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

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, For you have stumbled because of your 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 words with you and return to the Lord. Say to Him, “ Take away all iniquity And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit 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 will not save us, We will not ride on horses; Nor will we say again, ‘ Our god,’ To the work of our hands; For in You the orphan finds mercy.”

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

I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from them.

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

I will be like the dew to Israel; He will blossom like the lily, And he will take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

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

His shoots will sprout, And his beauty will be like the olive tree And his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

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

Those who live in his shadow Will again raise grain, And they will blossom like the vine. His renown will be like 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.

O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like a luxuriant cypress; From Me comes your fruit.

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!

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; Whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the Lord are right, And the righteous will walk in them, But transgressors will stumble in them.