Hosea 7

1 When I would heal Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim is uncovered, also the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief enters in, and the gang of robbers ravages outside.

When I would have healed Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they have committed falsehood, and the thief is come in to steal, the robber is without.

2 They don’t consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds have engulfed them. They are before my face.

And lest they may say in their hearts, that I remember all their wickedness: their own devices now have beset them about, they have been done before my face.

3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

They have made the king glad with their wickedness: and the princes with their lies.

4 They are all adulterers. They are burning like an oven that the baker stops stirring, from the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker: the city rested a little from the mingling of the leaven, till the whole was leavened.

5 On the day of our king, the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He joined his hand with mockers.

The day of our king, the princes began to be mad with wine: he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6 For they have prepared their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their anger smoulders all night. In the morning it burns as a flaming fire.

Because they have applied their heart like an oven, when he laid snares for them: he slept all the night baking them, in the morning he himself was heated as a flaming fire.

7 They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one amongst them who calls to me.

They were all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings have fallen: there is none amongst them that calleth unto me.

8 Ephraim mixes himself amongst the nations. Ephraim is a pancake not turned over.

Ephraim himself is mixed among the nations: Ephraim is become as bread baked under the ashes, that is not turned.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he doesn’t realise it. Indeed, grey hairs are here and there on him, and he doesn’t realise it.

Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knew it not: yea, grey hairs also are spread about upon him, and he is ignorant of it.

10 The pride of Israel testifies to his face; yet they haven’t returned to the LORD their God, nor sought him, for all this.

And the pride of Israel shall be humbled before his face: and they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought him in all these.

11 “Ephraim is like an easily deceived dove, without understanding. They call to Egypt. They go to Assyria.

And Ephraim is become as a dove that is decoyed, not having a heart: they called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians.

12 When they go, I will spread my net on them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.

And when they shall go, I will spread my net upon them: I will bring them down as the fowl of the air, I will strike them as their congregation hath heard.

13 Woe to them! For they have wandered from me. Destruction to them! For they have trespassed against me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

Woe to them, for they have departed from me: they shall be wasted because they have transgressed against me: and I redeemed them: and they have spoken lies against me.

14 They haven’t cried to me with their heart, but they howl on their beds. They assemble themselves for grain and new wine. They turn away from me.

And they have not cried to me with their heart, but they howled in their beds: they have thought upon wheat and wine, they are departed from me.

15 Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.

And I have chastised them, and strengthened their arms: and they have imagined evil against me.

16 They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Egypt.

They returned, that they might be without yoke: they became like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.