הושע 13

1 כדבר אפרים רתת נשא הוא בישראל ויאשם בבעל וימת׃

When the words of my law came from Ephraim, he was lifted up in Israel; but when he did evil through the Baal, death overtook him.

2 ועתה יוספו לחטא ויעשו להם מסכה מכספם כתבונם עצבים מעשה חרשים כלה להם הם אמרים זבחי אדם עגלים ישקון׃

And now their sins are increased; they have made themselves a metal image, false gods from their silver, after their designs, all of them the work of the metal-workers; they say of them, Let them give offerings, let men give kisses to the oxen.

3 לכן יהיו כענן בקר וכטל משכים הלך כמץ יסער מגרן וכעשן מארבה׃

So they will be like the morning cloud, like the dew which goes early away, like the dust of the grain which the wind is driving out of the crushing-floor, like smoke going up from the fireplace.

4 ואנכי יהוה אלהיך מארץ מצרים ואלהים זולתי לא תדע ומושיע אין בלתי׃

But I am the Lord your God, from the land of Egypt; you have knowledge of no other God and there is no saviour but me.

5 אני ידעתיך במדבר בארץ תלאבות׃

I had knowledge of you in the waste land where no water was.

6 כמרעיתם וישבעו שבעו וירם לבם על כן שכחוני׃

When I gave them food they were full, and their hearts were full of pride, and they did not keep me in mind.

7 ואהי להם כמו שחל כנמר על דרך אשור׃

So I will be like a lion to them; as a cruel beast I will keep watch by the road;

8 אפגשם כדב שכול ואקרע סגור לבם ואכלם שם כלביא חית השדה תבקעם׃

I will come face to face with them like a bear whose young ones have been taken from her, and their inmost hearts will be broken; there the dogs will make a meal of them; they will be wounded by the beasts of the field.

9 שחתך ישראל כי בי בעזרך׃

I have sent destruction on you, O Israel; who will be your helper?

10 אהי מלכך אפוא ויושיעך בכל עריך ושפטיך אשר אמרת תנה לי מלך ושרים׃

Where is your king, that he may be your saviour? and all your rulers, that they may take up your cause? of whom you said, Give me a king and rulers.

11 אתן לך מלך באפי ואקח בעברתי׃

I have given you a king, because I was angry, and have taken him away in my wrath.

12 צרור עון אפרים צפונה חטאתו׃

The wrongdoing of Ephraim is shut up; his sin is put away in secret.

13 חבלי יולדה יבאו לו הוא בן לא חכם כי עת לא יעמד במשבר בנים׃

The pains of a woman in childbirth will come on him: he is an unwise son, for at this time it is not right for him to keep his place when children come to birth.

14 מיד שאול אפדם ממות אגאלם אהי דבריך מות אהי קטבך שאול נחם יסתר מעיני׃ (Sheol h7585)

I will give the price to make them free from the power of the underworld, I will be their saviour from death: O death! where are your pains? O underworld! where is your destruction? my eyes will have no pity. (Sheol h7585)

15 כי הוא בין אחים יפריא יבוא קדים רוח יהוה ממדבר עלה ויבוש מקורו ויחרב מעינו הוא ישסה אוצר כל כלי חמדה׃

Though he gives fruit among his brothers, an east wind will come, the wind of the Lord coming up from the waste land, and his spring will become dry, his fountain will be without water: it will make waste the store of all the vessels of his desire.

16 תאשם שמרון כי מרתה באלהיה בחרב יפלו עלליהם ירטשו והריותיו יבקעו׃

Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.