31 (27) For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, you have been rebellious against the Lord; and how much more after my death?

(28) Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to witness against them.

(29) For I know that after my death you will surely become corrupted, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands.

(30) And Moshe spoke in the ears of all the congregation of Yisra᾽el, the words of this poem, until they were ended.

(2) Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God,For you have fallen because of your sin. (3) Take words with youAnd return to the LORD.Say to Him:“Forgive all guiltAnd accept what is good;Instead of bulls we will pay[The offering of] our lips.^-a (4) Assyria shall not save us,No more will we ride on steeds;Nor ever again will we callOur handiwork our god,Since in You alone orphans find pity!” (5) I will heal their affliction,Generously will I take them back in love;For My anger has turned away from them. (6) I will be to Israel like dew;He shall blossom like the lily,He shall strike root like a Lebanon tree.^-e (7) His boughs shall spread out far,His beauty shall be like the olive tree’s,His fragrance like that of Lebanon. (8) They who sit in his shade shall be revived:They shall bring to life new grain,They shall blossom like the vine;His scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. (9) Ephraim [shall say]:“What more have I to do with idols?When I respond and look to Him,I become like a verdant cypress.”Your fruit is provided by Me.^-a (10) He who is wise will consider these words,He who is prudent will take note of them.For the paths of the LORD are smooth;The righteous can walk on them,While sinners stumble on them.

(18) Who is a God like You,Forgiving iniquityAnd remitting transgression;Who has not maintained His wrath foreverAgainst the remnant of His own people,Because He loves graciousness! (19) He will take us back in love;He will cover up our iniquities,You will hurl all our sinsInto the depths of the sea. (20) You will keep faith with Jacob,Loyalty to Abraham,As You promised on oath to our fathersIn days gone by.

(11) And the LORD roars aloudAt the head of His army;For vast indeed is His host,Numberless are those that do His bidding.For great is the day of the LORD,Most terrible—who can endure it? (12) “Yet even now”—says the LORD—“Turn back to Me with all your hearts,And with fasting, weeping, and lamenting.” (13) Rend your heartsRather than your garments,And turn back to the LORD your God.For He is gracious and compassionate,Slow to anger, abounding in kindness,And renouncing punishment. (14) Who knows but He may turn and relent,And leave a blessing behindFor meal offering and drink offeringTo the LORD your God? (15) Blow a horn in Zion,Solemnize a fast,Proclaim an assembly! (16) Gather the people,Bid the congregation purify themselves.Bring together the old,Gather the babesAnd the sucklings at the breast;Let the bridegroom come out of his chamber,The bride from her canopied couch. (17) Between the portico and the altar,Let the priests, the LORD’s ministers, weepAnd say:“Oh, spare Your people, LORD!Let not Your possession become a mockery,To be taunted by nations!Let not the peoples say,‘Where is their God?’” (18) Then the LORD was rousedOn behalf of His landAnd had compassionUpon His people. (19) In response to His peopleThe LORD declared:“I will grant you the new grain,The new wine, and the new oil,And you shall have them in abundance.Nevermore will I let you beA mockery among the nations. (20) I will drive the northerner far from you,I will thrust it into a parched and desolate land—Its van to the Eastern SeaAnd its rear to the Western Sea;And the stench of it shall go up,And the foul smell rise.”For [the LORD] shall work great deeds. (21) Fear not, O soil, rejoice and be glad;For the LORD has wrought great deeds. (22) Fear not, O beasts of the field,For the pastures in the wildernessAre clothed with grass.The trees have borne their fruit;Fig tree and vineHave yielded their strength. (23) O children of Zion, be glad,Rejoice in the LORD your God.For He has given you the early rain in [His] kindness,Now He makes the rain fall [as] formerly—The early rain and the late— (24) And threshing floors shall be piled with grain,And vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. (25) “I will repay you for the years^-hConsumed by swarms and hoppers,By grubs and locusts,The great army I let loose against you. (26) And you shall eat your fillAnd praise the name of the LORD your GodWho dealt so wondrously with you—My people shall be shamed no more. (27) And you shall knowThat I am in the midst of Israel:That I the LORD am your GodAnd there is no other.And My people shall be shamed no more.”