1Do not rejoice, Israel. Do not be glad like other peoples. For you have turned away from your God like a prostitute. On every threshing floor you have loved the pay of a prostitute.
2The threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them, and the new wine will fail her.
3They will not live in the LORD's land. Ephraim will go back to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat unclean things.
4They will not pour out wine offerings to the LORD, and their offerings will not please him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat it will be unclean. For their bread will be for themselves alone; it will not come into the house of the LORD.
5What will you do on the appointed day, on the day of the LORD's feast?
6Look, they have gone away because of destruction. Egypt will gather them up, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take over their treasured places of silver, and thorns will grow in their tents.
7The days of punishment have come, the days of paying back have come. Israel will know it. The prophet is a fool, the man of the spirit is mad, because your sin is so great and your hatred so fierce.
8The watchman of Ephraim was with my God. But the prophet is a bird catcher's trap on all his paths, and there is hatred in the house of his God.
9They have made themselves deeply corrupt, as in the days of Gibeah. So he will remember their sin; he will punish them for their sins.
10I found Israel like grapes in the desert. I saw your fathers like the first ripe fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baalpeor, and gave themselves up to that shameful thing. They became as disgusting as the thing they loved.
11As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird: no birth, no pregnancy, no conceiving.
12Even if they bring up their children, I will take them away, so that not one is left. Yes, and how terrible for them when I turn away from them.
13Ephraim, as I saw Tyrus, is planted in a pleasant place. But Ephraim will bring out his children to the killer.
14Give them, LORD - what will you give them? Give them a womb that loses its child and breasts with no milk.
15All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of what they do, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more. All their leaders are rebels.
16Ephraim is struck down. Their root is dried up; they will bear no fruit. Yes, even if they have children, I will kill the precious children of their womb.
17My God will throw them away, because they did not listen to him. They will be wanderers among the nations.