Come, let us go labor again in the vineyard. The end soon cometh;

wherefore, I must lay up fruit against the season, unto mine own self.

This long time have we nourished this tree.

There is none of it which is good, and it profiteth me nothing,

notwithstanding all our labor;

and now it grieveth me that I should lose this tree.

What shall we do unto the tree, that I may preserve again good fruit?

Because thou didst graft in the branches of the wild olive tree

they have nourished the roots, that they are alive and they have not perished.

I know that the roots are good,

and because of their much strength they have hitherto brought forth, from the wild branches, good fruit.

But the wild branches have grown and have overrun the roots thereof;

and hath brought forth much evil fruit; and it beginneth to perish; except we should do something for it to preserve it.

Let us go down into the nethermost parts of the vineyard,

and behold if the natural branches have also brought forth evil fruit.

What could I have done more for my vineyard?

I knew that all the fruit of the vineyard, save it were these, had become corrupted.

And now these

which have once brought forth good fruit have also become corrupted.

These I had hoped to preserve,

but they have become like unto the wild olive tree,

and they are of no worth.

Notwithstanding all the care which we have taken of my vineyard,

the trees thereof have become corrupted.

It grieveth me that I should lose them.

What could I have done more in my vineyard? I have nourished it,

and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long.

It grieveth me that I should hew down all the trees of my vineyard.

Who is it that has corrupted my vineyard?

Is it not the loftiness of thy vineyard?

Have not the branches thereof overcome the roots which are good?

And because the branches have overcome the roots,

taking strength unto themselves,

is not this the cause that the trees of thy vineyard have become corrupted?

Let us hew down the trees of the vineyard and cast them into the fire,

for I have done all. Lord,

spare it a little longer.

Yea,

I will spare it a little longer,

for it grieveth me that I should lose the trees of my vineyard.