1 ` Unto thy mouth -- a trumpet, As an eagle against the house of Jehovah, Because they transgressed My covenant, And against My law they have rebelled.

Set the trumpet to your lips! comes as a vulture against the house of the Lord, because they have broken My covenant and transgressed against My law.

2 T o Me they cry, `My God, we -- Israel -- have known Thee.'

Then they will cry to Me, My God, we know You!

3 C ast off good hath Israel, an enemy pursueth him.

Israel has rejected the good; the enemy shall pursue him.

4 T hey have made kings, and not by Me, They have made princes, and I have not known, Their silver and their gold they have made to them idols, So that they are cut off.

They set up kings, but not from Me; they have made princes or removed them, I knew and recognized not. With their silver and their gold they made idols for themselves, that they may be destroyed.

5 C ast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of purity?

Your calf, O Samaria, is loathsome and I have spurned it. My wrath burns against them. How long will it be before they attain purity?

6 F or even it of Israel; an artificer made it, And it not God, For the calf of Samaria is fragments!

For this too is from Israel; a craftsman made it; therefore it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to shivers and go up in flames.

7 F or wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none -- a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield -- strangers do swallow it up.

For they sow the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no meal; if it were to yield, strangers and aliens would eat it up.

8 I srael hath been swallowed up, Now they have been among nations, As a vessel in which is no delight.

Israel is swallowed up. Already they have become among the nations as a vessel that is useless.

9 F or they -- they have gone up Asshur, A wild ass alone by himself Ephraim, They have hired lovers!

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass taking her own way by herself; Ephraim has hired lovers.

10 A lso though they hire among nations, Now I gather them, and they are pained a little, From the burden of a king of princes.

Yes, though with presents they hire among the nations, now will I gather them up, and in a little while they will sorrow and begin to diminish because of the burden (tribute) imposed by the king of princes.

11 B ecause Ephraim did multiply altars to sin, They have been to him altars to sin.

For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning; yes, to him altars are intended for sinning.

12 I write for him numerous things of My law, As a strange thing they have been reckoned.

I wrote for him the ten thousand things of My law, but they are counted as a strange thing.

13 T he sacrifices of Mine offerings! They sacrifice flesh, and they eat, Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin, They -- Egypt they turn back.

My sacrificial gifts they sacrifice; yes, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the Lord does not accept them. Now He will remember their guilt and iniquity and will punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt.

14 A nd forget doth Israel his Maker, and buildeth temples, And Judah hath multiplied cities of defence, And I have sent a fire into his cities, And it hath consumed their palaces!

For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces and idol temples, and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour his palaces and fortified buildings.