Hosea 14

1 Israel, return to Yahweh your God, for you have fallen because of your iniquity.

Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, because your sins have brought you down.

2 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.

Take words like these with you and come back to the Lord, saying to him, “Please take away all our guilt, accept what is good, and we will repay you with praise from our lips.

3 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.”

Assyria can't save us; we will not ride our warhorses; we will never again say ‘You are our gods’ to the idols we have made. For in you orphans find mercy.”

4 “I will heal their turning away; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him.

I will heal their unfaithfulness; I will love them freely, for I'm not angry with them any more.

5 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like a cedar in Lebanon.

I will be like the dew to Israel, they will blossom like lilies, they will send down roots like the cedars of Lebanon.

6 His branches will spread out; his beauty will be like the olive trees, and his fragrance like the cedars in Lebanon.

They shall send out new shoots, their splendor will be like the olive tree, their scent will be like the cedars of Lebanon.

7 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.

Those who live under their shade shall return, they will flourish like grain, they will blossom like the vine, and they will be as famous as the wine of Lebanon.

8 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.”

Ephraim, how much more do I have to warn you about idols? I have answered and now I am watching. I am like a tree that is evergreen; your fruit is found in me.

9 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.

Who is wise to understand these things? Who has discernment in understanding them? The Lord's paths are right—the good follow them, but rebels trip and fall along the way.