< Osee 7 >

1 When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, [even] a robber spoiling in his way;
When I would heal Israel, then is the iniquity of Ephraim uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they commit falsehood, and the thief entereth in, and the troop of robbers ravageth without.
2 that they may concert together as [men] singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now have their own doings beset them about; they are before my face.
3 They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.
They are all adulterers; they are as an oven heated by the baker; he ceaseth to stir [the fire], from the kneading of the dough, until it be leavened.
5 [In] the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows.
On the day of our king the princes made themselves sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with scoffers.
6 Therefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire.
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
7 They are all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings are fallen; there was not among them one that called on me.
They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8 Ephraim is mixed among his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned.
Ephraim, he mixeth himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew [it] not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knew [it] not.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth [it] not.
10 And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.
And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: yet they have not returned unto Jehovah their God, nor sought him, for all this.
11 And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians.
And Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding: they call unto Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 Whenever they shall go, I will cast my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the sky, I will chasten them with the rumor of their [coming] affliction.
When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the heavens; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
13 Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me.
Woe unto them! for they have wandered from me; destruction unto them! for they have trespassed against me: though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oil and wine.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart, but they howl upon their beds: they assemble themselves for grain and new wine; they rebel against me.
15 They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils against me.
Though I have taught and strengthened their arms, yet do they devise mischief against me.
16 They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nothing in the land of Egypt.
They return, but not to [him that is] on high; they are like a deceitful bow; their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

< Osee 7 >