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.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet^(A) in Zion,^(B)
    declare a holy fast,^(C)
    call a sacred assembly.^(D)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate^(E) the assembly;
bring together the elders,^(F)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom^(G) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister^(H) before the Lord,
    weep^(I) between the portico and the altar.^(J)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,^(K)
    a byword^(L) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?^(M)’”

“I am sending you grain, new wine^(P) and olive oil,^(Q)
    enough to satisfy you fully;^(R)
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn^(S) to the nations.

²⁰ “I will drive the northern horde^(T) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench^(U) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!
²¹     Do not be afraid,^(V) land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.^(W)
Surely the Lord has done great things!^(X)
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.^(Y)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree^(Z) and the vine^(AA) yield their riches.^(AB)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice^(AC) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.^(AD)
He sends you abundant showers,^(AE)
    both autumn^(AF) and spring rains,^(AG) as before.
²⁴ The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
    the vats will overflow^(AH) with new wine^(AI) and oil.

²⁵ “I will repay you for the years the locusts^(AJ) have eaten^(AK)—
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm^[b]—
my great army^(AL) that I sent among you.
²⁶ You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,^(AM)
    and you will praise^(AN) the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders^(AO) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.^(AP)
27 Then you will know^(AQ) that I am in Israel,
    that I am the Lord^(AR) your God,
    and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.^(AS)

¹⁸ Who is a God^(A) like you,
    who pardons sin^(B) and forgives^(C) the transgression
    of the remnant^(D) of his inheritance?^(E)
You do not stay angry^(F) forever
    but delight to show mercy.^(G)
19 You will again have compassion on us;
    you will tread our sins underfoot
    and hurl all our iniquities^(H) into the depths of the sea.^(I)
20 You will be faithful to Jacob,
    and show love to Abraham,^(J)
as you pledged on oath to our ancestors^(K)
    in days long ago.^(L)