הוֹשֵׁעַ 14

1 שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֹנֶֽךָ׃

Israel, return to the LORD your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.

2 קְח֤וּ עִמָּכֶם֙ דְּבָרִ֔ים וְשׁ֖וּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָ֑ה אִמְר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו כָּל־תִּשָּׂ֤א עָוֹן֙ וְקַח־טֹ֔וב וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה פָרִ֖ים שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃

Take words with you, and return to the LORD. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.

3 אַשּׁ֣וּר ׀ לֹ֣א יֹושִׁיעֵ֗נוּ עַל־סוּס֙ לֹ֣א נִרְכָּ֔ב וְלֹא־נֹ֥אמַר עֹ֛וד אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה יָדֵ֑ינוּ אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ יְרֻחַ֥ם יָתֹֽום׃

Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”

4 אֶרְפָּא֙ מְשׁ֣וּבָתָ֔ם אֹהֲבֵ֖ם נְדָבָ֑ה כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ב אַפִּ֖י מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

“I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.

5 אֶהְיֶ֤ה כַטַּל֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יִפְרַ֖ח כַּשֹּֽׁושַׁנָּ֑ה וְיַ֥ךְ שָׁרָשָׁ֖יו כַּלְּבָנֹֽון׃

I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.

6 יֵֽלְכוּ֙ יֹֽנְקֹותָ֔יו וִיהִ֥י כַזַּ֖יִת הֹודֹ֑ו וְרֵ֥יחַֽ לֹ֖ו כַּלְּבָנֹֽון׃

His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.

7 יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ יֹשְׁבֵ֣י בְצִלֹּ֔ו יְחַיּ֥וּ דָגָ֖ן וְיִפְרְח֣וּ כַגָּ֑פֶן זִכְרֹ֖ו כְּיֵ֥ין לְבָנֹֽון׃ ס

Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.

8 אֶפְרַ֕יִם מַה־לִּ֥י עֹ֖וד לָֽעֲצַבִּ֑ים אֲנִ֧י עָנִ֣יתִי וַאֲשׁוּרֶ֗נּוּ אֲנִי֙ כִּבְרֹ֣ושׁ רַֽעֲנָ֔ן מִמֶּ֖נִּי פֶּרְיְךָ֥ נִמְצָֽא׃

Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”

9 מִ֤י חָכָם֙ וְיָ֣בֵֽן אֵ֔לֶּה נָבֹ֖ון וְיֵֽדָעֵ֑ם כִּֽי־יְשָׁרִ֞ים דַּרְכֵ֣י יְהוָ֗ה וְצַדִּקִים֙ יֵ֣לְכוּ בָ֔ם וּפֹשְׁעִ֖ים יִכָּ֥שְׁלוּ בָֽם׃

Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.