Hosea 12

1 Ephraim, feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind, all the day, falsehood and force, doth he magnify, —and, a covenant with Assyria, would they solemnize, and, oil into Egypt, must be borne along.

Ephraim feedeth on wind, and followeth after the east wind; Every day he multiplieth falsehood and violence; They make a league with Assyria, And oil is carried into Egypt.

2 But, a controversy, hath Yahweh with Judah, —so that he may bring punishment on Jacob, according to his ways, According to his doings, repay him.

Therefore Jehovah hath a controversy with Judah. And he will punish Jacob for his ways, And requite him according to his doings.

3 In the womb, took he his brother by the heel; and, in his manly vigour, strove he with God:

In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And in his strength he contended with God;

4 Yea he strove against a Messenger, and prevailed, he wept, and made supplication unto him, —At Bethel, he found him, and, there, he spake with us;

Yea, he contended with the angel, and prevailed; He wept, and made supplication to him. At Bethel he found him, And there he spake with us.

5 And, Yahweh, is God of host, —Yahweh, is his memorial.

And Jehovah, the God of hosts, Jehovah is his name.

6 Thou, therefore, by thy God, shalt return, —lovingkindness and justice, do thou keep, so wait thou for thy God, continually.

Therefore turn thou to thy God; Observe mercy and justice, And hope in thy God always!

7 A trafficker! in his hand, are balances of deceit, to oppress, he loveth.

He is a Canaanite; in his hands are the balances of deceit; He loveth to oppress.

8 So then Ephraim said, Surely I have gotten me riches, I have found wealth for myself, —in all my toils, they cannot find in me perversity which is sin.

Yet Ephraim saith, Lo, I have become rich; I have found myself substance; In all my earnings can be found no transgression in which there is guilt.

9 But, I, Yahweh, have been thy God, from the land of Egypt, —I will yet make thee dwell in tents, as in the days of appointed meeting.

Yet I, Jehovah, have been thy God from the land of Egypt; I will again cause thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.

10 And I will lay my word upon the prophets, yea, I myself, have magnified, vision, —and, by the hand of the prophets, will I use similitudes.

I have also spoken to the prophets, And I have given many visions, And by the prophets I have used similitudes.

11 If, Gilead, is in sorrow, surely false, have they been, In Gilgal, have they sacrificed, bullocks, —their very altars, shall become as heaps upon the furrows of the field.

Behold, Gilead is full of iniquity; Surely they have become corrupt; In Gilgal they sacrifice oxen, And their altars are like the heaps in the furrows of the field.

12 When Jacob fled to the country of Syria, then Israel served for a wife, and, for a wife, he watched over a flock.

Jacob fled into the country of Syria, And Israel served for a wife, And for a wife he kept sheep.

13 And, by a prophet, Yahweh, brought up, Israel out of Egypt, —and, by a prophet, was he watched over.

By a prophet Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet was he preserved.

14 Ephraim hath provoked, very bitterly, —his own blood, therefore, upon him, will he leave, and, his reproach, shall his Lord, bring back to him.

Ephraim hath provoked his Lord most bitterly; Therefore will he leave his blood upon him, And recompense to him his reproach.