¹ When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the evil of Samaria. For they have worked falsehood; and a thief comes; a troop of robbers plunders outside.

² And they do not say within their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their own doings have hemmed them in. They are before My face.

³ They make the king glad with their evil, and the rulers with their lies.

⁴ They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker; he ceases from stirring, from kneading the dough while it is leavened.

⁵ In the day of our king, the rulers have sickened themselves with the heat of wine. He stretches out his hand with scorners.

⁶ For they have brought their heart near, like an oven, while they lie in wait. Their baker sleeps all night; in the morning, it burns like a flaming fire.

⁷ They are all hot as an oven, and devour their judges. All their kings have fallen; not one among them calls to Me.

⁸ Ephraim mixed himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a cake not turned.

⁹ Strangers have eaten up his strength, yet he does not know. Yea, gray hairs are sprinkled here and there on him, yet he does not know.

¹⁰ And the pride of Israel testifies to his face. And they do not return to Jehovah their God, nor seek Him in all this.

¹¹ Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart; they call to Egypt; they go to Assyria.

¹² When they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like the birds of the heavens; I will chastise them, as a report to their congregation.

¹³ Woe to them! For they have fled from Me. Ruin to them! For they have transgressed against Me. Though I would redeem them, yet they have spoken lies against Me.

¹⁴ And they have not cried to Me with their heart, when they howled on their beds. They gather themselves for grain and wine; they turn against Me.

¹⁵ Though I bound, I made their arms strong; yet they think evil against Me.

¹⁶ They return, but not to the Most High. They are like a treacherous bow. Their rulers shall fall by the sword, from the rage of the tongue. This shall be their scorn in the land of Egypt.