Hosea

12 Ephraim feedeth on wind And pursueth the east wind, All the day falsehood and force doth he magnify,—And a covenant with Assyria would they solemnize, And oil into Egypt must be borne along.

2 But a controversy hath Yahweh with Judah,—So that he may bring punishment on Jacob according to his ways According to his doings repay him.

3 In the womb took he his brother by the heel; And in his manly vigour strove he with God:

4 Yea he strove against a Messenger and prevailed, He wept and made supplication unto him,—At Bethel he found him, And there he spake with us;

5 And Yahweh is God of hosts,—Yahweh is his memorial.

6 Thou therefore by thy God shalt return,—Lovingkindness and justice do thou keep, So wait thou for thy God continually.

7 A trafficker! in his hand are balances of deceit, To oppress he loveth.

8 So then Ephraim said, Surely I have gotten me riches, I have found wealth for myself,—In all my toils they cannot find in me perversity which is sin.

9 But I Yahweh have been thy God from the land of Egypt,—I will yet make thee dwell in tents as in the days of appointed meeting.

10 And I will lay my word upon the prophets, Yea I myself have magnified vision,—And by the hand of the prophets will I use similitudes.

11 If Gilead is in sorrow surely false have they been, In Gilgal have they sacrificed bullocks,—Their very altars shall become as heaps upon the furrows of the field.

12 When Jacob fled to the country of Syria Then Israel served for a wife, And for a wife he watched over a flock.

13 And by a prophet Yahweh brought up Israel out of Egypt,—And by a prophet was he watched over.

14 Ephraim hath provoked very bitterly,—His own blood therefore upon him will he leave, And his reproach shall his Lord bring back to him.