< Hoseas 11 >

1 Jeg fik Israel kær i hans Ungdom, fra Ægypten kaldte jeg min Søn.
“Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.
2 Jo mer jeg kaldte dem, des mere fjerned de sig fra mig; de ofrer til Ba'alerne, tænder for Billederne Offerild.
But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.
3 Jeg lærte dog Efraim at gaa og tog ham paa Armen; de vidste ej, det var mig, der lægte dem.
[The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.
4 Jeg drog dem med Menneskesnore, med Kærligheds Reb; jeg var dem som den, der løfter et Aag over Kæben, jeg bøjed mig ned til ham og rakte ham Føde.
[It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
5 Han skal til Ægypten igen, have Assur til Konge, thi omvende sig vil de ikke.
But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.
6 Sværdet skal rase i hans Byer, fortære hans Slaaer og hærge i hans Fæstninger.
[Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.
7 Mit Folk, det hælder til Frafald fra mig, og raaber man til det: »Op, op!« — staar ingen op.
My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.
8 Hvor kan jeg ofre dig, Efraim, lade dig, Israel, fare, ofre dig ligesom Adma, gøre dig som Zebojim? Mit Hjerte vender sig i mig, al min Medynk er vakt.
[You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.
9 Jeg fuldbyrder ikke min Harmglød, gør ej Efraim til intet igen. Thi Gud er jeg, ikke et Menneske, hellig udi din Midte, med Vredesglød kommer jeg ikke.
Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].
10 HERREN skal de holde sig til, han brøler som Løven, ja brøler, og bævende kommer Sønner fra Havet,
You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.
11 bævende som Fugle fra Ægypten, som Duer fra Assurs Land; jeg fører dem hjem til deres Huse, lyder det fra HERREN.
[Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
12 Efraim omgiver mig med Løgn, Israels Hus med svig, Juda kender ej Gud, med Skøger slaar han sig sammen.
[Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”

< Hoseas 11 >