6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call to him while he is near.m

7 Let the wicked one abandon his way

and the sinful one his thoughts;n

let him return to the Lord,

so he may have compassion on him,

and to our God, for he will freely forgive.o

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

and your ways are not my ways.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

9 “For as heaven is higher than earth,p

so my ways are higher than your ways,

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven

and do not return there

without saturating the earth

and making it germinate and sprout,

and providing seed to sow

and food to eat,q

11 so my word that comes from my mouth

will not return to me empty,

but it will accomplish what I please

and will prosper in what I send it to do.”r

12 You will indeed go out with joy

and be peacefully guided;

the mountains and the hills will break into singing before you,

and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.s

13 Instead of the thornbush, a cypress will come up,

and instead of the brier, a myrtle will come up;t

this will stand as a monument for the Lord,u

an everlasting sign that will not be destroyed.