< Hosea 8 >
1 To thy mouth, with a horn! Like an eagle, on the house of Yahweh, —because they have violated my covenant, and, against my law, have they transgressed.
"Put the trumpet to your lips. Something like an eagle is over Jehovah's house, because they have broken my covenant, and rebelled against my law.
2 Unto me, shall they make outcry, My God! we acknowledge thee—[we], Israel!
They cry to me, 'My God, we Israel acknowledge you.'
3 Israel hath cast away what is good, —an enemy, shall pursue him.
Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
4 They, have appointed kings, but not from me, have made rulers, but I have not acknowledged them: of their silver and their gold, they made themselves idols, to the end they might be cut off.
They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I did not approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
5 He hath cast away thy calf, O Samaria, kindled is mine anger upon them, —How long shall they not endure to be innocent?
Let Samaria throw out his calf idol. My anger burns against them. How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
6 For, of Israel, is even that thing! A craftsman, made it, and, a No-god, it is! For, into fragments, shall the Calf of Samaria be broken.
For this is even from Israel. The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 For, to the wind, they sow, and, to the whirlwind, they reap: stalk, hath it none, That which shooteth forth, shall yield no meal, If so be it yield, foreigners, swallow it lip,
For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8 Swallowed up, is Israel; Now, have they gone among the nations, like a vessel in which no man taketh, delight.
Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
9 For, they, have gone up to Assyria, A wild ass going alone for himself, is Ephraim! They have hired lovers!
For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10 Even though they hire them among the nations, at once, will I gather them, when they have begun to be diminished by reason of the burden of the king of rulers.
But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11 Because Ephraim hath multiplied altars sinfully, they have become to him the altars of sin.
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
12 I have been wont to write for him the myriad things of my law, —Like something alien, have they been accounted.
I wrote for him the many things of my law; but they were regarded as a strange thing.
13 My sacrificial gifts, have they been sacrificing as [common] flesh, and have eaten, Yahweh, hath not accepted them, —Now, will he call to mind their iniquity, that he may punish their sin, they, to Egypt, will return.
As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; But Jehovah doesn't accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt, and will eat unclean things in Assyria.
14 And so Israel hath forgotten his Maker, and hath built temples, and, Judah, hath multiplied fortified cities, —Therefore will I send a fire upon his cities, and it shall consume the palaces thereof.
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses."