضِمِينَ قِطَعَهَا، وَتَجْتَثِّينَ نَهْدَيْكِ لأَنِّي تَكَلَّمْتُ، يَقُولُ السَّيِّدُ الرَّبُّ.

“Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Since you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, you must bear the consequences of your lewdness and prostitution.”

لأَنَّكِ نَسِيتِنِي وَنَبَذْتِنِي وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِكِ، تَحَمَّلِي عَوَاقِبَ عَهَرِكِ وَزِنَاكِ».

The Lord said to me: “Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then confront them with their detestable practices,

وَقَالَ الرَّبُّ لِي: «يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، أَتَدِينُ أَهُولَةَ وَأَهُولِيبَةَ؟ إِذَنْ أَطْلِعْهُمَا عَلَى مَا ارْتَكَبَتَاهُ مِنْ رِجْسٍ،

for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.

لأَنَّهُمَا قَدْ زَنَتَا وَسَفَكَتَا دِمَاءً، فَقَدْ زَنَتَا بِعِبَادَةِ أَصْنَامِهِمَا وَأَجَازَتَا أَبْنَاءَهُمَا الَّذِينَ أَنْجَبَتَاهُمْ فِي النَّارِ، لِيَكُونُوا وَقُوداً لَهَا.

They have also done this to me: At that same time they defiled my sanctuary and desecrated my Sabbaths.

وَأَثِمَتَا فِي حَقِّي إِذْ أَنَّهُمَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ نَجَّسَتَا مُقَدَّسَاتِي وَدَنَّسَتَا أَيَّامَ سُبُوتِي.

On the very day they sacrificed their children to their idols, they entered my sanctuary and desecrated it. That is what they did in my house.

وَبَعْدَ أَنْ ذَبَحَتَا أَبْنَاءَهُمَا قَرَابِينَ لأَصْنَامِهِمَا قَدِمَتَا فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ إِلَى مَقْدِسِي لِتُنَجِّسَاهُ. فَانْظُرْ! هَذَا مَا ارْتَكَبَتَاهُ فِي هَيْكَلِي.

“They even sent messengers for men who came from far away, and when they arrived you bathed yourself for them, applied eye makeup and put on your jewelry.

بَلِ اسْتَدْعَيْتُمَا رِجَالاً قَادِمِينَ مِنْ بَعِيدٍ، بَعْدَ أَنْ أَرْسَلْتُمَا إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولاً، وَهَا هُمْ قَدْ أَقْبَلُوا، وَمِنْ أَجْلِهِمْ اسْتَحْمَمْتِ وَكَحَّلْتِ عَيْنَيْكِ وَتَزَيَّنْتِ بِالْحُلِيِّ.

You sat on an elegant couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed the incense and olive oil that belonged to me.

وَتَرَبَّعْتِ عَلَى سَرِيرٍ فَاخِرٍ، بُسِطَتْ أَمَامَهُ مَائِدَةٌ مُنَضَّضَةٌ وَضَعْتِ عَلَيْهَا بَخُورِي وَزَيْتِي.

“The noise of a carefree crowd was around her; drunkards were brought from the desert along with men from the rabble, and they put bracelets on the wrists of the woman and her sister and beautiful crowns on their heads.

وَأَحَاطَتْ بِها جَلَبَةُ قَوْمٍ لاهِينَ، وَاسْتُجْلِبَ مِنَ الْبَرِّيَّةِ سُكَارَى مَعَ أُنَاسٍ مِنْ رَعَاعِ الْخَلْقِ، زَيَّنُوا أَيْدِي الْمُذْنِبَتَيْنِ بِأَسْوِرَةٍ، وَوَضَعُوا عَلَى رَأْسَيْهِمَا تَاجَ جَمَالٍ.

Then I said about the one worn out by adultery, ‘Now let them use her as a prostitute, for that is all she is.’

فَقُلْتُ عَنِ الْعَرِيقَةِ فِي الزِّنَى: الآنَ يَزْنُونَ مَعَهَا وَهِي مَعَهُمْ،

And they slept with her. As men sleep with a prostitute, so they slept with those lewd women, Oholah and Oholibah.

لأَنَّهُمْ تَهَافَتُوا عَلَيْهَا كَمَا يُتَهَافَتُ عَلَى امْرَأَةٍ زَانِيَةٍ. هَكَذَا تَهَافَتُوا عَلَى أَهُولَةَ وَأَهُولِيبَةَ الْمَرْأَتَيْنِ الْعَاهِرَتَيْنِ.

But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.

وَلَكِنْ سَيَدِينُهُمَا الرِّجَالُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ، فَيُصْدِرُونَ عَلَيْهِمَا حُكْمَ الزَّانِيَةِ وَحُكْمَ سَافِكَةِ الدَّمِ، لأَنَّهُمَا عَاهِرَتَانِ تَلَطَّخَتْ أَيْدِيهِمَا بِالدَّمِ.

“This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Bring a mob against them and give them over to terror and plunder.

لأَنَّ هَذَا مَا يُعْلِنُهُ السَّيِّدُ الرَّبُّ: هَا أَنَا أَجْلِبُ عَليْهِمَا قَوْماً مِنَ الأَعْدَاءِ، وَأُوْقِعُ بِهِمَا الرُّعْبَ وَالنَّهْبَ،

The mob will stone them and cut them down with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn down their houses.

فَيَرْجُمُهُمَا الْقَوْمُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ، وَيُمَزِّقُونَهُمَا بِالسُّيُوفِ وَيَذْبَحُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمَا وَبَنَاتِهِمَا، وَيُحْرِقُونَ بُيُوتَهُمَا بِالنَّارِ.

“So I will put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not imitate you.

فَأَضَعُ حَدّاً لِلرَّذِيلَةِ فِي الأَرْضِ، فَتَعْتَبِرُ جَميِعُ النِّسَاءِ وَلا يَرْتَكِبْنَ الْفَحْشَاءَ كَمَا فَعَلْتُمَا.

You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.”

وَتَلْقَيَانِ جَزَاءَ زِنَاكُمَا وَتَحْمِلانِ خَطَايَا عِبَادَةِ أَصْنَامِكُمَا، وَتُدْرِكَانِ أَنِّي أَنَا السَّيِّدُ الرَّبُّ».