1When I was about to deliver my people from captivity, When I would have healed Israel, Then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, And the wickedness of Samaria; For they practise fraud, And the thief entereth in, And the band of robbers spoileth without.
2And they think not in their hearts, That I remember all their wickedness. Now shall their doings encompass them; They are before my face.
3With their wickedness they gladden the king, And with their falsehoods the princes; All of them are adulterers;
4They are as an oven heated by the baker; He ceaseth to stir the fire, Until the dough which he hath kneaded be leavened.
5On the feast-day of our king, the princes are sick with the heat of wine, And he stretcheth out his hand with revilers.
6For they make ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait; All night the baker sleepeth; In the morning it gloweth like a flaming fire.
7They all glow as an oven; They have devoured their judges; All their kings have fallen; And none among them calleth upon me.
8Ephraim hath mixed himself with the nations; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9Strangers have devoured his strength, And he knoweth it not; Yea, gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, Yet he knoweth it not.
10The pride of Israel testifieth to his face; Yet do not they return to Jehovah their God, Nor seek him, for all this.
11Ephraim is like a silly dove, without understanding; They call upon Egypt; they go to Assyria.
12When they go, I will spread my net over them; As birds of heaven will I bring them down. I will chastise them, as hath been proclaimed in their congregation.
13Woe to them, for they have wandered from me! Destruction upon them, for they have rebelled against me! Though I myself would redeem them, they speak falsely to me.
14They cry not to me from their heart, But howl upon their beds; For corn and wine they assemble themselves; They rebel against me.
15I have chastened them; I have also strengthened their arms; Yet do they devise evil against me.
16They return, but not to the Most High; They are like a deceitful bow; Their princes shall fall by the sword for the haughtiness of their tongues; This shall be their reproach in the land of Egypt.
