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.

Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.

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

They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

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

With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.

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.

They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

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

On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.

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 with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming 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.

They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.

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

Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.

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

Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.

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.

The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.

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

Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.

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.

When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.

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. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against 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 not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.

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

Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.

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 return, but they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.