1. My people, listen to my teaching.Listen to what I say.
2. I will speak using stories.I will tell things that have been secret since long ago.
3. We have heard them and know them.Our fathers told them to us.
4. We will not keep them from our children.We will tell those who come laterabout the praises of the Lord.We will tell about his powerand the miracles he has done.
5. The Lord made an agreement with Jacob.He gave the teachings to Israel.And he commanded our ancestorsto teach them to their children.
6. Then their children would know them,even their children not yet born.And they would tell their children.
7. So they would all trust God.They would not forget what God had done.Instead, they would obey his commands.
8. They would not be like their ancestorswho were stubborn and disobedient.Their hearts were not loyal to God.They were not true to him.
9. The men of Ephraim had bows for weapons.But they ran away on the day of battle.
10. They didn’t keep their agreement with God.They refused to live by his teachings.
11. They forgot what he had doneand the miracles he had shown them.