Hosea 7

1 When I would have brought healing to Israel, then was disclosed the iniquity of Ephraim, and the wicked doings of Samaria, for they have wrought falsehood, —when, a thief, would enter, a band roamed about, outside,

When I was about to deliver my people from captivity, When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, And the wickedness of Samaria; For they practise fraud, And the thief entereth in, And the band of robbers spoileth without.

2 And they say not to their own hearts, that, all their wickedness, I remember, now, have their doings, beset them about, right before my face, have they been done.

And they think not in their hearts, That I remember all their wickedness. Now shall their doings encompass them; They are before my face.

3 By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.

With their wickedness they gladden the king, And with their falsehoods the princes; All of them are adulterers;

4 They all, are adulterers, like an oven too hot for the baker, —who leaveth off stoking, after kneading the dough, till the whole be leavened.

They are as an oven heated by the baker; He ceaseth to stir the fire, Until the dough which he hath kneaded be leavened.

5 In the day of our king, the rulers, have made themselves ill, with the heat of wine, —he hath extended his hand with scoffers.

On the feast-day of our king, the princes are sick with the heat of wine, And he stretcheth out his hand with revilers.

6 For they have made ready, like an oven, their heart, by their lying in wait, —all the night, their baker sleepeth, in the morning, he, kindleth up as it were a blazing fire.

For they make ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; All night the baker sleepeth; In the morning it gloweth like a flaming fire.

7 They all, become hot as an oven, and devour their judges, —all their kings, have fallen, there hath been none among them crying unto me.

They all glow as an oven; They have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen; And none among them calleth upon me.

8 As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.

Ephraim hath mixed himself with the nations; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9 Foreigners have, eaten up, his strength, and, he, knoweth it not, —even gray hairs, are sprinkled upon him, and, he, knoweth it not.

Strangers have devoured his strength, And he knoweth it not; Yea, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, Yet he knoweth it not.

10 Therefore doth the Excellency of Israel, answer, to his face; yet have they not returned unto Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this!

The pride of Israel testifieth to his face; Yet do not they return to Jehovah their God, Nor seek him, for all this.

11 So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,

Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding; They call upon Egypt; they go to Assyria.

12 Whithersoever they go, I will spread over them my net, like a bird of the heavens, will I bring them down, I will chastise them, by the time the report can reach the flock of them.

When they go, I will spread my net over them; As birds of heaven will I bring them down. I will chastise them, as hath been proclaimed in their congregation.

13 Woe to them! for they have taken flight from me, destruction to them! for they have transgressed against me, —when, I, would have ransomed them, then, they, spake—concerning me—falsehoods.

Woe to them, for they have wandered from me! Destruction upon them, for they have rebelled against me! Though I myself would redeem them, they speak falsely to me.

14 Neither made they outcry unto me, in their heart, although they kept on howling upon their beds, over corn and new wine, they gathered themselves together, they rebelled against me.

They cry not to me from their heart, But howl upon their beds; For corn and wine they assemble themselves; They rebel against me.

15 When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.

I have chastened them; I have also strengthened their arms; Yet do they devise evil against me.

16 They would return—not to him who is on high! They have become like a deceitful bow, their rulers, shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue, this, [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.

They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes shall fall by the sword for the haughtiness of their tongues; This shall be their reproach in the land of Egypt.