¹ Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

² Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and he will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.

³ He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he wrestled with God.

⁴ Yea, he wrestled with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us,

⁵ -- even Jehovah, the God of hosts, -- Jehovah is his memorial.

⁶ And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

⁷ [He is] a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.

⁸ And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

⁹ But I [that am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt will again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.

¹⁰ And I have spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by means of the prophets have I used similitudes.

¹¹ If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.

¹² And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [sheep].

¹³ And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.

¹⁴ Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly; and his Lord shall leave his blood upon him, and recompense unto him his reproach.

¹ Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

² Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, -- they break out; and blood toucheth blood.

³ For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

⁴ Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

⁵ And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother.

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

⁷ As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

⁸ They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity.

⁹ And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;

¹⁰ and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

¹¹ Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.

¹² My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:

¹³ they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.

¹⁵ Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!

¹⁶ For Israel is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide [pasture].

¹⁷ -- Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.

¹⁸ Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.

¹⁹ The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.