1 ¶ Come, and let us return unto the LORD; for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up.

`Come, and we turn back unto Jehovah, For He hath torn, and He doth heal us, He doth smite, and He bindeth us up.

2 A fter two days he shall give us life: in the third day he will resurrect us, and we shall live in his sight.

He doth revive us after two days, In the third day He doth raise us up, And we live before Him.

3 A nd we shall know and follow on in knowing the LORD; his going forth is prepared as the dawn; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

And we know -- we pursue to know Jehovah, As the dawn prepared is His going forth, And He cometh in as a shower to us, As gathered rain -- sprinkling earth.'

4 ¶ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? Your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away.

What do I do to thee, O Ephraim? What do I do to thee, O Judah? Your goodness as a cloud of the morning, And as dew rising early -- going.

5 T herefore I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: that thy righteousness be as the light that goes forth.

Therefore I have hewed by prophets, I have slain them by sayings of My mouth, And My judgments to the light goeth forth.

6 F or I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

For kindness I desired, and not sacrifice, And a knowledge of God above burnt-offerings.

7 B ut they have transposed the covenant as of men: there they have rebelled against me.

And they, as Adam, transgressed a covenant, There they dealt treacherously against me.

8 G ilead is a city of those that work iniquity and is polluted with blood.

Gilead a city of workers of iniquity, Slippery from blood.

9 A nd as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the council of priests murder in the way by common accord; for they put the abomination into effect.

And as bands do wait for a man, A company of priests do murder -- the way to Shechem, For wickedness they have done.

10 I saw uncleanness in the house of Israel: there Ephraim played the harlot, Israel defiled herself.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing, There the whoredom of Ephraim -- defiled is Israel.

11 A lso, Judah placed a plant in thee when I had turned the captivity of my people.

Also, O Judah, appointed is a harvest to thee, In My turning back the captivity of My people!