Ezekiel 15

vayehi devar-Adonai elay lemor

The word of GOD came to me:

ben-adam mah-yyihyeh ets-haggefen mikkol-ets hazzemorah asher hayah ba'atse hayya'ar

O mortal, how is the wood of the grapevine better than the wood of any branch to be found among the trees of the forest?

hayuqqakh mimmennu ets la'asot limlakhah im-yiqkhu mimmennu yated litlot alayw kol-keli

Can wood be taken from it for use in any work? Can one take a peg from it to hang any vessel on?

hinneh la'esh nittan le'okhlah et shene qetsotayw okhlah ha'esh vetokho nakhar hayitslakh limlakhah

Now suppose it was thrown into the fire as fuel and the fire consumed its two ends and its middle was charred—is it good for any use?

hinneh bihyoto tamim lo ye'aseh limlakhah af ki-esh akhalathu vayyekhar vena'asah od limlakhah

Even when it was whole it could not be used for anything; how much less when fire has consumed it and it is charred! Can it still be used for anything?

lakhen koh amar adonay Elohim ka'asher ets-haggefen be'ets hayya'ar asher-netattiv la'esh le'okhlah ken natatti et-yosheve yerushalai͏m

Assuredly, thus said the Sovereign GOD: Like the wood of the grapevine among the trees of the forest, which I have designated to be fuel for fire, so will I treat the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

venatatti et-panay bahem meha'esh yatsa'u veha'esh tokhelem vidatem ki-ani Adonai besumi et-panay bahem

I will set My face against them; they escaped from fire, but fire shall consume them. When I set my face against them, you shall know that I am GOD.

venatatti et-ha'arets shemamah ya'an ma'alu ma'al ne'um adonay Elohim

I will make the land a desolation, because they committed trespass—declares the Sovereign GOD.