Hosea 14

1 O Israel, come back to the Lord your God; for your evil-doing has been the cause of your fall.

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

2 Take with you words, and come back to the Lord; say to him, Let there be forgiveness for all wrongdoing, so that we may take what is good, and give in payment the fruit of our lips.

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

3 Assyria will not be our salvation; we will not go on horses; we will not again say to the work of our hands, You are our gods; for in you there is mercy for the child who has no father.

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 put right their errors; freely will my love be given to them, for my wrath is turned away from him.

“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 to Israel; he will put out flowers like a lily, and send out his roots like Lebanon.

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

6 His branches will be stretched out, he will be beautiful as the olive-tree and sweet-smelling as Lebanon.

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

7 They will come back and have rest in his shade; their life will be made new like the grain, and they will put out flowers like the vine; his name will be like the wine of Lebanon.

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 As for Ephraim, what has he to do with false gods any longer? I have given an answer and I will keep watch over him; I am like a branching fir-tree, from me comes your fruit.

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 He who is wise will see these things; he who has good sense will have knowledge of them. For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the upright will go in them, but sinners will be falling in them.

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