Hosea 14
1 Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity.
O Israel, return unto YHWH thy Elohim; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, “Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips.
Take with you words, and turn to YHWH: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.
3 Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.”
Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our elohim: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
4 I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Ephraim will say, “What are idols to me anymore?” I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me.
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.
9 Who is wise and will understand this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of YHWH are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
