Ezekiel 15

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:	1 And the word of the LORD came to me:
2 “Son of man, what can be made from the stalk of a vine, compared to all the plants of the woods that are among the trees of the forests?	2 "Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?
3 Can any wood be taken from it, so that it may be made into a work, or formed into a peg so as to hang some kind of vessel upon it?	3 Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do men take a peg from it to hang any vessel on?
4 Behold, it is used in the fire as fuel. The fire consumes both its ends; and its middle is reduced to ashes. So how can it be useful for any work?	4 Lo, 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?
5 Even when it was whole, it was unsuitable for a work. How much more so, when fire has devoured it and burned it up, will nothing of it be useful?	5 Behold, 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!
6 Therefore, thus says the Lord God: Like the stalk of the vine among the trees of the forests, which I have given to be devoured by fire, so will I deliver the inhabitants of Jerusalem.	6 Therefore 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 will I give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
7 And I will set my face against them. They will go away from fire, and yet fire will consume them. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I will have set my face against them,	7 And 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.
8 and when I will have made their land impassable and desolate. For they have stood forth as transgressors, says the Lord God.”	8 And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord GOD."