Osee 9

1 Rejoice not, O Israel, neither make merry, as [other] nations: for thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God; thou hast loved gifts upon every threshing-floor.

Rejoice not too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.

2 The threshing-floor and wine-press knew them not, and the wine disappointed them.

Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail them.

3 They dwelt not in the Lord's land: Ephraim dwelt in Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things among the Assyrians.

They will not stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.

4 They have not offered wine to the Lord, neither have their sacrifices been sweet to him, [but] as the bread of mourning to them; all that eat them shall be defiled; for their bread for their soul shall not enter into the house of the Lord.

They will not pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.

5 What will ye do in the day of the general assembly, and in the day of the feast of the Lord?

What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?

6 Therefore, behold, they go forth from the trouble of Egypt, and Memphis shall receive them, and Machmas shall bury them: [as for] their silver, destruction shall inherit it; thorns [shall be] in their tents.

Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.

7 The days of vengeance are come, the days of thy recompense are come; and Israel shall be afflicted as the prophet that is mad, as a man deranged: by reason of the multitude of thine iniquities thy madness has abounded.

The days of punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! ‘The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!’ It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your hatred.

8 The watchman of Ephraim [was] with God: the prophet is a crooked snare in all his ways: they have established madness in the house of God.

Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,

9 They have corrupted themselves according to the days of the hill: he will remember their iniquities, he will take vengeance on their sins.

they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish their sin.

10 I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness, and I saw their fathers as an early watchman in a fig-tree: they went in to Beel-phegor, and were shamefully estranged, and the abominable became as the beloved.

I found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.

11 Ephraim has flown away as a bird; their glories from the birth, and the travail, and the conception.

Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more conception.

12 For even if they should rear their children, yet shall they be utterly bereaved: wherefore also there is woe to them, [though] my flesh is of them.

Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!

13 Ephraim, [even] as I saw, gave their children for a prey; yea, Ephraim [was ready] to bring out his children to slaughter.

Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.

14 Give them, O Lord: what wilt thou give them? a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.

Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up breasts!

15 All their wickedness is in Galgal: for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their practices, I will cast them out of my house, I will not love them any more: all their princes are disobedient.

All their evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.

16 Ephraim is sick, he is dried up at his roots, he shall in no wise any more bear fruit: wherefore even if they should beget [children], I will kill the desired [fruit] of their womb.

Ephraim is blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings of their womb,

17 God shall reject them, because they have not hearkened to him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

My God will reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.