When its limbsare dry,they are brokenoff; Womencome[and] makea firewith them, For they are not a peopleof discernment,Thereforetheir Makerwill not havecompassionon them. And their Creatorwill not be graciousto them.
Therefore the angerof the LORDwas kindledagainst His peopleAnd He abhorredHis inheritance.
"An oxknowsits owner,And a donkeyits master'smanger,[But] Israeldoes not know,My peopledo not understand."
For beforethe harvest,as soon as the budblossomsAnd the flowerbecomesa ripeninggrape,Then He will cutoffthe sprigswith pruningknivesAnd remove[and] cutawaythe spreadingbranches.
But now,thussaysthe LORD,your Creator,O Jacob,And He who formedyou, O Israel,"Do not fear,for I have redeemedyou; I have calledyou by name;you are Mine!
Everyonewho is calledby My name,And whom I have createdfor My glory,Whom I have formed,evenwhom I have made."
Thussaysthe LORDwho madeyou And formedyou from the womb,who will helpyou, 'Do not fear,O JacobMy servant;And you Jeshurunwhom I have chosen.
Thussaysthe LORD,your Redeemer,and the one who formedyou from the womb,"I, the LORD,am the makerof allthings,Stretchingout the heavensby MyselfAnd spreadingout the earthallalone,
ThereforeMy peoplegointo exilefor their lackof knowledge;And their honorablemenare famished,And their multitudeis parchedwith thirst.
Thereforethe Lorddoes not takepleasurein their youngmen,Nordoes He havepityon their orphansor their widows;For everyoneof them is godlessand an evildoer,And everymouthis speakingfoolishness.In [spite of] allthis,His angerdoes not turnawayAnd His handis stillstretchedout.
The LORDcalledyour name,"A greenolivetree,beautifulin fruitand form";With the noiseof a greattumultHe has kindledfireon it, And its branchesare worthless.
"I will dashthem againsteachother,both the fathersand the sonstogether,"declaresthe LORD."I will not showpitynorbe sorrynorhavecompassionso as not to destroythem."'"
For thussaysthe LORD,"Do not entera houseof mourning,or goto lamentor to consolethem; for I have withdrawnMy peacefrom thispeople,"declaresthe LORD,"[My] lovingkindnessand compassion.
"And the peacefulfoldsare madesilentBecauseof the fierceangerof the LORD.
"For My peopleare foolish,They knowMe not; They are stupidchildrenAnd havenounderstanding.They are shrewdto doevil,But to dogoodthey do not know."
"Eventhe storkin the skyKnowsher seasons;And the turtledoveand the swiftand the thrushObservethe timeof their migration;But My peopledo not knowThe ordinanceof the LORD.
But it was pluckedup in fury;It was castdownto the ground;And the eastwinddriedup its fruit.Its strongbranchwas tornoffSo that it withered;The fireconsumedit.
and sayto the forestof the Negev,'Hearthe wordof the LORD:thussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I am about to kindlea firein you, and it will consumeeverygreentreein you, as well as everydrytree;the blazingflamewill not be quenchedand the wholesurfacefrom southto northwill be burnedby it.
"But as for Me, My eyewill havenopitynorwill I spare,but I will bringtheir conductupon their heads."
I will not punishyour daughterswhenthey playthe harlotOr your brideswhenthey commitadultery,For [the men] themselvesgoapartwith harlotsAnd offersacrificeswith templeprostitutes;So the peoplewithoutunderstandingare ruined.
My peopleare destroyedfor lackof knowledge.Becauseyou have rejectedknowledge,I also will rejectyou from being My priest.Since you have forgottenthe lawof your God,I alsowill forgetyour children.
FOR THE HEARTOF THISPEOPLEHAS BECOME DULL,WITH THEIR EARSTHEY SCARCELYHEAR,AND THEY HAVE CLOSEDTHEIR EYES,OTHERWISETHEY WOULD SEEWITH THEIR EYES,HEARWITH THEIR EARS,AND UNDERSTANDWITH THEIR HEARTAND RETURN,AND I WOULD HEALTHEM.'
"When anyonehearsthe wordof the kingdomand does not understandit, the evil[one] comesand snatches awaywhathas been sownin his heart.Thisis the one on whom seed was sownbesidethe road.
"The axeis alreadylaidat the rootof the trees;thereforeeverytreethat does not beargoodfruitis cut downand throwninto the fire.
"Ifanyonedoes not abidein Me, he is thrownawayas a branchand driesup; and they gatherthem, and castthem into the fireand they are burned.
And justas they did not see fitto acknowledgeGodany longer, Godgave them overto a depravedmind,to dothosethings which are not proper,
without understanding,untrustworthy,unloving,unmerciful;
"So keepand do[them], for that is your wisdomand your understandingin the sightof the peopleswhowill hearallthesestatutesand say,'Surelythisgreatnationis a wiseand understandingpeople.'
hinderingus from speakingto the Gentilessothat they may be saved;with the result that they alwaysfill up the measureof their sins.But wrathhas comeupon them to the utmost.
For judgment[will be] mercilessto one who has shownnomercy;mercytriumphs overjudgment.
