1  And the word of YHWH came unto me, saying

2  'Son of man, what is the vine-tree more than any tree, the vine branch which grew up among the trees of the forest?

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

2  “Son of man, what can be made from the stalk of a vine, compared to all the plants of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?

3  Shall wood be taken thereof to make any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?

3  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?

3  Can any wood be taken from it, so that it may be made into a work, or formed into a peg so as to hang some kind of vessel upon it?

4  Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire hath devoured both the ends of it, and the midst of it is singed; is it profitable for any work?

4  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?

4  Behold, it is used in the fire as fuel. The fire consumes both its ends; and its middle is reduced to ashes. So how can it be useful for any work?

5  Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work; how much less, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is singed, shall it yet be meet for any work?

5  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?

5  Even when it was whole, it was unsuitable for a work. How much more so, when fire has devoured it and burned it up, will nothing of it be useful?

6  Therefore thus saith YHWH GOD: As the vine-tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so do I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

6  Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Like the stalk of the vine among the trees of the forests, which I have given to be devoured by fire, so will I deliver the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

7  And I will set My face against them; out of the fire are they come forth, and the fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am YHWH, when I set My face against them.

7  And I will pour out my anger against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall consume them; and you shall know that I am the LORD, when I pour out my anger against them.

8  And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted treacherously, saith YHWH GOD.'

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

8  and when I will have made their land impassable and desolate. For they have stood forth as transgressors, says the Lord God.”