“Whenever I would heal Yisra’ĕl, then the crookedness of Ephrayim is uncovered, and the evil deeds of Shomeron. For they have wrought falsehood, and a thief comes in, a band of robbers raids outside.
Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephrayim, and to the fading flower of its splendid comeliness that is on the head of the fertile valley, to those who are overcome with wine!
For our transgressions have increased before You, and our sins witnessed against us. For our transgressions are with us, and as for our crookednesses, we know them:
transgressing, and being untrue to יהוה, and turning away from our Elohim, speaking oppression and apostasy, conceiving and pondering words of falsehood from the heart.
We would have healed Baḇel, but she is not healed. Let us leave her and each go to his own land, for her judgment reaches to the heavens and is lifted up to the clouds.
“And your elder sister is Shomeron, she and her daughters, who is dwelling to the north of you. And your younger sister, who is dwelling to the south of you, is Seḏom and her daughters.
“And their names were: Oholah the elder and Oholiḇah her sister. And they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. And their names: Shomeron is Oholah, and Yerushalayim is Oholiḇah.
“In your filthiness is wickedness. Because I have cleansed you, but you are not clean. You shall not be cleansed of your filthiness any more, till I have caused My wrath to rest upon you.
The inhabitants of Shomeron fear because of the calf of Bĕyth Awen. For its people shall mourn for it, as well as its priests who used to rejoice over it, because of its esteem that has departed from it.
“Ephrayim has surrounded Me with lying, and the house of Yisra’ĕl with deceit. But Yehuḏah is still wandering with Ěl, and is true to the Set-apart One.”
“How could I give you up, Ephrayim? How could I hand you over, Yisra’ĕl? How could I make you like Aḏmah? How could I set you like Tseḇoyim? My heart turns within Me, all My compassion is kindled.
Ephrayim is feeding on wind, and pursuing an east wind. All the day he increases falsehood and ruin. And they make a covenant with Ashshur, and oil is sent to Mitsrayim.
“Hear this, O priests! And listen, O house of Yisra’ĕl! Give ear, O house of the sovereign! For the judgment is for you, for you have been a snare to Mitspah and a net spread on Taḇor.
“Ephrayim, what would I do with you? Yehuḏah, what would I do with you? For your loving-commitment is like a morning cloud, and like the early dew it goes away.
“Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, because they have transgressed against Me! And I Myself have ransomed them, yet they have spoken falsehoods against Me,
“Cry out at the palaces in Ashdoḏ, and at the palaces in the land of Mitsrayim, and say, ‘Gather on the mountains of Shomeron, and see the many unrests in her midst, and the oppressed ones within her.
those swearing by the guilt of Shomeron, who say, ‘As your mighty one lives, O Dan!’ and, ‘As the way of Be’ĕrsheḇa lives!’ And they shall fall and never rise again.”
“For the laws of Omri are strictly observed, and all the works of the house of Aḥab, and you walk in their counsels. Therefore I give you for a ruin, and your inhabitants for a hissing, and let you bear the reproach of My people.”
“Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her! How often I wished to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not!
Yerushalayim, Yerushalayim, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to her! How often I wished to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not!”