1 R eturn to the Lord your God, O Israel, for you have fallen because of your sin.

Turn back, O Israel, unto Jehovah thy God, For thou hast stumbled by thine iniquity.

2 T ake words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “Take away all sin, and receive us in kindness, that we may praise You with our lips.

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 A ssyria will not save us. We will not ride on horses. And we will never say again, ‘Our god,’ to what we have made with our hands. For those who have no father find loving-kindness in You.” New Life for Israel

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 “ I will bring My people back to Me. I will not hold back My love from them, for I am no longer angry with them.

I heal their backsliding, I love them freely, For turned back hath Mine anger from him.

5 I will be to Israel like the water on the grass in the early morning. He will grow like the lily, and have roots like the cedars of Lebanon.

I am as dew to Israel, he flourisheth as a lily, And he striketh forth his roots as Lebanon.

6 H is young branches will spread out and his beauty will be like the olive tree. His smell will be like the cedars of Lebanon.

Go on do his sucklings, And his beauty is as an olive, And he hath fragrance as Lebanon.

7 T hose who live in his shadow will grow like grain and like flowers of the vine. He will be known like the wine of Lebanon.

Return do the dwellers under his shadow, They revive corn, and flourish as a vine, His memorial as wine of Lebanon.

8 “ O Ephraim, what have I to do with false gods? It is I Who answer and take care of you. I am like a green cypress tree. Your fruit comes from Me.”

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

9 W hoever is wise, let him understand these things and know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and those who are right and good will follow them, but sinners will not follow them.

Who 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!