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

Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.

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 Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good: so we offer our lips like bulls.

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 can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”

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

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my 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 like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.

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

His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.

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

Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance 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.

Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is 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, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.