1 Israel, return to the Lord your God.Your sins have caused your ruin.
2 Come back to the Lordand say these words to him:“Take away all our sinand kindly receive us.Then we will give you the praise we promised you.
3 Assyria cannot save us.We will not trust in our horses.We will not say again, ‘Our gods,’to the things our hands have made.You show mercy to us, who are like orphans.”
4 The Lord says,“I will forgive them for leaving me.I will love them freely.I am not angry with them anymore.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel.It will blossom like a lily.Like the cedar trees in Lebanon,its roots will be firm.
6 The people will be like spreading branches.They will be like the beautiful olive trees.They will be like the sweet-smelling cedars in Lebanon.