King James Version KJV
Revised Standard Version RSV
1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
1
Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
2
Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all iniquity; accept that which is good and we will render the fruit of our lips.
3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
3
Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses; and we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In thee the orphan finds mercy."
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
4
I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
5
I will be as the dew to Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, he shall strike root as the poplar;
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
6
his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
7
They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow, they shall flourish as a garden; they shall blossom as the vine, their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
8
O E'phraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me comes your fruit.
9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
9
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 upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.