Hosea 14

1 Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen down by thy iniquity.

Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.

2 Take with you words, and return to the Lord, and say to him: Take away all iniquity, and receive the good: and we will render the calves of our lips.

Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.

3 Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods, for thou wilt have mercy on the fatherless that is in thee.

Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”

4 I will heal their breaches, I will love them freely: for my wrath is turned away from them.

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.

5 I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus.

I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.

6 His branches shall spread, and his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus.

His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.

7 They shall be converted that sit under his shadow: they shall live upon wheat, and they shall blossom as a vine: his memorial shall be as the wine of Libanus.

Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is thy fruit found.

Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”

9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know these things? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall in them.

Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.