Hosea 7
1 Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.
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,
2 They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.
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.
3 With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.
By their wickedness, they gladden a king, and, by their flatteries, —rulers.
4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
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.
5 On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.
In the day of our king, the rulers, have made themselves ill, with the heat of wine, —he hath extended his hand with scoffers.
6 For with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming fire.
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.
7 They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.
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.
8 Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.
As for Ephraim! with the peoples, hath he been mingling himself, —Ephraim, is a cake not turned.
9 Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.
Foreigners have, eaten up, his strength, and, he, knoweth it not, —even gray hairs, are sprinkled upon him, and, he, knoweth it not.
10 The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.
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!
11 Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.
So then, Ephraim, hath become, like a simple dove, having no understanding, on Egypt, have they called, to Assyria, have they gone,
12 When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.
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.
13 Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against me.
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.
14 They have not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.
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.
15 Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.
When, I, had warned them, I strengthened their arm, —yet, against me, kept they on devising wickedness.
16 They return, but they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.
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.
