Osee 14

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

O Israel, return to the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity.

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

Ashur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Ye are] our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

7 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.

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

8 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 your fruit found.

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 thy fruit found.

9 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.

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 in them.