9 They will come with weeping;j

they will pray as I bring them back.

I will leadk them beside streams of waterl

on a levelm path where they will not stumble,

because I am Israel’s father,n

and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

10 “Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;

proclaim it in distant coastlands:o

‘He who scatteredp Israel will gatherq them

and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’r

11 For the Lord will deliver Jacob

and redeems them from the hand of those strongert than they.

12 They will come and shout for joyu on the heightsv of Zion;

they will rejoice in the bountyw of the Lord—

the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,x

the young of the flocksy and herds.

They will be like a well-watered garden,z

and they will sorrowa no more.

13 Then young women will dance and be glad,

young men and old as well.

I will turn their mourningb into gladness;

I will give them comfortc and joyd instead of sorrow.

14 I will satisfye the priestsf with abundance,

and my people will be filled with my bounty,g”

declares the Lord.

15 This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,h

mourning and great weeping,

Rachel weeping for her children

and refusing to be comforted,i

because they are no more.”j

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping

and your eyes from tears,k

for your work will be rewarded,l”

declares the Lord.

“They will returnm from the land of the enemy.

17 So there is hopen for your descendants,”

declares the Lord.

“Your childreno will return to their own land.

18 “I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:

‘You disciplinedp me like an unruly calf,q

and I have been disciplined.

Restorer me, and I will return,

because you are the Lord my God.

19 After I strayed,s

I repented;

after I came to understand,

I beatt my breast.

I was ashamedu and humiliated

because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’v

20 Is not Ephraim my dear son,

the childw in whom I delight?

Though I often speak against him,

I still rememberx him.

Therefore my heart yearns for him;

I have great compassiony for him,”

declares the Lord.