Hosea 14
1 “Turn back, O Israel, to your God YHWH, For you have stumbled by your iniquity.
Israel, return to Yahweh your God, for you have fallen because of your iniquity.
2 Take words with you, and turn to YHWH, Say to Him, Take away all iniquity, and give good, And we render the fruit of our lips.
Take with you words and return to Yahweh. Say to him, “Take away all our iniquity and accept what is good, so that we may offer to you the fruit of our lips.
3 Asshur does not save us, we do not ride on a horse, Nor do we say anymore, Our god, to the work of our hands, For in You the fatherless find mercy.
Assyria will not save us; we will not ride on horses to war. Neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, 'You are our gods,' for in you the fatherless person finds compassion.”
4 I heal their backsliding, I love them freely, For My anger has turned back from him.
“I will heal their turning away; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him.
5 I am as dew to Israel, he flourishes as a lily, And he strikes forth his roots as Lebanon.
I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like a cedar in Lebanon.
6 His shoots go on, And his splendor is as an olive, And he has fragrance as Lebanon.
His branches will spread out; his beauty will be like the olive trees, and his fragrance like the cedars in Lebanon.
7 The dwellers return under his shadow, They revive [as] grain, and flourish as a vine, His memorial [is] as wine of Lebanon.
The people who live in his shade will return; they will revive like grain and blossom like vines. His fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 O Ephraim, what have I anymore to do with idols? I have answered, and I look after him: I [am] as a green fir-tree, Your fruit is found from Me.
Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a cypress whose leaves are always green; from me comes your fruit.”
9 Who [is] wise, and understands these? Prudent, and knows them? For upright are the ways of YHWH, And the righteous go on in them, And the transgressors stumble therein!”
Who is wise that he may understand these things? Who understands these things so that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but the rebellious will stumble in them.
