1 ` When I give healing to Israel, Then revealed is the iniquity of Ephraim, And the wickedness of Samaria, For they have wrought falsehood, And a thief doth come in, Stript off hath a troop in the street,

“When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, And the wickedness of Samaria. For they have committed fraud; A thief comes in; A band of robbers takes spoil outside.

2 A nd they do not say to their heart, all their evil I have remembered, Now compassed them have their doings, Over-against My face they have been.

They do not consider in their hearts That I remember all their wickedness; Now their own deeds have surrounded them; They are before My face.

3 W ith their wickedness they make glad a king, And with their lies -- princes.

They make a king glad with their wickedness, And princes with their lies.

4 A ll of them adulterers, Like a burning oven of a baker, He ceaseth from stirring up after kneading the dough, till its leavening.

“They are all adulterers. Like an oven heated by a baker— He ceases stirring the fire after kneading the dough, Until it is leavened.

5 A day of our king! Princes have polluted themselves the poison of wine, He hath drawn out his hand with scorners.

In the day of our king Princes have made him sick, inflamed with wine; He stretched out his hand with scoffers.

6 F or they have drawn near, As an oven their heart, In their lying in wait all the night sleep doth their baker, Morning! he is burning as a flaming fire.

They prepare their heart like an oven, While they lie in wait; Their baker sleeps all night; In the morning it burns like a flaming fire.

7 A ll of them are warm as an oven, And they have devoured their judges, All their kings have fallen, There is none calling unto Me among them.

They are all hot, like an oven, And have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen. None among them calls upon Me.

8 E phraim! among peoples he mixeth himself, Ephraim hath been a cake unturned.

“Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples; Ephraim is a cake unturned.

9 D evoured have strangers his power, And he hath not known, Also old age hath sprinkled on him, And he hath not known.

Aliens have devoured his strength, But he does not know it; Yes, gray hairs are here and there on him, Yet he does not know it.

10 A nd humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And they have not turned back unto Jehovah their God, Nor have they sought Him for all this.

And the pride of Israel testifies to his face, But they do not return to the Lord their God, Nor seek Him for all this. Futile Reliance on the Nations

11 A nd Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on -- Asshur they have gone.

“Ephraim also is like a silly dove, without sense— They call to Egypt, They go to Assyria.

12 W hen they go I spread over them My net, As the fowl of the heavens I bring them down, I chastise them as their company hath heard.

Wherever they go, I will spread My net on them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them According to what their congregation has heard.

13 W o to them, for they wandered from Me, Destruction to them, for they transgressed against Me, And I -- I ransom them, and they have spoken lies against Me,

“Woe to them, for they have fled from Me! Destruction to them, Because they have transgressed against Me! Though I redeemed them, Yet they have spoken lies against Me.

14 A nd have not cried unto Me with their heart, but howl on their beds, For corn and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn aside against Me.

They did not cry out to Me with their heart When they wailed upon their beds. “They assemble together for grain and new wine, They rebel against Me;

15 A nd I instructed -- I strengthened their arms, And concerning Me they think evil!

Though I disciplined and strengthened their arms, Yet they devise evil against Me;

16 T hey turn back -- not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Fall by sword do their princes, From the insolence of their tongue, This their derision in the land of Egypt!

They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword For the cursings of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.