هُوشَع 11

١ 1 «لَمَّا كَانَ إِسْرَائِيلُ غُلَامًا أَحْبَبْتُهُ، وَمِنْ مِصْرَ دَعَوْتُ ٱبْنِي.

I loved Israel when he was a child. He's my son I called out of Egypt.

٢ 2 كُلَّ مَا دَعَوْهُمْ ذَهَبُوا مِنْ أَمَامِهِمْ يَذْبَحُونَ لِلْبَعْلِيمِ، وَيُبَخِّرُونَ لِلتَّمَاثِيلِ ٱلْمَنْحُوتَةِ.

As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed to the Baals and offered incense to idols.

٣ 3 وَأَنَا دَرَّجْتُ أَفْرَايِمَ مُمْسِكًا إِيَّاهُمْ بِأَذْرُعِهِمْ، فَلَمْ يَعْرِفُوا أَنِّي شَفَيْتُهُمْ.

I myself taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the hand, but they didn't realize I was the one who healed them.

٤ 4 كُنْتُ أَجْذِبُهُمْ بِحِبَالِ ٱلْبَشَرِ، بِرُبُطِ ٱلْمَحَبَّةِ، وَكُنْتُ لَهُمْ كَمَنْ يَرْفَعُ ٱلنِّيرَ عَنْ أَعْنَاقِهِمْ، وَمَدَدْتُ إِلَيْهِ مُطْعِمًا إِيَّاهُ.

I led them along with cords of kindness, with ropes of love. I was the one who eased their burden and bent down to feed them.

٥ 5 «لَا يَرْجِعُ إِلَى أَرْضِ مِصْرَ، بَلْ أَشُّورُ هُوَ مَلِكُهُ، لِأَنَّهُمْ أَبَوْا أَنْ يَرْجِعُوا.

However, because my people refuse to return to me, they will not return to the land of Egypt but Assyria shall be their king.

٦ 6 يَثُورُ ٱلسَّيْفُ فِي مُدُنِهِمْ وَيُتْلِفُ عِصِيَّهَا، وَيَأْكُلُهُمْ مِنْ أَجْلِ آرَائِهِمْ.

War will sweep through their cities, putting an end to their boasting and destroying their plans.

٧ 7 وَشَعْبِي جَانِحُونَ إِلَى ٱلِٱرْتِدَادِ عَنِّي، فَيَدْعُونَهُمْ إِلَى ٱلْعَلِيِّ وَلَا أَحَدٌ يَرْفَعُهُ.

My people are hanging on to their apostasy from me. They call him “god on high” but he will not raise them up at all.

٨ 8 كَيْفَ أَجْعَلُكَ يَا أَفْرَايِمُ، أُصَيِّرُكَ يَا إِسْرَائِيلُ؟! كَيْفَ أَجْعَلُكَ كَأَدَمَةَ، أَصْنَعُكَ كَصَبُويِيمَ؟! قَدِ ٱنْقَلَبَ عَلَيَّ قَلْبِي. ٱضْطَرَمَتْ مَرَاحِمِي جَمِيعًا.

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I let you go, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is breaking; I am full of compassion.

٩ 9 «لَا أُجْرِي حُمُوَّ غَضَبِي. لَا أَعُودُ أَخْرِبُ أَفْرَايِمَ، لِأَنِّي ٱللهُ لَا إِنْسَانٌ، ٱلْقُدُّوسُ فِي وَسَطِكَ فَلَا آتِي بِسَخَطٍ.

I will not execute the fierceness of my anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again. For I am God, not a human being. I am the Holy One living among you. I will not enter your cities.

١٠ 10 «وَرَاءَ ٱلرَّبِّ يَمْشُونَ. كَأَسَدٍ يُزَمْجِرُ. فَإِنَّهُ يُزَمْجِرُ فَيُسْرِعُ ٱلْبَنُونَ مِنَ ٱلْبَحْرِ.

The people will follow me, the Lord. He will roar like a lion. When he roars like a lion then his children will come trembling from the west.

١١ 11 يُسْرِعُونَ كَعُصْفُورٍ مِنْ مِصْرَ، وَكَحَمَامَةٍ مِنْ أَرْضِ أَشُّورَ، فَأُسْكِنُهُمْ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Like a flock of frightened birds they will come from Egypt, like doves they will come from Assyria, and I will bring them back home, declares the Lord.

١٢ 12 قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِي أَفْرَايِمُ بِٱلْكَذِبِ، وَبَيْتُ إِسْرَائِيلَ بِٱلْمَكْرِ، وَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَهُوذَا شَارِدًا عَنِ ٱللهِ وَعَنِ ٱلْقُدُّوسِ ٱلْأَمِينِ.

Ephraim surrounds me with lies and Israel with deceit, and Judah still wanders with some deity, faithful to some “Holy One.”