Ezekiel 21

21 ¹Di word of our Papa come meet me say:

²Pikin of Man, turn face Jerusalem, preach against im holy places, prophesy against di land of Israel, ³and tell di land of Israel say: “Una Papa talk say: I dey against you. I go comot my sword from im cover, and I go cut off from you correct-and-holy people and wicked people together. ⁴Because I go cut off from you correct-and-holy people and wicked people, my sword go comot from im cover to fight everybody, from south reach north. ⁵Den everybody go know say I be di Papa. I don comot my sword from im cover, and e no go go back again.

⁶You, Pikin of Man, groan! Groan for dia front with heart wey dey break and bitter cry. ⁷When dem ask, ‘Why you dey groan?’ tell dem say, ‘Na because of di news wey dey come. Every heart go melt, every hand go weak, every spirit go faint, every knee go turn water. Look, e dey come, and for sure e go happen, na so di Sovereign Papa talk.’”

⁸Di word of our Papa come meet me say:

⁹Pikin of Man, prophesy and talk say: Di Sovereign Papa talk say: “Sword, sword, dem don sharpen am, and dem don shine am too, ¹⁰dem sharpen am for killing, dem shine am make e dey flash like lightning. So we go happy? Di sword dey despise di scepter of my pikin, just as e dey do every tree. ¹¹Dem don set di sword make dem shine am, make hand hold am tight; dem don sharpen am and shine am, e ready for di hand of di person wey go kill. ¹²Cry loud and shout, Pikin of Man, because e dey come against my people; e dey come against all Israel princes. Dem don hand dem give di sword together with my people. So knack your thigh for sorrow.” ¹³For sure dem go test am. And wetin if even di scepter wey e dey despise no go dey again? na so di Sovereign Papa talk. ¹⁴“So you, Pikin of Man, prophesy and clap your hands together. Make di sword come down two times, even three times—sword for killing, sword for plenty killing, wey dey surround dem from every side, ¹⁵so that heart go melt and plenty go fall. For all dia gates I don put di sword for killing. Ah! Dem make am make e dey flash like lightning, dem don comot am for killing. ¹⁶Cut go your right, den go your left, anywhere dem turn your blade. ¹⁷Me too go clap my hands, and my anger go cool down. Me, una Papa, don talk.”

¹⁸Di word of our Papa come meet me say:

¹⁹“Pikin of Man, mark two road wey di sword of Babylon king go fit take, all two from one land. Make signboard for where di road divide go one city. ²⁰Mark one road for di sword make e go against Rabbah of di Ammon people, and anoda one against Judah and Jerusalem wey get strong wall. ²¹Di king of Babylon stop for di place where di two road divide, to look for sign: e shake di arrows, e ask di house idols, e check di liver. ^a a v21 To shake arrows, ask house idols, and read animal liver na three Babylon ways of divination, wey dem use here to decide which city dem go attack first. ²²For im right hand, di lot fall for Jerusalem: to set battering rams, to command di killing, to shout di war cry, to set battering rams against di gates, to build ramp, and to raise siege works. ²³E go be like fake sign for di people wey swear to follow am, but e go remind dem of dia guilt and catch dem.

²⁴So di Sovereign Papa talk say: “Because you don bring your guilt come mind through di way wey you dey rebel openly, dey show your sins for everything wey you dey do—because dem remember you, di hand of di king of Babylon go catch you. ²⁵And you, dirty and wicked prince of Israel, your day don reach, di time of your last punishment. ²⁶Na dis di Sovereign Papa talk: Comot di turban, lift di crown commot. Nothing go remain as e been dey: dem go raise di low one up, and bring di high one down. ²⁷Ruin! Ruin! I go make am ruin! E no go stand again until di person wey e truly belong to come; na to am I go give di crown. ^b b v27 Our Papa no dey destroy di throne forever — e dey hold am for di rightful King. Dis one dey point pass every ruler wey fail, e dey point go Jesus, di one wey di kingdom truly belong to (Luke 1:32-33).

²⁸And you, Pikin of Man, prophesy and talk say: Na dis di Sovereign Papa talk about di Ammon people and dia insult. Talk say: “Sword, sword, dem don comot am for killing, dem don shine am make e chop and flash like lightning! ²⁹‘Even though dem see fake visions about you and dem do lie divination, dem go put am for di neck of di wicked people wey dem go kill, wey dia day don reach, di time of dia last punishment. ³⁰Return di sword back to im cover! For di place where dem create you, for di land where you come from, na there I go judge you. ³¹I go pour my vex on top you; I go blow di fire of my anger against you and hand you give wicked men, wey sabi destroy well well. ³²You go be firewood for di fire, dem go pour your blood for your land, and dem no go remember you again. Because Me, di Papa, don talk.’”