Hosea 14

1 O Israel, returne vnto the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God; for the people have fallen through thine iniquities.

2 Take vnto you words, and turne to the Lord, and say vnto him, Take away all iniquitie, and receiue vs graciously: so wil we render the calues of our lippes.

Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that ye may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that ye may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.

3 Asshur shall not saue vs, neither wil we ride vpon horses, neither will we say any more to the worke of our handes, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie.

Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in thee shall pity the orphan.

4 I wil heale their rebellion: I wil loue them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.

5 I will be as the dewe vnto Israel: he shall grow as the lilie and fasten his rootes, as the trees of Lebanon.

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

6 His branches shall spread, and his beautie shalbe as the oliue tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.

7 They that dwel vnder his shadow, shall returne: they shall reuiue as the corne, and florish as the vine: the sent thereof shalbe as the wine of Lebanon.

They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.

8 Ephraim shall say, What haue I to doe any more with idoles? I haue heard him, and looked vpon him: I am like a greene firre tree: vpon me is thy fruite founde.

What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is thy fruit found.

9 Who is wise, and he shall vnderstande these things? and prudent, and he shall knowe them? for the wayes of the Lord are righteous, and the iust shall walke in them: but the wicked shall fall therein.

Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.