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?

Son of man, what shall be made of the wood of the vine, out of all the trees of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

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

Shall wood be taken of if, to do any work, or shall a pin be made of it for any vessel to hang thereon?

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?

Behold it is cast into the fire for fuel: the fire hath consumed both ends thereof, and the midst thereof is reduced to ashes: shall 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?

Even when it was whole it was not fit for work: how much less, when the fire hath devoured and consumed it, shall any work be made of it?

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 thus saith the Lord God: As the vine tree among the trees of the forests which I have given to the fire to be consumed, so will I deliver 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 out from fire, and fire shall consume them: and you shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall 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 shall have made their land a wilderness, and desolate, because they have been transgressors, saith the Lord God.