Ezekiel 15

1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

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

2 “Son of man, What is the vine-tree more than any tree? The vine-branch that has been, Among trees of the forest?

“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?

3 Is wood taken from it to use for work? Do they take a pin of it to hang any vessel on it?

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?

4 Behold, it has been given to the fire for fuel, The fire has eaten its two ends, And its midst has been scorched! Is it profitable for work?

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?

5 Behold, in its being perfect it is not used for work, How much less when fire has eaten of it, And it is scorched, Has it been used yet for work?”

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?

6 Therefore, thus said Lord YHWH: “As the vine-tree among trees of the forest, That I have given to the fire for fuel, So I have given the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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.

7 And I have set My face against them, They have gone forth from the fire, And the fire consumes them, And you have known that I [am] YHWH, In My setting My face against them.

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,

8 And I have made the land a desolation, Because they have committed a trespass,” A declaration of Lord YHWH!

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