Hosea 6

1 “Come, let us return to Yahweh. For he has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds.

“Come, and let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us; he will raise us up on the third day, and we will live before him.

He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his presence.

3 Let us know Yahweh; let us press on to know Yahweh. His coming out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the land.”

And let us feel it, that we may strive to know the Lord; bright as the morning-dawn is his rising; and he will come as the rain unto us, as the latter rain that maketh fruitful the earth.”

4 Ephraim, what will I do with you? Judah, what will I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.

What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do unto thee, O Judah? for your piety is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.

5 So I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth. Your decrees are like the light that shines out.

Therefore did I hew [them] down by means of the prophets; I slew them by the words of my mouth: and thy punishments go forth like the light.

6 For I desire faithfulness and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

For piety I desired, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God, more than burnt-offerings.

7 Like Adam they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me.

But they, like an ordinary man, have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

8 Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints of blood.

Gil'ad is become a city of workers of wickedness, is full of traces of blood.

9 As gangs of robbers wait for someone, so the priests band together to commit murder on the way to Shechem; they have committed shameful crimes.

And as troops that lie in wait for a man, so is the band of priests, they murder on the way in unison; for they commit scandalous deeds.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

On the house of Israel have I seen a horrible thing: there is lewdness in Ephraim, Israel is become defiled.

11 For you also, Judah, a harvest has been appointed, when I will restore the fortunes of my people.

Also for thee, O Judah, will a harvest be prepared, when I bring back the captivity of my people.