1Herren sagde til mig:2„Du menneske, hvad kan man bruge træet fra en vildtvoksende vinstok til? Det kan ikke sammenlignes med skovens andre træer.3Man kan ikke engang bruge det til at lave knager eller kroge af.4Prøver man at bruge det til brændsel, brænder de tynde grene alt for hurtigt, mens stammen har svært ved at fænge.5Det kan altså hverken bruges til forarbejdning eller som brændsel.6Jerusalems indbyggere er som en vildtvoksende vinstok, jeg har kastet på bålet.7Jeg vil sørge for, at de, der undslap ilden første gang, kommer på det næste bål. Da vil I indse, at jeg er Herren.8Ja, jeg lægger landet øde, fordi de gjorde oprør imod mig.”
1And the word of the Lord came to me:2“Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? (Ez 2,1; Ez 15,6)3Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? (Es 22,23)4Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? (Joh 15,6)5Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything! (Ez 15,3)6Therefore thus says the Lord God: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so have I given up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. (Salm 80,8; Es 5,1; Ez 15,4; Ez 17,6; Ez 19,10)7And I will set my face against them. Though they escape from the fire, the fire shall yet consume them, and you will know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them. (2.Kong 25,9; Ez 6,7; Ez 14,8)8And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, declares the Lord God.” (Ez 6,14; Ez 14,13)