1 The Lord spoke to me.
2 “Mortal man,” he said, “how does a vine compare with a tree? What good is a branch of a grapevine compared with the trees of the forest?
3 Can you use it to make anything? Can you even make a peg out of it to hang things on?
4 It is only good for building a fire. And when the ends are burnt up and the middle is charred, can you make anything out of it?
5 It was useless even before it was burnt. Now that the fire has burnt it and charred it, it is even more useless.”
6 Now this is what the Sovereign Lord is saying, “Just as a vine is taken from the forest and burnt, so I will take the people who live in Jerusalem
7 and will punish them. They have escaped one fire, but now fire will burn them up. When I punish them, you will know that I am the Lord.
8 They have been unfaithful to me, and so I will make the country a wilderness.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.