Hosea 6

1 “Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind up our wounds.

saying, ‘Come let us return to the Lord, for he has torn us but he will heal us, he has injured us but he will bandage our wounds,

2 He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his presence.

he will revive in a couple of days, on the third day he will raise us up again, to live in his presence.

3 And let us feel it, that we may strive to know the Lord; bright as the morning-dawn is his rising; and he will come as the rain unto us, as the latter rain that maketh fruitful the earth.”

Let us know, let us eagerly seek to know the Lord. His coming is as sure as the sunrise. He will come to us like the winter rain, as the spring rain that waters the earth.’

4 What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do unto thee, O Judah? for your piety is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.

What can I make of you, Ephraim! What can I make of you, Judah! Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew which early goes away.

5 Therefore did I hew [them] down by means of the prophets; I slew them by the words of my mouth: and thy punishments go forth like the light.

That is why I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth. My judgment is like the light that goes forth,

6 For piety I desired, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God, more than burnt-offerings.

for it is love that I delight in and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God and not burnt offerings.

7 But they, like an ordinary man, have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

But they after the manner of men have transgressed the covenant, there they have played me false.

8 Gil'ad is become a city of workers of wickedness, is full of traces of blood.

Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with bloody footprints,

9 And as troops that lie in wait for a man, so is the band of priests, they murder on the way in unison; for they commit scandalous deeds.

and as bandits lie in wait for a man, so a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem. How terrible is the evil they do!

10 On the house of Israel have I seen a horrible thing: there is lewdness in Ephraim, Israel is become defiled.

In Bethel I have seen a horrible thing. There Ephraim plays the prostitute, Israel is defiled.

11 Also for thee, O Judah, will a harvest be prepared, when I bring back the captivity of my people.

Judah for you also a harvest is set. When I would restore the fortunes of my people,