1 You people of Israel, return to Yahweh our God.

You are being punished because of the sins which you have committed.

2 So now return to Yahweh

and say [MTY] this to him:

"Forgive us for all the sins that we have committed,

and kindly accept ◄us/our sacrifices►

in order that we may thank/praise you [IDM].

3 We admit that Assyria will not save us,

and our war horses will not save us, either.

We will never again say, ‘You are our gods’

to the idols that we [SYN] have made.

You are the one who acts mercifully to orphans."

4 Yahweh says, "If they say that to me, I will forgive them for having ◄turned away from/abandoned► me,

and I will love them with all my inner being,

because I [PRS] will have stopped being angry with them.

5 I will be to the people of Israel

like dew that refreshes the soil.

When I do that, they will become as delightful as [MET] lilies are when they are blooming.

No one will be able to conquer them;

they will be as unmovable as [SIM] the roots of cedar trees.

6 Their good influence will spread like [MET] the branches of a tree.

They will be like [SIM] beautiful olive trees,

and they will be as delightful as [SIM] the aroma of the cedar trees in Lebanon.

7 People will come to them to be protected

like people are protected from the hot sun by being [MET] in the shade of a tree.

They will ◄flourish/be strong► like [SIM] grain that grows well.

They will be successful like a vineyard in which grapes grow abundantly.

They will become as famous/well-known as [SIM] the wines from Lebanon.

8 You people of Israel, do not [RHQ] have anything more to do with idols;

if you get rid of your idols, I will answer your prayers and take care of you.

I am like [MET] a strong/green pine tree,

and your blessings come from me."

9 Those who are wise will understand the things about which I have written.

Those who think well will pay careful attention to them.

The things that Yahweh wants us to do [MET] are right;

righteous people will conduct their lives adhering to them.

But those who rebel against Yahweh will be ruined.