Hosea 9

1 Rejoice not, Israel, exultingly, as the peoples; for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God, thou hast loved harlot's hire upon every corn-floor.

Rejoice not too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.

2 The floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail her.

Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail them.

3 They shall not dwell in Jehovah's land; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria shall they eat that which is unclean.

They will not stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.

4 They shall pour out no [offerings of] wine to Jehovah, neither shall their sacrifices be pleasing unto him: they shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be defiled: for their bread shall be for themselves; it shall not come into the house of Jehovah.

They will not pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.

5 What will ye do in the day of assembly, and in the day of the feast of Jehovah?

What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?

6 For behold, they are gone away because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Moph shall bury them: their pleasant things of silver, nettles shall possess them; thorns shall be in their tents.

Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.

7 The days of visitation are come; the days of recompence are come: Israel shall know [it]: the prophet is a fool, the inspired man is mad, because of the greatness of thine iniquity, and the great enmity.

The days of punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! “The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!” It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your hatred.

8 Is Ephraim a watchman with my God? [nay] the prophet is a fowler's snare on all his ways, enmity in the house of his God.

Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.

they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish their sin.

10 I found Israel as grapes in the wilderness; as first-ripe fruit on the fig-tree, I saw your fathers at the beginning: they went to Baal-Peor, and separated themselves unto that shame, and became abominations like their lover.

I found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away as a bird, — no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!

Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more conception.

12 For even should they bring up their children, yet will I bereave them, [that] not a man [remain]: for woe also to them when I shall have departed from them!

Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!

13 Ephraim, as I saw [him], was a Tyre planted in a beautiful place; but Ephraim shall bring forth his children to the slayer.

Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.

14 Give them, Jehovah — what wilt thou give? — give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up breasts!

15 All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them: because of the wickedness of their doings, I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more: all their princes are rebellious.

All their evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.

16 Ephraim is smitten: their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they should bring forth, yet will I slay the beloved [fruit] of their womb.

Ephraim is blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings of their womb,

17 My God hath rejected them, because they hearkened not unto him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

My God will reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.