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

O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

2 T ake 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.

Take with you words, and turn to Jehovah; say unto him, Forgive all iniquity, and receive graciously; so will we render the calves of our lips.

3 A sshur 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.'

Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, our God; because in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

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

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.

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

I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

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

His shoots shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

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

They shall return and sit under his shadow; they shall revive corn, and blossom as the vine: the renown thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

8 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.

Ephraim, What have I to do any more with idols? (I answer, and I will observe him.) I am like a green fir-tree.—From me is thy fruit found.

9 W ho 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!

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? intelligent, and he shall know them? For the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall fall therein.