Hosea 6

1 “Come on! Let's go back to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but now he will heal us. He has struck us down, but now he will bind up our wounds.

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind up our wounds.

2 In two days he will heal us; after three days he will raise us up so we can live in his presence.

He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his presence.

3 Let's get to know the Lord, really strive to know him, and he will appear to us as surely as the sun will rise; he will come to us as certainly as the spring rains fall on the earth.”

And let us feel it, that we may strive to know the Lord; bright as the morning-dawn is his rising; and he will come as the rain unto us, as the latter rain that maketh fruitful the earth.”

4 Ephraim, what shall I do with you? Judah, what shall I do with you? Your love disappears like mist at dawn; it vanishes like dew in the morning.

What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do unto thee, O Judah? for your piety is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.

5 So I cut you down through the prophets; I killed you with my words. My judgment shines out like a light.

Therefore did I hew [them] down by means of the prophets; I slew them by the words of my mouth: and thy punishments go forth like the light.

6 I want your true love, not your sacrifices; I want you to know me, not your burnt offerings.

For piety I desired, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God, more than burnt-offerings.

7 But you, just like Adam, broke our agreement, there you were unfaithful to me.

But they, like an ordinary man, have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

8 Gilead is a city of evil people where footprints are tracked in blood.

Gil'ad is become a city of workers of wickedness, is full of traces of blood.

9 Priests are like a gang of bandits, lying in wait to ambush travelers on the road. They commit murder in Shechem, carrying out wicked crimes.

And as troops that lie in wait for a man, so is the band of priests, they murder on the way in unison; for they commit scandalous deeds.

10 I have seen in the house of Israel something totally disgusting: Ephraim engages in prostitution and Israel is sexually corrupt.

On the house of Israel have I seen a horrible thing: there is lewdness in Ephraim, Israel is become defiled.

11 And as for you, Judah, your harvest-time has been set! When I restore the fortunes of my people,

Also for thee, O Judah, will a harvest be prepared, when I bring back the captivity of my people.