< הושע 7 >

כרפאי לישראל ונגלה עון אפרים ורעות שמרון--כי פעלו שקר וגנב יבוא פשט גדוד בחוץ 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.
ובל יאמרו ללבבם כל רעתם זכרתי עתה סבבום מעלליהם נגד פני היו 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.
ברעתם ישמחו מלך ובכחשיהם שרים 3
With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.
כלם מנאפים--כמו תנור בערה מאפה ישבות מעיר מלוש בצק עד חמצתו 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.
יום מלכנו החלו שרים חמת מיין משך ידו את לצצים 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.
כי קרבו כתנור לבם בארבם כל הלילה ישן אפהם--בקר הוא בער כאש להבה 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.
כלם יחמו כתנור ואכלו את שפטיהם כל מלכיהם נפלו אין קרא בהם אלי 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.
אפרים בעמים הוא יתבולל אפרים היה עגה בלי הפוכה 8
Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.
אכלו זרים כחו והוא לא ידע גם שיבה זרקה בו והוא לא ידע 9
Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.
וענה גאון ישראל בפניו ולא שבו אל יהוה אלהיהם ולא בקשהו בכל זאת 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.
ויהי אפרים כיונה פותה אין לב מצרים קראו אשור הלכו 11
Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.
כאשר ילכו אפרוש עליהם רשתי--כעוף השמים אורידם איסירם כשמע לעדתם 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.
אוי להם כי נדדו ממני שד להם כי פשעו בי ואנכי אפדם--והמה דברו עלי כזבים 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.
ולא זעקו אלי בלבם כי יילילו על משכבותם על דגן ותירוש יתגוררו יסורו בי 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.
ואני יסרתי חזקתי זרועתם ואלי יחשבו רע 15
Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil against me.
ישובו לא על היו כקשת רמיה--יפלו בחרב שריהם מזעם לשונם זו לעגם בארץ מצרים 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.

< הושע 7 >