Hosea 7

1 When I would have brought healing to Israel, then was disclosed the iniquity of Ephraim, and the wicked doings of Samaria, for they have wrought falsehood, —when, a thief, would enter, a band roamed about, outside,

When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, [even] a robber spoiling in his way;

2 And they say not to their own hearts, that, all their wickedness, I remember, now, have their doings, beset them about, right before my face, have they been done.

that they may concert together as [men] singing in their heart: I remember all their wickedness: now have their own counsels compassed them about; they came before my face.

3 By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.

They gladdened kings with their wickedness, and princes with their lies.

4 They all, are adulterers, like an oven too hot for the baker, —who leaveth off stoking, after kneading the dough, till the whole be leavened.

They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

5 In the day of our king, the rulers, have made themselves ill, with the heat of wine, —he hath extended his hand with scoffers.

[In] the days of our kings, the princes began to be inflamed with wine: he stretched out his hand with pestilent fellows.

6 For they have made ready, like an oven, their heart, by their lying in wait, —all the night, their baker sleepeth, in the morning, he, kindleth up as it were a blazing fire.

Therefore their hearts are inflamed as an oven, while they rage all the night: Ephraim is satisfied with sleep; the morning is come; he is burnt up as a flame of fire.

7 They all, become hot as an oven, and devour their judges, —all their kings, have fallen, there hath been none among them crying unto me.

They are all heated like an oven, and have devoured their judges: all their kings are fallen; there was not amongst them one that called on me.

8 As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.

Ephraim is mixed amongst his people; Ephraim became a cake not turned.

9 Foreigners have, eaten up, his strength, and, he, knoweth it not, —even gray hairs, are sprinkled upon him, and, he, knoweth it not.

Strangers devoured his strength, and he knew [it] not; and grey hairs came upon him, and he knew [it] not.

10 Therefore doth the Excellency of Israel, answer, to his face; yet have they not returned unto Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this!

And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.

11 So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,

And Ephraim was as a silly dove, not having a heart: he called to Egypt, and they went to the Assyrians.

12 Whithersoever they go, I will spread over them my net, like a bird of the heavens, will I bring them down, I will chastise them, by the time the report can reach the flock of them.

Whenever they shall go, I will cast my net upon them; I will bring them down as the birds of the sky, I will chasten them with the rumour of their [coming] affliction.

13 Woe to them! for they have taken flight from me, destruction to them! for they have transgressed against me, —when, I, would have ransomed them, then, they, spake—concerning me—falsehoods.

Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me.

14 Neither made they outcry unto me, in their heart, although they kept on howling upon their beds, over corn and new wine, they gathered themselves together, they rebelled against me.

And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oil and wine.

15 When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.

They were instructed by me, and I strengthened their arms; and they devised evils against me.

16 They would return—not to him who is on high! They have become like a deceitful bow, their rulers, shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue, this, [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.

They turned aside to that which is not, they became as a bent bow: their princes shall fall by the sword, by reason of the unbridled state of their tongue: this is their setting at nothing in the land of Egypt.