Ephraim's Iniquity

1'When I give healing to Israel, Then revealed is the iniquity of Ephraim, And the wickedness of Samaria, For they have wrought falsehood, And a thief doth come in, Stript off hath a troop in the street,

2And they do not say to their heart, That all their evil I have remembered, Now compassed them have their doings, Over-against My face they have been.

3With their wickedness they make glad a king, And with their lies -- princes.

4All of them are adulterers, Like a burning oven of a baker, He ceaseth from stirring up after kneading the dough, till its leavening.

5A day of our king! Princes have polluted themselves with the poison of wine, He hath drawn out his hand with scorners.

6For they have drawn near, As an oven is their heart, In their lying in wait all the night sleep doth their baker, Morning! he is burning as a flaming fire.

7All of them are warm as an oven, And they have devoured their judges, All their kings have fallen, There is none calling unto Me among them.

8Ephraim! among peoples he mixeth himself, Ephraim hath been a cake unturned.

9Devoured have strangers his power, And he hath not known, Also old age hath sprinkled itself on him, And he hath not known.

10And humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And they have not turned back unto Jehovah their God, Nor have they sought Him for all this.

11And Ephraim is as a simple dove without heart, Egypt they called on -- to Asshur they have gone.

12When 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.

13Woe 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,

14And 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.

15And I instructed -- I strengthened their arms, And concerning Me they think evil!

16They 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!