Hosea 12

1 Ephraim tries to herd the wind, chasing after the east wind all day long. Their lies and violence keep on increasing. They make a treaty with Assyria, and send olive oil to Egypt.

Ephraim, feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind, all the day, falsehood and force, doth he magnify, —and, a covenant with Assyria, would they solemnize, and, oil into Egypt, must be borne along.

2 The Lord also has an accusation against Judah, and will punish Jacob for the way the people act; he will repay them for what they have done.

But, a controversy, hath Yahweh with Judah, —so that he may bring punishment on Jacob, according to his ways, According to his doings, repay him.

3 Even in the womb he fought with his brother; when he became a man he fought with God.

In the womb, took he his brother by the heel; and, in his manly vigour, strove he with God:

4 He fought with the angel, and he won. He wept, and begged him for a blessing. Jacob found God at Bethel, and spoke with him there—

Yea he strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him, —At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us;

5 the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his memorable name!

And, Yahweh, is God of host, —Yahweh, is his memorial.

6 You must return to your God. Act lovingly and do what is right, and always wait for your God.

Thou, therefore, by thy God, shalt return, —lovingkindness and justice, do thou keep, so wait thou for thy God, continually.

7 A merchant who holds in his hands dishonest scales loves to swindle.

A trafficker! in his hand, are balances of deceit, to oppress, he loveth.

8 Ephraim says, “I'm rich! I've made myself wealthy! I've made so much from my work, and nobody can prove me guilty of doing wrong.”

So then Ephraim said, Surely I have gotten me riches, I have found wealth for myself, —in all my toils, they cannot find in me perversity which is sin.

9 But I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. I will make you live again in tents like you do at the time of that particular festival.

But, I, Yahweh, have been thy God, from the land of Egypt, —I will yet make thee dwell in tents, as in the days of appointed meeting.

10 I spoke through the prophets. I myself gave many visions and parables through the prophets.

And I will lay my word upon the prophets, yea, I myself, have magnified, vision, —and, by the hand of the prophets, will I use similitudes.

11 If Gilead is idolatrous, they will surely come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Even their altars are like heaps of rocks in the furrows of the field.

If, Gilead, is in sorrow, surely false, have they been, In Gilgal, have they sacrificed, bullocks, —their very altars, shall become as heaps upon the furrows of the field.

12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram; Israel worked there to gain a wife, earning a wife by looking after sheep.

When Jacob fled to the country of Syria, then Israel served for a wife, and, for a wife, he watched over a flock.

13 Through a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet they were cared for.

And, by a prophet, Yahweh, brought up, Israel out of Egypt, —and, by a prophet, was he watched over.

14 Ephraim has really upset the Lord, and the Lord will let them have the consequences of their bloodshed and pay them back for their contempt.

Ephraim hath provoked, very bitterly, —his own blood, therefore, upon him, will he leave, and, his reproach, shall his Lord, bring back to him.