Hosea 14
1 Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.
Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, because your sins have brought you down.
2 Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.
Take words like these with you and come back to the Lord, saying to him, “Please take away all our guilt, accept what is good, and we will repay you with praise from our lips.
3 Assyria cannot save us. We will not ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”
Assyria can't save us; we will not ride our warhorses; we will never again say ‘You are our gods’ to the idols we have made. For in you orphans find mercy.”
4 “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.
I will heal their unfaithfulness; I will love them freely, for I'm not angry with them any more.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.
I will be like the dew to Israel, they will blossom like lilies, they will send down roots like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
They shall send out new shoots, their splendor will be like the olive tree, their scent will be like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.
Those who live under their shade shall return, they will flourish like grain, they will blossom like the vine, and they will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”
Ephraim, how much more do I have to warn you about idols? I have answered and now I am watching. I am like a tree that is evergreen; your fruit is found in me.
9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Who is wise to understand these things? Who has discernment in understanding them? The Lord's paths are right—the good follow them, but rebels trip and fall along the way.
