1 aListen, O my people, to my 1instruction;

bIncline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will aopen my mouth in a parable;

I will utter bdark sayings of old,

3 Which we have heard and known,

And aour fathers have told us.

4 We will anot conceal them from their children,

But btell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord,

And His strength and His cwondrous works that He has done.

5 For He established a atestimony in Jacob

And appointed a blaw in Israel,

Which He ccommanded our fathers

That they should 1dteach them to their children,

6 aThat the generation to come might know, even bthe children yet to be born,

That they may arise and ctell them to their children,

7 That they should put their confidence in God

And anot forget the works of God,

But bkeep His commandments,

8 And anot be like their fathers,

A bstubborn and rebellious generation,

A generation that cdid not 1prepare its heart

And whose spirit was not dfaithful to God.

9 The sons of Ephraim 1were aarchers equipped with bows,

Yet bthey turned back in the day of battle.

10 They adid not keep the covenant of God

And refused to bwalk in His law;

11 They aforgot His deeds

And His 1miracles that He had shown them.