Ezekiel 15

1 And there is a word of Jehovah unto 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 hath been, Among trees of the forest?

And you, son of man—of all the wood, of the branches that are amongst the trees of the forest, what shall be made of the wood of the vine?

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

Will they take wood of it to make [it fit] for work? will they take of it a peg to hang any vessel upon it?

4 Lo, to the fire it hath been given for fuel, Its two ends hath the fire eaten, And its midst hath been scorched! Is it profitable for work?

It is only given to the fire to be consumed; the fire consumes that which is yearly pruned of it, and it is utterly gone. Will it be useful for [any] work?

5 Lo, in its being perfect it is not used for work, How much less, when fire hath eaten of it, And it is scorched, Hath it been used yet for work?

Not even while it is yet whole will it be [useful] for [any] work: if the fire shall have utterly consumed it, will it still be [fit] for work?

6 Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: 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 say, Thus says the Lord, As the vine tree amongst the trees of the forest, which I have given up to the fire to be consumed, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7 And I have set My face against them, From the fire they have gone forth, And the fire doth consume them, And ye have known that I [am] Jehovah, In My setting My face against them.

And I will set my face against them; they shall go forth of the fire, and [yet] fire shall devour them; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I have set my face against them.

8 And I have made the land a desolation, Because they have committed a trespass, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah!'

And I will give up the land to ruin, because they have utterly transgressed, says the Lord.