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"Yet even now," declares the Lord,
i "return to me with all your heart,
j with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
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and k rend your hearts and not l your garments."
Return to the Lord your God,
m for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
n and he relents over disaster.
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o Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and p leave a blessing behind him,
q a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
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r Blow the trumpet in Zion;
s consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
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gather the people.
t Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
u gather the children,
even nursing infants.
v Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
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w Between the x vestibule and the y altar
z let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, "Spare your people, O Lord,
and make not your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations. 1
a Why should they say among the peoples,
'Where is their God?'"