He might bring suffering. But he will also show loving concern. How great his faithful love is!

主虽使人忧愁，还要照他诸般的慈爱发怜悯。

他虽使人忧愁，还要照他丰盛的慈爱施怜悯；

他虽使人忧愁，还要照他丰盛的慈爱施怜悯；

主尽管使人忧伤，祂依然怜悯人，因为祂有无限的慈爱。

他虽然使人忧愁，却必照着他丰盛的慈爱施怜悯。

主雖使人憂愁，還要照他諸般的慈愛發憐憫。

他雖使人憂愁，還要照他豐盛的慈愛施憐憫；

他雖使人憂愁，還要照他豐盛的慈愛施憐憫；

主儘管使人憂傷，祂依然憐憫人，因為祂有無限的慈愛。

他雖然使人憂愁，卻必照著他豐盛的慈愛施憐憫。

因為主雖使人受苦，還要照他豐盛的堅愛施憐憫。

雖使人憂戚、尚循其慈惠之富、而加矜恤兮、

雖令人懷憂、必加矜恤、仁澤靡涯兮、

雖使人懷憂、必憑大仁慈、加以矜恤、

Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

Though he brings grief, he also shows compassion because of the greatness of his unfailing love.

Even if he causes suffering, he will show compassion according to the abundance of his faithful love.

For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion In proportion to His abundant mercy.

Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.

For though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.

Even if He causes suffering, He will show compassion according to His abundant, faithful love.

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

Though he causes us grief, he then has compassion on us according to the abundance of his loyal kindness.

For though he causes grief, yet he will have compassion according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

The Lord continues,“ People of Ephraim, how can I give you up? Israel, how can I hand you over to your enemies? Can I destroy you as I did the town of Admah? Can I treat you like Zeboyim? My heart is stirred inside me. It is filled with pity for you.

But he was full of tender love. He forgave their sins and didn’t destroy his people. Time after time he held back his anger. He didn’t let all his burning anger blaze out.

Many times the Lord saved them. But they refused to obey him. So he destroyed them because of their sins.Yet he heard them when they cried out. He paid special attention to their suffering.Because they were his people, he remembered his covenant. Because of his great love, he felt sorry for them.

The Lord said,“ I have seen how my people are suffering in Egypt. I have heard them cry out because of their slave drivers. I am concerned about their suffering.

The Lord loves us very much. So we haven’t been completely destroyed. His loving concern never fails.

After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The people of Israel groaned because they were slaves. They also cried out to God. Their cry for help went up to him.

He loves those who have respect for him. His love is as high as the heavens are above the earth.

But the Lord helped Israel. He was tender and kind to them. He showed concern for them. He did all these things because of the covenant he had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he hasn’t been willing to destroy Israel. And he hasn’t driven them out of his land.

Then they got rid of the false gods that were among them. They served the Lord. And he couldn’t stand to see Israel suffer anymore.

His anger lasts for only a moment. But his favor lasts for a person’s whole life. Weeping can stay for the night. But joy comes in the morning.

So he got up and went to his father.“ While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him. He was filled with tender love for his son. He ran to him. He threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Aren’t the people of Ephraim my dear children? Aren’t they the children I take delight in? I often speak against them. But I still remember them. So my heart longs for them. I love them with a tender love,” announces the Lord.