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 would heal Israel, then Ephrain’s guilt is revealed, and Samaria’s crimes are seen, how they practise fraud and the thief enters in, while outside bandits plunder.
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.
But it never crosses their minds that I remember their wickedness. Now their misdeeds surround them, they are always before my face.
3 By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.
Their wickedness amuses the king, and their lying gladdens the princes,
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.
since they are all of them adulterers. Their desire to do evil burns like an oven heated by the baker, so hot that he need not stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough, until it rises.
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.
On our king’s festival day, the princes are flushed with fever from wine. He stretched forth his hand with the contemptuous,
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.
for like an oven their heart burns with treachery, all night their anger smolders, in the morning it blazes into 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.
All of them glow like an oven, they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen. There is none among them who calls to me.
8 As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.
Ephraim – he lets himself be mixed among the peoples, Ephraim – he has become a cake unturned.
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 have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice.
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!
Israel’s arrogance testifies against them yet they do not return to the Lord their God, and in all this they do not seek him.
11 So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,
Ephraim is like a simple, silly dove: to Egypt they call, after Assyria they go,
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.
wherever they turn I will spread my net over them, like birds of the sky I will bring them down, I will catch them when I hear them gathering.
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 strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have been untrue to me. Although it was I who redeemed them, they speak lies about 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.
They have never cried to me with their hearts, but they are always wailing on their beds. They gather to beg for corn and new wine, but they turn away from me.
15 When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.
Although it was I who trained and strengthened their arms, concerning me they plan only evil.
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 turn away from the Most High. They have become like a bow that swerves. Their princes will fall by the sword, because of the insolence of their tongues. The land of Egypt will mock them.
