Hosea 12

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

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.

2 And YHWH has a controversy with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, He returns to him according to his doings.

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

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

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

4 Indeed, he is a prince to the Messenger, And he overcomes [by] weeping, And he makes supplication to Him, At Bethel He finds him, And there He speaks with us,

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;

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

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

6 And you, through your God, turn, Keep kindness and judgment, And wait on your God continually.

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

7 Canaan! In his hand [are] balances of deceit! He has loved to oppress.

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

8 And Ephraim says, Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labors—they do not find against me iniquity that [is] sin.

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.'

9 And I—your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, Again I turn you back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.

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.

10 And I have spoken to the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use allegories.

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

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

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.

12 And Jacob flees to the country of Aram, And Israel serves for a wife, Indeed, he has kept watch for a wife.

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

13 And by a prophet has YHWH brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it has been watched.

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

14 Ephraim has most bitterly provoked, And he leaves his blood on himself, And his Lord turns his reproach back to him!”

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