Ezekiel 15

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

2 “Son of man, what can be made from the stalk of a vine, compared to all the plants of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

Son of man, What shall become of the wood of the vine more than of any other wood, of the branch which was standing among the trees of the forest?

3 Can any wood be taken from it, so that it may be made into a work, or formed into a peg so as to hang some kind of vessel upon it?

Can wood be taken therefrom to employ it for any work? or will men take from it a pin to hang thereon any vessel?

4 Behold, it is used in the fire as fuel. The fire consumes both its ends; and its middle is reduced to ashes. So how can it be useful for any work?

Behold, if it be given up to the fire to be consumed, —[and] the fire have consumed both its ends, and the middle of it be scorched; will it be fit for any work?

5 Even when it was whole, it was unsuitable for a work. How much more so, when fire has devoured it and burned it up, will nothing of it be useful?

Behold, when it was yet entire, it could not be employed for any work: how much more [must this be] when the fire hath consumed it, and it is scorched, —and shall it yet be employed for any work?

6 Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Like the stalk of the vine among the trees of the forests, which I have given to be devoured by fire, so will I deliver the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord Eternal, As the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given up to the fire to be consumed: so do I give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 And I will set my face against them. They will go away from fire, and yet fire will consume them. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have set my face against them,

And I will set my face against them: from the fire have they gone forth, yet the fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.

8 and when I will have made their land impassable and desolate. For they have stood forth as transgressors, says the Lord God.”

And I will render the land a desert; because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord Eternal.