Hosea 14

1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen down by thy iniquity.

2 Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.

Take with you words, and return to the Lord, and say to him: Take away all iniquity, and receive the good: and we will render the calves of our lips.

3 Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.”

Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods, for thou wilt have mercy on the fatherless that is in thee.

4 I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them.

I will heal their breaches, I will love them freely: for my wrath is turned away from them.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.

I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus.

6 His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus.

7 They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.

They shall be converted that sit under his shadow: they shall live upon wheat, and they shall blossom as a vine: his memorial shall be as the wine of Libanus.

8 O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is thy fruit found.

9 Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him 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, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know these things? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall in them.