אֱמֹ֨ר אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם חַי־אָ֣נִי ׀ נְאֻ֣ם ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אִם־אֶחְפֹּץ֙ בְּמ֣וֹת הָרָשָׁ֔ע כִּ֣י אִם־בְּשׁ֥וּב רָשָׁ֛ע מִדַּרְכּ֖וֹ וְחָיָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ שׁ֜וּבוּ מִדַּרְכֵיכֶ֧ם הָרָעִ֛ים וְלָ֥מָּה תָמ֖וּתוּ בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (פ)
Sabihin mo sa kanila: “Kung paanong Ako'y buháy, sabi ng Panginoong Walang-Hanggan, hindi Ko ikinalulugod ang kamatayan ng masama, kundi ang pagtalikod ng masama sa kanyang landas upang siya ay mabuhay. Tumalikod kayo, tumalikod kayo sa inyong masasamang landas! Bakit kayo mamamatay, O sambahayan ng Israel?”
Duties of the Heart
(5) He must be fully convinced that repentance is the remedy for his illness, and the road to recovery from his evil deed and disgraceful conduct, and through it he will correct his error and recover what he had lost. Because if this is not clear to him, he will despair from obtaining the Creator's atonement and mercies, and he will not seek forgiveness for past wickedness, as written "So have you spoken, saying: For our transgressions and our sins are upon us, and because of them we are melting away, so how should we then live?" (Yechezkel 33:10), and they were answered by the Creator through His prophet: "Say to them: As I live, says the L-ord G-d, I do not wish for the death of the wicked, [but for the wicked to repent of his way so that he may live. Repent, repent of your evil ways, for why should you die, O house of Israel]" (Yechezkel 33:11).