Hosea 6

1 Come and let us return unto Jehovah: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

“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 will he revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before his face;

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

3 and we shall know, — we shall follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is assured as the morning dawn; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain which watereth 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 What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do unto thee, Judah? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away.

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 have I hewed [them] by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and my judgment goeth forth as the light.

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

6 For I delight in loving-kindness, 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 transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

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

8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity; it is tracked with blood.

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

9 And as troops of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way of Shechem; yea, they commit lewdness.

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 have I seen a horrible thing: the whoredom of Ephraim is there; 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, for thee, Judah, is a harvest appointed, when I shall turn again the captivity of my people.

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