Hosea 7

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition	NEW JERUSALEM
1 When I would restore the fortunes of my people, when I would heal Israel, the corruption of Ephraim is revealed, and the wicked deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely, the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid without.	1 Whenever I would heal Israel, I am confronted by the guilt of Ephraim and the evil-doings of Samaria;for deceit is their principle of behaviour; the thief breaks into the house, marauders raid in the open;
2 But they do not consider that I remember all their evil works. Now their deeds encompass them, they are before my face.	2 and they never pause to consider that I remember al their wicked deeds; and now their own deeds hemthem in and stare me in the face.
3 By their wickedness they make the king glad, and the princes by their treachery.	3 They amuse the king with their wickedness and the chief men with their lies.
4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven, whose baker ceases to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.	4 They are al adulterers, hot as an oven which the baker need not stoke from the time he has kneadedthe dough until it rises.
5 On the day of our king the princes became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.	5 At the holiday for our king, the ministers become inflamed with wine, while he accepts the homage ofpeople
6 For like an oven their hearts burn with intrigue; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.	6 who laugh at him. Their hearts are like an oven as they plot, all night their passion slumbers, then in themorning it bursts into flame;
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; and none of them calls upon me.	7 yes, al of them as hot as ovens, they consume their rulers. All their kings have fal en thus, not one ofthem has ever cal ed on me.
8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.	8 Ephraim mixes with the nations. Ephraim is a half-baked cake.
9 Aliens devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not.	9 Foreigners have eaten his strength away but he is unconscious of it; even his hair is turning grey but heis unconscious of it.
10 The pride of Israel witnesses against him; yet they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him, for all this.	10 (Israel's arrogance is his own accuser; but they do not come back to Yahweh their God or seek him,despite al this.)
11 Ephraim is like a dove, silly and without sense, calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.	11 Ephraim is like a silly, witless pigeon cal ing on Egypt, turning to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will spread over them my net; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will chastise them for their wicked deeds.	12 Wherever they turn, I shal spread my net over them, I shal bring them down like the birds of the sky, Ishall punish them for their perversity.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me! I would redeem them, but they speak lies against me.	13 Woe to them for having fled from me! Ruin seize them for having wronged me! I have rescued themagain and again and they have only told lies about me.
14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; for grain and wine they gash themselves, they rebel against me.	14 Theirs is no heartfelt cry to me when they lament on their beds; when they gash themselves over thegrain and new wine, they are stil rebelling against me.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, yet they devise evil against me.	15 Though I supported and gave strength to their arms, they plan how to hurt me.
16 They turn to Baal; they are like a treacherous bow, their princes shall fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongue. This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.	16 They turn to what does not exist, they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders wil fal by the swordbecause of their arrogant talk; how they wil be laughed at in Egypt!