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! Let’s return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, 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.

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

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.”

Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters 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.

“Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

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 I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

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

For I desire mercy, 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 Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

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

Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with 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.

As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

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

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

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

“Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.