< Osee 8 >
1 [He shall come] into their midst as the land, as an eagle against the house of the Lord, because they have transgressed my covenant, and have sinned against my law.
To thy mouth, with a horn! Like an eagle, on the house of Yahweh, —because they have violated my covenant, and, against my law, have they transgressed.
2 They shall soon cry out to me, [saying], O God, we know you.
Unto me, shall they make outcry, My God! we acknowledge thee—[we], Israel!
3 For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy.
Israel hath cast away what is good, —an enemy, shall pursue him.
4 They have made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: [of] their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed.
They, have appointed kings, but not from me, have made rulers, but I have not acknowledged them: of their silver and their gold, they made themselves idols, to the end they might be cut off.
5 Cast off your calf, O Samaria; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will they be unable to purge themselves in Israel?
He hath cast away thy calf, O Samaria, kindled is mine anger upon them, —How long shall they not endure to be innocent?
6 Whereas the workman made it, and it is not God; therefore your calf, Samaria, was a deceiver:
For, of Israel, is even that thing! A craftsman, made it, and, a No-god, it is! For, into fragments, shall the Calf of Samaria be broken.
7 for they sowed blighted [seed], and their destruction shall await them, a sheaf of corn that avails not to make meal; and even if it should produce it, strangers shall devour it.
For, to the wind, they sow, and, to the whirlwind, they reap: stalk, hath it none, That which shooteth forth, shall yield no meal, If so be it yield, foreigners, swallow it lip,
8 Israel is swallowed up: now is he become amongst the nations as a worthless vessel.
Swallowed up, is Israel; Now, have they gone among the nations, like a vessel in which no man taketh, delight.
9 For they have gone up to the Assyrians: Ephraim has been strengthened against himself; they loved gifts.
For, they, have gone up to Assyria, A wild ass going alone for himself, is Ephraim! They have hired lovers!
10 Therefore shall they be delivered to the nations: now I will receive them, and they shall cease a little to anoint a king and princes.
Even though they hire them among the nations, at once, will I gather them, when they have begun to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of rulers.
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars, [his] beloved altars are become sins to him.
Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars sinfully, they have become to him the altars of sin.
12 I will write down a multitude [of commands] for him; but his statutes are accounted strange things, [even] the beloved altars.
I have been wont to write for him the myriad things of my law, —Like something alien, have they been accounted.
13 For if they should offer a sacrifice, and eat flesh, the lord will not accept them: now will he remember their iniquities, and will take vengeance on their sins: they have returned to Egypt, and they shall eat unclean things amongst the Assyrians.
My sacrificial gifts, have they been sacrificing as [common] flesh, and have eaten, Yahweh, hath not accepted them, —Now, will he call to mind their iniquity, that he may punish their sin, they, to Egypt, will return.
14 And Israel has forgotten him that made him, and they have built fanes, and Juda has multiplied walled cities: but I will send fire on his cities, and it shall devour their foundations.
And so Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and hath built temples, and, Judah, hath multiplied fortified cities, —Therefore will I send a fire upon his cities, and it shall consume the palaces thereof.