Hosea, 7

1. Whenever I would heal Israel, I am confronted by the guilt of Ephraim and the evil-doings of Samaria; for deceit is their principle of behaviour; the thief breaks into the house, marauders raid in the open;

1. When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, [and] the troop of robbers spoileth without.

2. and they never pause to consider that I remember all their wicked deeds; and now their own deeds hem them in and stare me in the face.

2. And they consider not in their hearts [that] I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

3. They amuse the king with their wickedness and the chief men with their lies.

3. They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

4. They are all adulterers, hot as an oven which the baker need not stoke from the time he has kneaded the dough until it rises.

4. They [are] all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, [who] ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

5. At the holiday for our king, the ministers become inflamed with wine, while he accepts the homage of people

5. In the day of our king the princes have made [him] sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

6. who laugh at him. Their hearts are like an oven as they plot, all night their passion slumbers, then in the morning it bursts into flame;

6. For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

7. yes, all of them as hot as ovens, they consume their rulers. All their kings have fallen thus, not one of them has ever called on me.

7. They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: [there is] none among them that calleth unto me.

8. Ephraim mixes with the nations. Ephraim is a half-baked cake.

8. Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9. Foreigners have eaten his strength away but he is unconscious of it; even his hair is turning grey but he is unconscious of it.

9. Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth [it] not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

10. (Israel's arrogance is his own accuser; but they do not come back to Yahweh their God or seek him, despite all this.)

10. And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.

11. Ephraim is like a silly, witless pigeon calling on Egypt, turning to Assyria.

11. Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

12. Wherever they turn, I shall spread my net over them, I shall bring them down like the birds of the sky, I shall punish them for their perversity.

12. When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

13. Woe to them for having fled from me! Ruin seize them for having wronged me! I have rescued them again and again and they have only told lies about me.

13. Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

14. Theirs is no heartfelt cry to me when they lament on their beds; when they gash themselves over the grain and new wine, they are still rebelling against me.

14. And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, [and] they rebel against me.

15. Though I supported and gave strength to their arms, they plan how to hurt me.

15. Though I have bound [and] strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

16. They turn to what does not exist, they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their arrogant talk; how they will be laughed at in Egypt!

16. They return, [but] not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this [shall be] their derision in the land of Egypt.