^{1 Ref} Turn back, O Israel, unto Jehovah thy God, For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity.

^{2 Ref} Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah, Say ye unto Him: `Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we do render the fruit of our lips.

^{3 Ref} Asshur doth not save us, on a horse we ride not, Nor do we say any more, Our God, to the work of our hands, For in Thee find mercy doth the fatherless.'

^{4 Ref} I heal their backsliding, I love them freely, For turned back hath Mine anger from him.

^{5 Ref} I am as dew to Israel, he flourisheth as a lily, And he striketh forth his roots as Lebanon.

^{6 Ref} Go on do his sucklings, And his beauty is as an olive, And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.

^{7 Ref} Return do the dwellers under his shadow, They revive `as' corn, and flourish as a vine, His memorial `is' as wine of Lebanon.

^{8 Ref} O Ephraim, what to Me any more with idols? I -- I afflicted, and I cause him to sing: `I `am' as a green fir-tree,' From Me is thy fruit found.

^{9 Ref} Who `is' wise, and doth understand these? Prudent, and knoweth them? For upright are the ways of Jehovah, And the righteous go on in them, And the transgressors stumble therein!

^{1 Ref} O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

^{2 Ref} Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render `as' bullocks `the offering of' our lips.

^{3 Ref} Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, `Ye are' our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

^{4 Ref} I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.

^{5 Ref} I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

^{6 Ref} His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

^{7 Ref} They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive `as' the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

^{8 Ref} Ephraim `shall say', What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.

^{9 Ref} Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.

^{1 Ref} Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.

^{2 Ref} O Israel, come back to the Lord your God; for your evil-doing has been the cause of your fall.

^{3 Ref} Take with you words, and come back to the Lord; say to him, Let there be forgiveness for all wrongdoing, so that we may take what is good, and give in payment the fruit of our lips.

^{4 Ref} Assyria will not be our salvation; we will not go on horses; we will not again say to the work of our hands, You are our gods; for in you there is mercy for the child who has no father.

^{5 Ref} I will put right their errors; freely will my love be given to them, for my wrath is turned away from him.

^{6 Ref} I will be as the dew to Israel; he will put out flowers like a lily, and send out his roots like Lebanon.

^{7 Ref} His branches will be stretched out, he will be beautiful as the olive-tree and sweet-smelling as Lebanon.

^{8 Ref} They will come back and have rest in his shade; their life will be made new like the grain, and they will put out flowers like the vine; his name will be like the wine of Lebanon.

^{9 Ref} As for Ephraim, what has he to do with false gods any longer? I have given an answer and I will keep watch over him; I am like a branching fir-tree, from me comes your fruit.

¹⁰ He who is wise will see these things; he who has good sense will have knowledge of them. For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the upright will go in them, but sinners will be falling in them.