You have just now called out to me. You said,‘ My Father, you have been my friend ever since I was young.

从今以后，你岂不向我呼叫说：‘我父啊，你是我幼年的恩主。

你不是才向我呼叫说：‘我父啊，你是我年轻时的密友，

你不是才向我呼叫说：‘我父啊，你是我年轻时的密友，

你不是刚对我说，‘我父啊！你从我年幼时就做我的朋友。

你刚刚不是还呼叫我：‘我父啊！你是我年轻时的良伴；

從今以後，你豈不向我呼叫說：我父啊，你是我幼年的恩主。

你不是才向我呼叫說：『我父啊，你是我年輕時的密友，

你不是才向我呼叫說：『我父啊，你是我年輕時的密友，

你不是剛對我說，『我父啊！你從我年幼時就做我的朋友。

你剛剛不是還呼叫我：‘我父啊！你是我年輕時的良伴；

豈不是你剛剛呼叫我：「我父啊，你是我青年時的配偶——

自茲以往、爾豈不呼我曰、爾乃我父、為我少年之導、

當爾幼沖、我誨爾諄諄、何至今日、不以我為父。

爾方稱我為父、爾又曰、我在爾幼時、向爾施愛、

Have you not just called to me:‘ My Father, my friend from my youth,

Have you not just now called to me,‘ My father, you are the friend of my youth—

Yet you say to me,‘ Father, you have been my guide since my youth.

Haven’t you recently called to me,“ My Father! You were my friend in my youth.

Have you not just now called to Me,‘ My Father, You are the friend of my youth?

Will you not from this time cry to Me,‘ My father, You are the guide of my youth?

Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth?

Have you not lately called to Me,“ My Father. You were my friend in my youth.

Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou[ art] the guide of my youth?

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

Will you not from this time cry to me,‘ My Father, you are the guide of my youth?’

“ Go. Announce my message to the people in Jerusalem. I want everyone to hear it. Tell them,“ Here is what the Lord says.“‘ I remember how faithful you were to me when you were young. You loved me as if you were my bride. You followed me through the desert. Nothing had been planted there.

“ I myself said,“‘ I would gladly treat you like my children. I would give you a pleasant land. It is the most beautiful land any nation could have.’ I thought you would call me‘ Father.’ I hoped you would always obey me.

She has left the man she married when she was young. She has broken the promise she made in front of God.

I will give her back her vineyards. I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope for her. Then she will love me, as she did when she was young. She will love me just as she did when she came up out of Egypt.

God, ever since I was young you have taught me. To this very day I tell about your wonderful acts.

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.

They give understanding to childish people. They give knowledge and good sense to those who are young.

This God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our guide to the very end.

“ I have heard the groans of Ephraim’s people. They say,‘ You corrected us like a calf you were training. And we have been trained. Bring us back to you, and we will come back. You are the Lord our God.After we wandered away from you, we turned away from our sins. After we learned our lesson, we beat our chests in sorrow. We were full of shame. What we did when we were young brought dishonor on us.’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.

Israel, return to the Lord your God. Your sins have destroyed you!Tell the Lord you are turning away from your sins. Return to him. Say to him,“ Forgive us for all our sins. Please be kind to us. Welcome us back to you. Then our lips will offer you our praise.Assyria can’t save us. We won’t trust in our war horses. Our own hands have made statues of gods. But we will never call them our gods again. We are like children whose fathers have died. But you show us your tender love.”

You ask,“ Why?” It’s because the Lord is holding you responsible. He watches how you treat the wife you married when you were young. You have been unfaithful to her. You did it even though she’s your partner. You promised to stay married to her. And the Lord was a witness to it.

You are the King and the Lord. You have always been my hope. I have trusted in you ever since I was young.

You say to a piece of wood,‘ You are my father.’ You say to a stone,‘ You are my mother.’ You have turned your backs to me. You refuse to look at me. But when you are in trouble, you say,‘ Come and save us!’

How can a young person keep their life pure? By living according to your word.