Hosea 12

1 Ephraim striveth after wind, and followeth after the east wind; all the day he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

Ephraim is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth, And a covenant with Asshur they make, And oil to Egypt is carried.

2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will He recompense him.

And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and by his strength he strove with a godlike being;

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,

4 So he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him; at Beth-el he would find him, and there he would speak with us;

Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh [by] weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us,

5 But the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is His name.

Even Jehovah, God of the Hosts, Jehovah [is] His memorial.

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God; keep mercy and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.

7 As for the trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand. He loveth to oppress.

Canaan! in his hand [are] balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.

8 And Ephraim said: 'Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth; in all my labours they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.'

And Ephraim saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours — they find not against me iniquity that [is] sin.'

9 But I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt; I will yet again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed season.

And I — Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.

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

And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.

11 If Gilead be given to iniquity becoming altogether vanity, in Gilgal they sacrifice unto bullocks; yea, their altars shall be as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.

12 And Jacob fled into the field of Aram, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.

And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.

13 And by a prophet the LORD brought Israel up out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he kept.

And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched.

14 Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly; therefore shall his blood be cast upon him, and his reproach shall his Lord return unto him.

Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!