Hosea 14

1 Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, because your sins have brought you down.

O Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity.

2 Take words like these with you and come back to the Lord, saying to him, “Please take away all our guilt, accept what is good, and we will repay you with praise from our lips.

Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say to him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

3 Assyria can't save us; we will not ride our warhorses; we will never again say ‘You are our gods’ to the idols we have made. For in you orphans find mercy.”

Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride on horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, You are our gods: for in you the fatherless finds mercy.

4 I will heal their unfaithfulness; I will love them freely, for I'm not angry with them any more.

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for my anger is turned away from him.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel, they will blossom like lilies, they will send down roots like the cedars of Lebanon.

I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

6 They shall send out new shoots, their splendor will be like the olive tree, their scent will be like the cedars of Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

7 Those who live under their shade shall return, they will flourish like grain, they will blossom like the vine, and they will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.

They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

8 Ephraim, how much more do I have to warn you about idols? I have answered and now I am watching. I am like a tree that is evergreen; your fruit is found in me.

Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is your fruit found.

9 Who is wise to understand these things? Who has discernment in understanding them? The Lord's paths are right—the good follow them, but rebels trip and fall along the way.

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.