Hosea 12

1 Ephraim feedeth on the wind, and followeth the burning heat: all the day long he multiplied lies and desolation: and he hath made a covenant with the Assyrians, and carried oil into Egypt.

厄弗辣因愛好颶風，整日追逐東風，說許多謊話，行許多暴行，既與亞述結盟，又給埃及送油。

2 Therefore there is a judgment of the Lord with Juda, and a visitation for Jacob: he will render to him according to his ways, and according to his devices.

上主要與以色列爭辯，要按他們的行徑懲罰雅各伯，依照他的行為報復他：

3 In the womb he supplanted his brother: and by his strength he had success with an angel.

他在母胎中就欺騙了他的弟兄，及至壯年又曾與天神搏鬥；

4 And he prevailed over the angel, and was strengthened: he wept, and made supplication to him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us.

他與天神博鬥，並且獲得了勝利；他哭了，曾懇求他開恩；在貝特耳再遇見了他，在那裏天主對他說：──

5 Even the Lord the God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial.

上主，萬軍的天主，雅威是他的名號x──

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep mercy and judgment, and hope in thy God always.

「至於你，你應當歸向你的天主，遵守仁愛和正義，時刻仰望你的天主。」

7 He is like Chanaan, there is a deceitful balance in his hand, he hath loved oppression.

厄弗辣因有如客納罕人，手裏拿著欺詐的天秤，喜行欺騙。

8 And Ephraim said: But yet I am become rich, I have found me an idol: all my labours shall not find me the iniquity that I have committed.

厄弗辣因說：「我現在實在成了富翁，發了大財。」然而他所獲得的一切，為補贖他所犯的罪孽，仍嫌不夠。

9 And I that am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, will yet cause thee to dwell in tabernacles, as in the days of the feast.

自從在埃及地時，我就是上主，你的天主：我必再使你住在帳幕中，如在盛會的節日一樣。

10 And I have spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and I have used similitudes by the ministry of the prophets.

是我向先知們說了話，是我增多了異象，我也必藉先知們消滅他們。

11 If Galaad be an idol, then in vain were they in Galgal offering sacrifices with bullocks: for their altars also are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

在基肋阿得只有罪惡，的確，他們只是虛無；在基耳加耳 他們向牛犢獻了祭，因此他們的祭壇必將成為田畦中的石堆。

12 Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and was a keeper for a wife.

雅各伯曾逃到阿蘭平原，以色列曾為娶妻而服役，曾為娶妻而放羊。

13 But the Lord by a prophet brought Israel out of Egypt: and he was preserved by a prophet.

上主曾藉一位先知領以色列出離埃及，也藉一位先知保護了他們。

14 Ephraim hath provoked me to wrath with his bitterness, and his blood shall come upon him, and his Lord will render his reproach unto him.

但厄弗辣因大大激怒了上主，他的血債必要歸到他身上，他的主必要在他身上報復自己受的凌辱。