Hosea 6

1 “Come! Let’s return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

“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.

2 After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.

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

3 Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

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.”

4 “Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

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.

5 Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

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

6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

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

7 But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

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

8 Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

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

9 As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

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.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

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

11 “Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.

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