4  “You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord:

^yWhen men fall, do they not rise again?

If one turns away, does he not return?

5  Why then has this people ^zturned away

in perpetual ^abacksliding?

^bThey hold fast to deceit;

they refuse to return.

6  ^cI have paid attention and listened,

but they have not spoken rightly;

no man relents of his evil,

saying, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone turns to his own course,

^dlike a horse plunging headlong into battle.