Hosea 6

1 Come, and let us return to the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

“Come on! Let's go back to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but now he will heal us. He has struck us down, but now he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day will he raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

In two days he will heal us; after three days he will raise us up so we can live in his presence.

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.

Let's get to know the Lord, really strive to know him, and he will appear to us as surely as the sun will rise; he will come to us as certainly as the spring rains fall on the earth.”

4 O Ephraim, what shall I do to thee? O Judah, what shall I do to thee? for your goodness is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

Ephraim, what shall I do with you? Judah, what shall I do with you? Your love disappears like mist at dawn; it vanishes like dew in the morning.

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

So I cut you down through the prophets; I killed you with my words. My judgment shines out like a light.

6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

I want your true love, not your sacrifices; I want you to know me, not your burnt offerings.

7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

But you, just like Adam, broke our agreement, there you were unfaithful to me.

8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

Gilead is a city of evil people where footprints are tracked in blood.

9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

Priests are like a gang of bandits, lying in wait to ambush travelers on the road. They commit murder in Shechem, carrying out wicked crimes.

10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the harlotry of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

I have seen in the house of Israel something totally disgusting: Ephraim engages in prostitution and Israel is sexually corrupt.

11 Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

And as for you, Judah, your harvest-time has been set! When I restore the fortunes of my people,