⁴ “I will heal^(L) their waywardness^(M)
    and love them freely,^(N)
    for my anger has turned away^(O) from them.
⁵ I will be like the dew^(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.^(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon^(R)
    he will send down his roots;^(S)
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,^(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.^(U)
7 People will dwell again in his shade;^(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom^(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine^(X) of Lebanon.^(Y)
8 Ephraim, what more have I^[c] to do with idols?^(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;^(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

⁹ Who is wise?^(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.^(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;^(AD)
    the righteous walk^(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
    Wail, all you drinkers of wine;^(L)
wail because of the new wine,
    for it has been snatched^(M) from your lips.
⁶ A nation has invaded my land,
    a mighty army without number;^(N)
it has the teeth^(O) of a lion,
    the fangs of a lioness.
⁷ It has laid waste^(P) my vines
    and ruined my fig trees.^(Q)
It has stripped off their bark
    and thrown it away,
    leaving their branches white.

⁸ Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth^(R)
    grieving for the betrothed of her youth.
⁹ Grain offerings and drink offerings^(S)
    are cut off from the house of the Lord.
The priests are in mourning,^(T)
    those who minister before the Lord.
¹⁰ The fields are ruined,
    the ground is dried up;^(U)
the grain is destroyed,
    the new wine^(V) is dried up,
    the olive oil fails.^(W)

¹¹ Despair, you farmers,^(X)
    wail, you vine growers;
grieve for the wheat and the barley,^(Y)
    because the harvest of the field is destroyed.^(Z)
12 The vine is dried up
    and the fig tree is withered;^(AA)
the pomegranate,^(AB) the palm and the apple^[b] tree—
    all the trees of the field—are dried up.^(AC)
Surely the people’s joy
    is withered away.

¹⁵ Alas for that^(AK) day!
    For the day of the Lord^(AL) is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.^[c](AM)

¹⁶ Has not the food been cut off^(AN)
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness^(AO)
    from the house of our God?^(AP)
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.^[d](AQ)
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
¹⁸ How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;^(AR)
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.^(AS)

¹⁹ To you, Lord, I call,^(AT)
    for fire^(AU) has devoured the pastures^(AV) in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
²⁰ Even the wild animals pant for you;^(AW)
    the streams of water have dried up^(AX)
    and fire has devoured the pastures^(AY) in the wilderness.

² Let the redeemed^(C) of the Lord tell their story—
    those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
³ those he gathered^(D) from the lands,
    from east and west, from north and south.^[a]

⁴ Some wandered in desert^(E) wastelands,
    finding no way to a city^(F) where they could settle.
⁵ They were hungry^(G) and thirsty,^(H)
    and their lives ebbed away.
⁶ Then they cried out^(I) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
⁷ He led them by a straight way^(J)
    to a city^(K) where they could settle.
⁸ Let them give thanks^(L) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(M)
    and his wonderful deeds^(N) for mankind,
⁹ for he satisfies^(O) the thirsty
    and fills the hungry with good things.^(P)

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness,^(Q) in utter darkness,
    prisoners suffering^(R) in iron chains,^(S)
11 because they rebelled^(T) against God’s commands
    and despised^(U) the plans^(V) of the Most High.
¹² So he subjected them to bitter labor;
    they stumbled, and there was no one to help.^(W)
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them^(X) from their distress.
¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness,^(Y) the utter darkness,^(Z)
    and broke away their chains.^(AA)
15 Let them give thanks^(AB) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(AC)
    and his wonderful deeds^(AD) for mankind,
¹⁶ for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some became fools^(AE) through their rebellious ways^(AF)
    and suffered affliction^(AG) because of their iniquities.
¹⁸ They loathed all food^(AH)
    and drew near the gates of death.^(AI)
19 Then they cried^(AJ) to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them^(AK) from their distress.
²⁰ He sent out his word^(AL) and healed them;^(AM)
    he rescued^(AN) them from the grave.^(AO)
21 Let them give thanks^(AP) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(AQ)
    and his wonderful deeds^(AR) for mankind.
²² Let them sacrifice thank offerings^(AS)
    and tell of his works^(AT) with songs of joy.^(AU)

²³ Some went out on the sea^(AV) in ships;^(AW)
    they were merchants on the mighty waters.
²⁴ They saw the works of the Lord,^(AX)
    his wonderful deeds in the deep.
²⁵ For he spoke^(AY) and stirred up a tempest^(AZ)
    that lifted high the waves.^(BA)
26 They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths;
    in their peril^(BB) their courage melted^(BC) away.
²⁷ They reeled^(BD) and staggered like drunkards;
    they were at their wits’ end.
²⁸ Then they cried^(BE) out to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he brought them out of their distress.^(BF)
29 He stilled the storm^(BG) to a whisper;
    the waves^(BH) of the sea^[b] were hushed.^(BI)
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
    and he guided them^(BJ) to their desired haven.
³¹ Let them give thanks^(BK) to the Lord for his unfailing love^(BL)
    and his wonderful deeds^(BM) for mankind.
³² Let them exalt^(BN) him in the assembly^(BO) of the people
    and praise him in the council of the elders.

³³ He turned rivers into a desert,^(BP)
    flowing springs^(BQ) into thirsty ground,
³⁴ and fruitful land into a salt waste,^(BR)
    because of the wickedness of those who lived there.
³⁵ He turned the desert into pools of water^(BS)
    and the parched ground into flowing springs;^(BT)
36 there he brought the hungry to live,
    and they founded a city where they could settle.
³⁷ They sowed fields and planted vineyards^(BU)
    that yielded a fruitful harvest;
³⁸ he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased,^(BV)
    and he did not let their herds diminish.^(BW)

³⁹ Then their numbers decreased,^(BX) and they were humbled^(BY)
    by oppression, calamity and sorrow;
⁴⁰ he who pours contempt on nobles^(BZ)
    made them wander in a trackless waste.^(CA)
41 But he lifted the needy^(CB) out of their affliction
    and increased their families like flocks.^(CC)
42 The upright see and rejoice,^(CD)
    but all the wicked shut their mouths.^(CE)

⁴³ Let the one who is wise^(CF) heed these things
    and ponder the loving deeds^(CG) of the Lord.