1When I would have healed Israel, then the guilt of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria. For they practise lying. The thief breaks in, and outside the band of robbers plunders.
2They do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. Now their own deeds surround them; they are before my face.
3They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4They are all adulterers. They are like an oven heated by the baker, who stops stirring the fire after he has kneaded the dough, until it has risen.
5On the day of our king, the princes made him sick with bottles of wine. He reached out his hand to mockers.
6They have made their hearts ready like an oven while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all night; in the morning it burns like a flaming fire.
7They are all hot as an oven, and they have devoured their judges. All their kings have fallen. Not one of them calls to me.
8Ephraim has mixed himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a cake that has not been turned.
9Strangers have eaten up his strength, and he does not know it. Grey hairs are here and there upon him, and he does not know it.
10The pride of Israel speaks against him to his face. Yet for all this they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him.
12When they go, I will spread my net over them. I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them, as their assembly has heard.
13Woe to them, for they have run away from me. Destruction to them, because they have sinned against me. I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14They have not cried to me from their heart, though they howled on their beds. They gather themselves together for grain and wine, and they rebel against me.
15I trained them and made their arms strong, yet they plan evil against me.
16They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a bow that fails. Their princes will fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongue. This will make them a laughing-stock in the land of Egypt.