Hosea 7

1 When I would have healed Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria, for they have committed falsehood, and the thief is come in to steal, the robber is without.

Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.

2 And lest they may say in their hearts, that I remember all their wickedness: their own devices now have beset them about, they have been done before my face.

They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.

3 They have made the king glad with their wickedness: and the princes with their lies.

With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.

4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker: the city rested a little from the mingling of the leaven, till the whole was leavened.

They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

5 The day of our king, the princes began to be mad with wine: he stretched out his hand with scorners.

On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.

6 Because they have applied their heart like an oven, when he laid snares for them: he slept all the night baking them, in the morning he himself was heated as a flaming fire.

For with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming fire.

7 They were all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings have fallen: there is none amongst them that calleth unto me.

They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.

8 Ephraim himself is mixed among the nations: Ephraim is become as bread baked under the ashes, that is not turned.

Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.

9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knew it not: yea, grey hairs also are spread about upon him, and he is ignorant of it.

Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.

10 And the pride of Israel shall be humbled before his face: and they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought him in all these.

The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.

11 And Ephraim is become as a dove that is decoyed, not having a heart: they called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians.

Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.

12 And when they shall go, I will spread my net upon them: I will bring them down as the fowl of the air, I will strike them as their congregation hath heard.

When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.

13 Woe to them, for they have departed from me: they shall be wasted because they have transgressed against me: and I redeemed them: and they have spoken lies against me.

Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against me.

14 And they have not cried to me with their heart, but they howled in their beds: they have thought upon wheat and wine, they are departed from me.

They have not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.

15 And I have chastised them, and strengthened their arms: and they have imagined evil against me.

Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.

16 They returned, that they might be without yoke: they became like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.

They return, but they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.