"Have you not just nowcalledto Me, 'My Father,You are the friendof my youth?
"Goand proclaimin the earsof Jerusalem,saying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"I rememberconcerning you the devotionof your youth,The loveof your betrothals,Your followingafterMe in the wilderness,Through a landnot sown.
"Then I said,'HowI would setyou among My sonsAnd giveyou a pleasantland,The mostbeautifulinheritanceof the nations!'And I said,'You shall callMe, My Father,And not turnawayfrom followingMe.'
"Then I will giveher her vineyardsfrom there,And the valleyof Achoras a doorof hope.And she will singthereas in the daysof her youth,As in the daywhen she cameup from the landof Egypt.
"With weepingthey will come,And by supplicationI will leadthem; I will make them walkby streamsof waters,On a straightpathin which they will not stumble;For I ama fatherto Israel,And Ephraimis My firstborn."
That leavesthe companionof her youthAnd forgetsthe covenantof her God;
O God,You have taughtme from my youth,And I stilldeclareYour wondrousdeeds.
"Yet you say,'For whatreason?'Becausethe LORDhas been a witnessbetweenyou and the wifeof your youth,against whomyou have dealttreacherously,though she is your companionand your wifeby covenant.
Who sayto a tree,'You are my father,'And to a stone,'You gaveme birth.'For they have turned[their] backto Me, And not [their] face;But in the timeof their troublethey will say,'Ariseand saveus.'
To giveprudenceto the naive,To the youthknowledgeand discretion,
Howcan a youngmankeephis waypure?By keeping[it] according to Your word.
For You are my hope;O LordGOD,[You are] my confidencefrom my youth.
For suchis God,Our Godforeverand ever;He will guideus untildeath.
"'A sonhonors[his] father,and a servanthis master.Then ifI am a father,whereis My honor?And ifI am a master,whereis My respect?'saysthe LORDof hoststo you, O priestswho despiseMy name.But you say,'Howhave we despisedYour name?'
"Howlongwill you gohereand there,O faithlessdaughter?For the LORDhas createda newthingin the earth--A womanwill encompassa man."
