Hosea 14

1 O ISRAEL, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God; for the people have fallen through thine iniquities.

2 Take with you words, and return unto the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render [as] bullocks [the offering of] our lips.

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that ye may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that ye may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.

3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Ye are] our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in thee shall pity the orphan.

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.

5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.

6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.

7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive [as] the corn, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.

8 Ephraim [shall say], What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir tree; from me is thy fruit found.

What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is thy fruit found.

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

Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.