Hosea 6

1 Come and let us return unto Jehovah: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

“Come, let us return to Yahweh. For he has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds.

2 After two days will he revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before his face;

After two days he will revive us; he will raise us up on the third day, and we will live before him.

3 and we shall know, — we shall follow on to know Jehovah: his going forth is assured as the morning dawn; and he will come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain which watereth the earth.

Let us know Yahweh; let us press on to know Yahweh. His coming out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the land.”

4 What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do unto thee, Judah? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away.

Ephraim, what will I do with you? Judah, what will I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.

5 Therefore have I hewed [them] by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and my judgment goeth forth as the light.

So I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth. Your decrees are like the light that shines out.

6 For I delight in loving-kindness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.

For I desire faithfulness and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

Like Adam they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me.

8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity; it is tracked with blood.

Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints of blood.

9 And as troops of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way of Shechem; yea, they commit lewdness.

As gangs of robbers wait for someone, so the priests band together to commit murder on the way to Shechem; they have committed shameful crimes.

10 In the house of Israel have I seen a horrible thing: the whoredom of Ephraim is there; Israel is defiled.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

11 Also, for thee, Judah, is a harvest appointed, when I shall turn again the captivity of my people.

For you also, Judah, a harvest has been appointed, when I will restore the fortunes of my people.