1 ا طلُبُوا مِنَ اللهِ مَطَرَ الرَّبِيعِ. اللهُ هُوَ صانِعُ البَرْقِ وَالأمطارِ. إنَّهُ يَسْتَخدِمُها لإنضاجِ مَحاصِيلِ البَشَرِ.

Ask rain from the Lord at the time of the spring rain— The Lord who makes the storm clouds; And He will give them showers of rain, vegetation in the field to each man.

2 ل أنَّ الأوثانَ خَرْساءَ لا تَتَكّلَمُ حَقّاً، وَالعَرّافِينَ يَدَّعُونَ رُؤىً كاذِبَةً، وَالحالِمِينَ يُؤلِّفُونَ أحلامَهُمْ وَيُقَدِّمُونَ مَشُوراتٍ باطِلَةً. لِذَلِكَ ضّلَ شَعبِي كَغَنَمٍ لا رَاعِيَ لَها.

For the teraphim speak iniquity, And the diviners see lying visions And tell false dreams; They comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep, They are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.

3 ي َقُولُ اللهُ: «قَدِ اشتَعَلَ غَضَبِي عَلَى الرُّعاةِ، وَسَأُعاقِبُ القادَةَ، لِأنَّ اللهَ القَدِيرَ يَهتَمُّ بِبَنِي يَهُوذا. وَهُمْ لَهُ كَفَرَسِ الحَرْبِ البَهِيِّ.

“My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats; For the Lord of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestic horse in battle.

4 « فَمِنهُمْ سَيَأْتِي حَجَرُ الزّاوِيَةِ وَوَتَدُ الخَيمَةِ وَقَوْسُ الحَرْبِ وَكُلُّ الجُنُودِ.

“From them will come the cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of battle, From them every ruler, all of them together.

5 س َيَكُونُونَ جَمِيعاً مُحارِبِينَ يَدُوسُونَ العَدُوَّ كَطِينِ الشَّوارِعِ فِي زَمَنِ الحَرْبِ. سَيُحارِبُونَ لِأنَّ اللهَ مَعَهُمْ، وَسَيُذِلُّونَ راكِبِي الخَيلِ.

“They will be as mighty men, Treading down the enemy in the mire of the streets in battle; And they will fight, for the Lord will be with them; And the riders on horses will be put to shame.

6 س َأُقَوِّي بَنِي يَهُوذا، وَسَأُنقِذُ شَعبَ يُوسُفَ، وَسَأُعِيدُهُمْ لِأنَّنِي أُشفِقُ عَلَيهِمْ وَأهتَمُّ بِهِمْ. سَأُعامِلُهُمْ كَما لَوْ أنِّي لَمْ أرفُضْهُمْ قَطُّ، لِأنَّنِي أنا إلَهُهُمْ. وَسَأستَجِيبُ لِصُراخِهِمْ.

“I will strengthen the house of Judah, And I will save the house of Joseph, And I will bring them back, Because I have had compassion on them; And they will be as though I had not rejected them, For I am the Lord their God and I will answer them.

7 س َيَكُونُ شَعبُ أفْرايِمَ كَالمُحارِبِينَ، وَسَيَنتَشُونَ بِالسَّعادَةِ كَمَنْ يَسكَرُ مِنَ الخَمْرِ. سَيَرَى أولادُهُمْ ما حَدَثَ وَيَحتَفِلُونَ، وَسَيَفرَحُونَ كَثِيراً بِما عَمِلَهُ اللهُ لَهُمْ.

“Ephraim will be like a mighty man, And their heart will be glad as if from wine; Indeed, their children will see it and be glad, Their heart will rejoice in the Lord.

8 « سَأدعُوهُمْ لِيَجتَمِعُوا مَعاً لِأنِّي فَدَيتُهُمْ، وَسَيَصِيرُونَ كَثِيرِينَ كَما كانُوا مِنْ قَبلُ.

“I will whistle for them to gather them together, For I have redeemed them; And they will be as numerous as they were before.

9 ق َدْ شَتَّتُّهُمْ وَسَطَ الشُّعُوبِ، لَكِنَّهُمْ سَيَتَذَكَّرُونَنِي حَتَّى فِي الأماكِنِ البَعِيدَةِ. سَيُرَبُّونَ أولادَهُمْ وَيَعُودُونَ.

“When I scatter them among the peoples, They will remember Me in far countries, And they with their children will live and come back.

10 س َأُعِيدُهُمْ مِنْ أرْضِ مِصْرَ. وَسَأجمَعُهُمْ مِنْ أشُّورَ. سَأُحضِرُهُمْ إلَى أرْضِ جِلْعادَ وَلُبْنانَ، حَتَّى لا يَبقَى مُتَّسَعٌ.

“I will bring them back from the land of Egypt And gather them from Assyria; And I will bring them into the land of Gilead and Lebanon Until no room can be found for them.

11 س َأضرِبُ أمْواجَ البَحْرِ كَما فَعَلْتُ مِنْ قَبلُ، وَسَيجتازُ الشَّعبُ بَحرَ الضِّيقِ. سَأُجَفِّفُ مِياهُ نَهْرِ النِّيلِ. سَأكسِرُ كِبْرِياءَ أشُّورَ، وَأنزِعُ عَصا مِصرَ.

“And they will pass through the sea of distress And He will strike the waves in the sea, So that all the depths of the Nile will dry up; And the pride of Assyria will be brought down And the scepter of Egypt will depart.

12 س َأُقَوِّيهِمْ بِاللهِ ، وَسَيَسِيرُونَ باسمِهِ،» يَقُولُ اللهُ.

“And I will strengthen them in the Lord, And in His name they will walk,” declares the Lord.