Hosea, 7

¹ “At the time when I would heal Israel, The error of Eʹphra·im is also exposed, And the wickedness of Sa·marʹi·a. For they practice deception; Thieves break in and marauder bands raid outside.

² But they do not say in their heart that I will remember all their wickedness. Now their dealings are all around them; They are right in front of my face.

³ They make the king rejoice by their wickedness, And princes by their deceit.

⁴ All of them are adulterers, Burning like an oven fired by a baker, Who stops stirring the fire after kneading the dough until it is leavened.

⁵ On the day of our king, princes have become sick —They are enraged because of wine. He has reached out his hand to ridiculers.

⁶ For they approach with hearts burning like an oven.^*1 All night long the baker sleeps; In the morning the oven blazes like a flaming fire.

⁷ All of them are hot like an oven, And they devour their rulers.^*1 All their kings have fallen; No one among them calls out to me.

⁸ Eʹphra·im mixes with the nations. Eʹphra·im is like a round cake left unturned.

⁹ Strangers have consumed his strength, but he does not know it. And his gray hairs have turned white, but he does not notice it.

¹⁰ The pride of Israel has testified against him, But they have not returned to Jehovah their God, Nor have they looked for him despite all of this.

¹¹ Eʹphra·im is like a simpleminded dove, lacking good sense.^*1 They have called out to Egypt; they have gone to As·syrʹi·a.

¹² Wherever they go, I will spread my net over them. I will bring them down like the birds of the heavens. I will discipline them according to the warning given to their assembly.

¹³ Woe to them, for they have fled from me! Devastation to them, for they have transgressed against me! I was ready to redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me.

¹⁴ From their heart they did not call to me for help, Although they kept wailing on their beds. For their grain and new wine they would slash themselves; They turn against me.

¹⁵ Although I disciplined them and strengthened their arms, They are against me, scheming what is bad.

¹⁶ They changed course, but not to anything loftier;^*1 They were as unreliable as a loose bow. Their princes will fall by the sword because of their defiant tongues. For this they will be an object of ridicule in the land of Egypt.”