Hosea 14
1 O Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen by your iniquity.
Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity.
2 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.
Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, “Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips.
3 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.
Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.”
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for my anger is turned away from him.
I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them.
5 I will be as the dew to Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
7 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.
They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon.
8 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.
Ephraim will say, “What are idols to me anymore?” I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me.
9 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.
Who is wise and will understand this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them.
