Hosea 7

1 when I heal Israel, Ephraim's sins will be exposed, together with the evil actions of Samaria. They deal in lies; they are thieves who break into homes and rob people on the outside.

when I would heal Israel, then Ephrain’s guilt is revealed, and Samaria’s crimes are seen, how they practise fraud and the thief enters in, while outside bandits plunder.

2 But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.

But it never crosses their minds that I remember their wickedness. Now their misdeeds surround them, they are always before my face.

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

Their wickedness amuses the king, and their lying gladdens the princes,

4 All of them are adulterers, burning with lust like an oven whose fire stays hot, even though it is not tended by the baker, having left the dough to rise after kneading.

since they are all of them adulterers. Their desire to do evil burns like an oven heated by the baker, so hot that he need not stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough, until it rises.

5 On the king's birthday the princes drink so much they are sick, while he joins in with those who mock.

On our king’s festival day, the princes are flushed with fever from wine. He stretched forth his hand with the contemptuous,

6 Their minds are fired up like an oven; they go to him with their plots. All through the night their anger burns; in the morning it blazes out uncontrollably.

for like an oven their heart burns with treachery, all night their anger smoulders, in the morning it blazes into a flame of fire.

7 All of them are as hot as a burning oven, and they exhaust their leaders. All of their kings have fallen, and not one of them calls on me.

All of them glow like an oven, they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen. There is none among them who calls to me.

8 Ephraim mixes with the foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!

Ephraim – he lets himself be mixed among the peoples, Ephraim – he has become a cake unturned.

9 Foreigners drain his strength, and he doesn't even realize it. His hair is turning grey and he doesn't even notice.

Strangers have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice.

10 Israel's pride testifies against him, but for all of this he still does not return to the Lord their God or look for him.

Israel’s arrogance testifies against them yet they do not return to the Lord their God, and in all this they do not seek him.

11 Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.

Ephraim is like a simple, silly dove: to Egypt they call, after Assyria they go,

12 When they go I will throw my net over them; I will bring them down like wild birds. When I hear them flocking together I will punish them.

wherever they turn I will spread my net over them, like birds of the sky I will bring them down, I will catch them when I hear them gathering.

13 What disaster is coming to them because they have strayed from me! Destruction is coming to them because they have rebelled against me! I wish I could redeem them, but they tell lies about me.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have been untrue to me. Although it was I who redeemed them, they speak lies about me.

14 They do not cry out to me with sincere minds; instead they lie on their beds howling. They assemble together and gash themselves to gain grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.

They have never cried to me with their hearts, but they are always wailing on their beds. They gather to beg for corn and new wine, but they turn away from me.

15 I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.

Although it was I who trained and strengthened their arms, concerning me they plan only evil.

16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a useless bow. Their leaders will be killed by the sword because of their cursing. Because of this they will be ridiculed in Egypt.

They turn away from the Most High. They have become like a bow that swerves. Their princes will fall by the sword, because of the insolence of their tongues. The land of Egypt will mock them.