Hosea 7

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 When I would bring about the restoration of my people, when I would heal Israel, The guilt of Ephraim stands out, the wickedness of Samaria; They practice falsehood, thieves break in, bandits plunder abroad.	1 When I was willing to heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the malice of Samaria, for they had been manufacturing lies. And the thief steals from inside, the robber from outside.
2 Yet they do not remind themselves that I remember all their wickedness. Even now their crimes surround them, present to my sight.	2 And, so that they may not say in their hearts that I am the one who has called to mind all of their wickedness: now their own inventions have encircled them. These things have happened in my presence.
3 In their wickedness they regale the king, the princes too, with their deceits.	3 The king has rejoiced at their wickedness, and the leaders have rejoiced in their lies.
4 They are all kindled to wrath like a blazing oven, Whose fire the baker desists from stirring once the dough is kneaded until it has risen.	4 They are all adulterers; like an oven heating up before baking, the city rested a little before the leaven was mixed in, until the whole was leavened.
5 On the day of our king, the princes are overcome with the heat of wine. He extends his hand among dissemblers;	5 On the day of our king, the leaders began to be mad with wine; he extended his hand with those who fabricate illusions.
6 the plotters approach with hearts like ovens. All the night their anger sleeps; in the morning it flares like a blazing fire.	6 For they have used their heart like an oven, while he laid snares for them; he slept through the night baking them, and by morning he himself was heated like a burning fire.
7 They are all heated like ovens, and consume their rulers. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls upon me.	7 They have all become hot like an oven, and they have devoured their judges. All their kings have fallen. There is no one who calls to me among them.
8 Ephraim mingles with the nations, Ephraim is a hearth cake unturned.	8 Ephraim himself has been mingled with the nations. Ephraim has become like bread, baked under ashes, that has not been turned over.
9 Strangers have sapped his strength, but he takes no notice of it; Of gray hairs, too, there is a sprinkling, but he takes no notice of it.	9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he did not know it. And grey hairs also have spread across him, and he is ignorant of it.
10 The arrogance of Israel bears witness against him; yet they do not return to the LORD, their God, nor seek him, for all that.	10 And the pride of Israel will be brought low before his face, for they have not returned to the Lord their God, nor have they sought him in all of this.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and senseless; They call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria.	11 And Ephraim has become like a pigeon that has been led astray, not having a heart; for they called upon Egypt, they went to the Assyrians.
12 Even as they go I will spread my net around them, like birds in the air I will bring them down. In an instant I will send them captive from their land.	12 And when they will set out, I will spread my net over them. I will pull them down like the birds of the sky; I will cut them down in accordance with the reports of their meetings.
13 Woe to them, they have strayed from me! Ruin to them, they have sinned against me! Though I wished to redeem them, they spoke lies against me.	13 Woe to them, for they have withdrawn from me. They will waste away because they have been dishonest with me. And I redeemed them, and they have spoken lies against me.
14 They have not cried to me from their hearts when they wailed upon their beds; For wheat and wine they lacerated themselves, while they rebelled against me.	14 And they have not cried out to me in their heart, but they howled on their beds. They have obsessed about wheat and wine; they have withdrawn from me.
15 Though I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devised evil against me.	15 And I have educated them, and I have reinforced their arms; and they have imagined evil against me.
16 They have again become useless, like a treacherous bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues; thus they shall be mocked in the land of Egypt.	16 They returned so that they might be without a yoke. They have become like a deceitful bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of the madness of their words. This is their derision in the land of Egypt.