Hosea 14
1 Return, O Israel, unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast stumbled in thine iniquity.
Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity.
2 Take with you words, and return unto the LORD; say unto Him: 'Forgive all iniquity, and accept that which is good; so will we render for bullocks the offering of our lips.
Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, “Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips.
3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we call any more the work of our hands our gods; for in Thee the fatherless findeth mercy.'
Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.”
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for Mine anger is turned away from him.
I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his fragrance as Lebanon.
His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall again make corn to grow, and shall blossom as the vine; the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim shall say: 'What have I to do any more with idols?' As for Me, I respond and look on him; I am like a leafy cypress-tree; from Me is thy fruit found.
Ephraim will say, “What are idols to me anymore?” I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me.
9 Whoso is wise, let him understand these things, whoso is prudent, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the just do walk in them; but transgressors do stumble therein.
Who is wise and will understand this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them.
