Bible in Basic English
Son of man, see, I am taking away the desire of your eyes by disease: but let there be no sorrow or weeping or drops running from your eyes.
Let there be no sound of sorrow; make no weeping for your dead, put on your head-dress and your shoes on your feet, let not your lips be covered, and do not take the food of those in grief.
So in the morning I was teaching the people and in the evening death took my wife; and in the morning I did what I had been ordered to do.
And the people said to me, Will you not make clear to us the sense of these things; is it for us you do them?
Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Say to the people of Israel, The Lord has said, See, I will make my holy place unclean, the pride of your strength, the pleasure of your eyes, and the desire of your soul; and your sons and daughters, who did not come with you here, will be put to the sword.
And you will do as I have done, not covering your lips or taking the food of those in grief.
And your head-dresses will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet: there will be no sorrow or weeping; but you will be wasting away in the punishment of your evil-doing, and you will be looking at one another in wonder.
And Ezekiel will be a sign to you; everything he has done you will do: when this takes place, you will be certain that I am the Lord.
And as for you, son of man, your mouth will be shut in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which their hearts are fixed, and their sons and daughters.
In that day, one who has got away safe will come to you to give you news of it.
In that day your mouth will be open to him who has got away safe, and you will say words to him and your lips will no longer be shut: so you will be a sign to them and they will be certain that I am the Lord.
— Ezekiel 24:16-1964, Bible in Basic English
““Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears. Groan to moan for the dead, but do not perform mourning rites. Bind on your turban and put your sandals on your feet. Do not cover your lip and do not eat food brought by others.” So I spoke to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. In the morning I acted just as I was commanded. Then the people said to me,“Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?” So I said to them:“The LORD’s message came to me: Say to the house of Israel,‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Realize I am about to desecrate my sanctuary– the source of your confident pride, the object in which your eyes delight, and your life’s passion. Your very own sons and daughters whom you have left behind will die by the sword. Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others. Your turbans will be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you will not mourn or weep, but you will rot for your iniquities and groan among yourselves. Ezekiel will be an object lesson for you; you will do all that he has done. When it happens, then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.’ “And you, son of man, this is what will happen on the day I take from them their stronghold– their beautiful source of joy, the object in which their eyes delight, and the main concern of their lives, as well as their sons and daughters: On that day a fugitive will come to you to report the news. On that day you will be able to speak again; you will talk with the fugitive and be silent no longer. You will be an object lesson for them, and they will know that I am the LORD.””
As for your unclean purpose: because I have been attempting to make you clean, but you have not been made clean from it, you will not be made clean till I have let loose my passion on you in full measure.
I the Lord have said the word and I will do it; I will not go back or have mercy, and my purpose will not be changed; in the measure of your ways and of your evil doings you will be judged, says the Lord.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Son of man, see, I am taking away the desire of your eyes by disease: but let there be no sorrow or weeping or drops running from your eyes.
Let there be no sound of sorrow; make no weeping for your dead, put on your head-dress and your shoes on your feet, let not your lips be covered, and do not take the food of those in grief.
So in the morning I was teaching the people and in the evening death took my wife; and in the morning I did what I had been ordered to do.
And the people said to me, Will you not make clear to us the sense of these things; is it for us you do them?
Then I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,
Say to the people of Israel, The Lord has said, See, I will make my holy place unclean, the pride of your strength, the pleasure of your eyes, and the desire of your soul; and your sons and daughters, who did not come with you here, will be put to the sword.
And you will do as I have done, not covering your lips or taking the food of those in grief.
And your head-dresses will be on your heads and your shoes on your feet: there will be no sorrow or weeping; but you will be wasting away in the punishment of your evil-doing, and you will be looking at one another in wonder.
And Ezekiel will be a sign to you; everything he has done you will do: when this takes place, you will be certain that I am the Lord.
And as for you, son of man, your mouth will be shut in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that on which their hearts are fixed, and their sons and daughters.
In that day, one who has got away safe will come to you to give you news of it.
In that day your mouth will be open to him who has got away safe, and you will say words to him and your lips will no longer be shut: so you will be a sign to them and they will be certain that I am the Lord.