| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. | 1Return, Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall! |
| 2Take 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. | 2Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips. |
| 3Asshur 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. | 3Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount warhorses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion." |
| 4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. | 4"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. |
| 5I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. | 5I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots; |
| 6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. | 6his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon. |
| 7They 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. | 7People will dwell again in his shade; they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like the vine-- Israel's fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. |
| 8Ephraim 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. | 8Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a flourishing juniper; your fruitfulness comes from me." |
| 9Who 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. | 9Who is wise? Let them realize these things. Who is discerning? Let them understand. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them. |
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