They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁走正直的路，在其上不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。”

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁行走正直的路，他们在其上必不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁行走正直的路，他们在其上必不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。

我必引领他们回来，他们必一路含泪祷告。我要使他们走在溪水边，行在平坦的路上，他们必不会跌倒，因为我是以色列的父亲，以法莲是我的长子。

我引导他们的时候，他们必哭着而来，并且向我乞恩恳求。我要使他们走在溪水旁，行在平直的路上，他们必不会绊跌；因为我是以色列的父亲，以法莲是我的长子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁走正直的路，在其上不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁行走正直的路，他們在其上必不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁行走正直的路，他們在其上必不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

我必引領他們回來，他們必一路含淚禱告。我要使他們走在溪水邊，行在平坦的路上，他們必不會跌倒，因為我是以色列的父親，以法蓮是我的長子。

我引導他們的時候，他們必哭著而來，並且向我乞恩懇求。我要使他們走在溪水旁，行在平直的路上，他們必不會絆跌；因為我是以色列的父親，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們必哭哭啼啼而來，我必以安慰引導他們，使他們到流水之谿谷，在平坦的路上走，不至於在那上頭跌倒；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

彼將哭泣而來、為我所導、且禱且行、我使之經溪濱、循正直之途、而不顚躓、蓋我為以色列之父、以法蓮為我首生之子、○

彼為我所導、必哭泣禱告而來、我為以色列族之父、以法蓮人為余冢子、我使彼履道坦坦、行於溪畔、無虞顛趾。

彼為我所導、必哭泣禱告而來、我使之行於溪畔、履平直之途、其間不遇窒礙、其間不遇窒礙或作無人顛蹶其中我為以色列之父、以法蓮為我長子、

They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water. I will lead them on a level path where they will not trip or fall. I am Israel’s father. And Ephraim is my oldest son.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my oldest child.

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water, by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

They will come with weeping, And by pleading I will bring them; I will lead them by streams of waters, On a straight path on which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.

They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first- born.

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim[ is] my firstborn.

They will come with weeping. I will lead them with petitions. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they won’t stumble; for I am a father to Israel. Ephraim is my firstborn.

Even now you say to me,‘ You are my father! You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.

You must say to Pharaoh,‘ Thus says the LORD,“ Israel is my son, my firstborn,

“ When that time comes,” says the LORD,“ the people of Israel and Judah will return to the land together. They will come back with tears of repentance as they seek the LORD their God.

He takes me to lush pastures, he leads me to refreshing water.

who led them through the deep water? Like a horse running on flat land they did not stumble.

Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children. They are the children I take delight in. For even though I must often rebuke them, I still remember them with fondness. So I am deeply moved with pity for them and will surely have compassion on them. I, the LORD, affirm it!

So pray this way: Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,

“ I thought to myself,‘ Oh what a joy it would be for me to treat you like a son! What a joy it would be for me to give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful piece of property there is in all the world!’ I thought you would call me,‘ Father’ and would never cease being loyal to me.

“ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“ I will pour out on the kingship of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn.

Yet, LORD, you are our father. We are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the product of your labor.

Then the lame will leap like a deer, the mute tongue will shout for joy; for water will flow in the desert, streams in the wilderness.The dry soil will become a pool of water, the parched ground springs of water. Where jackals once lived and sprawled out, grass, reeds, and papyrus will grow.A thoroughfare will be there– it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it; it is reserved for those authorized to use it– fools will not stray into it.

and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All- Powerful Lord.

He struggled with an angel and prevailed; he wept and begged for his favor. He found God at Bethel, and there he spoke with him!

This is what the LORD says, the one who made a road through the sea, a pathway through the surging waters,the one who led chariots and horses to destruction, together with a mighty army. They fell down, never to rise again; they were extinguished, put out like a burning wick:“ Don’t remember these earlier events; don’t recall these former events.“ Look, I am about to do something new. Now it begins to happen! Do you not recognize it? Yes, I will make a road in the desert and paths in the wilderness.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how we should pray, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with inexpressible groanings.

Now I rejoice, not because you were made sad, but because you were made sad to the point of repentance. For you were made sad as God intended, so that you were not harmed in any way by us.For sadness as intended by God produces a repentance that leads to salvation, leaving no regret, but worldly sadness brings about death.For see what this very thing, this sadness as God intended, has produced in you: what eagerness, what defense of yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what deep concern, what punishment! In everything you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.

A voice cries out,“ In the wilderness clear a way for the LORD; construct in the desert a road for our God.Every valley must be elevated, and every mountain and hill leveled. The rough terrain will become a level plain, the rugged landscape a wide valley.

because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken:“ The voice of one shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed.

The oppressed and the poor look for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched from thirst. I, the LORD, will respond to their prayers; I, the God of Israel, will not abandon them.I will make streams flow down the slopes and produce springs in the middle of the valleys. I will turn the desert into a pool of water and the arid land into springs.I will make cedars, acacias, myrtles, and olive trees grow in the wilderness; I will make evergreens, firs, and cypresses grow together in the desert.

As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his scattered sheep, so I will seek out my flock. I will rescue them from all the places where they have been scattered on a cloudy, dark day.I will bring them out from among the peoples and gather them from foreign countries; I will bring them to their own land. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the streams and all the inhabited places of the land.In a good pasture I will feed them; the mountain heights of Israel will be their pasture. There they will lie down in a lush pasture, and they will feed on rich grass on the mountains of Israel.

David praised the LORD before the entire assembly:“ O LORD God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore!

“ Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.“ Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,“ The voice of one shouting in the wilderness:‘ Prepare the way for the Lord, make his paths straight.Every valley will be filled, and every mountain and hill will be brought low, and the crooked will be made straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth,and all humanity will see the salvation of God.’”

and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,

Is this how you repay the LORD, you foolish, unwise people? Is he not your father, your creator? He has made you and established you.

Those who shed tears as they plant will shout for joy when they reap the harvest.The one who weeps as he walks along, carrying his bag of seed, will certainly come in with a shout of joy, carrying his sheaves of grain.

“ So now, our God, accept the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.Listen attentively, my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins and the city called by your name. For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, but because your compassion is abundant.

During his earthly life Christ offered both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.

He says,“ Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”

For you are our father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not recognize us. You, LORD, are our father; you have been called our protector from ancient times.

You will say to the prisoners,‘ Come out,’ and to those who are in dark dungeons,‘ Emerge.’ They will graze beside the roads; on all the slopes they will find pasture.They will not be hungry or thirsty; the sun’s oppressive heat will not beat down on them, for one who has compassion on them will guide them; he will lead them to springs of water.I will make all my mountains into a road; I will construct my roadways.”