The Hebrew Prophets

And Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on-- to Asshur they have gone.

When they go I spread over them My net, As the fowl of the heavens I bring them down, I chastise them as their company hath heard.

Woe to them, for they wandered from Me, Destruction to them, for they transgressed against Me, And I--I ransom them, and they have spoken lies against Me,

And have not cried unto Me with their heart, but howl on their beds, For corn and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn aside against Me.

And I instructed--I strengthened their arms, And concerning Me they think evil!

They turn back--not to the Most High, They have been as a deceitful bow, Fall by sword do their princes, From the insolence of their tongue, This is their derision in the land of Egypt!

`Unto thy mouth--a trumpet, As an eagle against the house of Jehovah, Because they transgressed My covenant, And against My law they have rebelled.

To Me they cry, `My God, we--Israel--have known Thee.'

Cast off good hath Israel, an enemy pursueth him.

They have made kings, and not by Me, They have made princes, and I have not known, Their silver and their gold they have made to them idols, So that they are cut off.

Cast off hath thy calf, O Samaria, Burned hath Mine anger against them, Till when are they not capable of purity?

For even it is of Israel; an artificer made it, And it is not God, For the calf of Samaria is fragments!

For wind they sow, and a hurricane they reap, Stalk it hath none--a shoot not yielding grain, If so be it yield--strangers do swallow it up.

Israel hath been swallowed up, Now they have been among nations, As a vessel in which is no delight.

For they--they have gone up to Asshur, A wild ass alone by himself is Ephraim, They have hired lovers!

Also though they hire among nations, Now I gather them, and they are pained a little, From the burden of a king of princes.

Because Ephraim did multiply altars to sin, They have been to him altars to sin.

I write for him numerous things of My law, As a strange thing they have been reckoned.

The sacrifices of Mine offerings! They sacrifice flesh, and they eat, Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin, They-- to Egypt they turn back.

And forget doth Israel his Maker, and buildeth temples, And Judah hath multiplied cities of defence, And I have sent a fire into his cities, And it hath consumed their palaces!

`Rejoice not, O Israel, be not joyful like the peoples, For thou hast gone a-whoring from thy God, Thou hast loved a gift near all floors of corn.

Floor and wine-press do not delight them, And new wine doth fail in her,

They do not abide in the land of Jehovah, And turned back hath Ephraim to Egypt, And in Asshur an unclean thing they eat.

They pour not out wine to Jehovah, Nor are they sweet to Him, Their sacrifices are as bread of mourners to them, All eating it are unclean: For their bread is for themselves, It doth not come into the house of Jehovah.

What do ye at the day appointed? And at the day of Jehovah's festival?