¹ When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

² As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baals, and burned incense to graven images.

³ And I it was that taught Ephraim to walk, -- He took them upon his arms, -- but they knew not that I healed them.

⁴ I drew them with bands of a man, with cords of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I gently caused them to eat.

⁵ He shall not return into the land of Egypt, but the Assyrian shall be his king; for they refused to return [to me];

⁶ and the sword shall turn about in his cities, and shall consume his bars, and devour [them], because of their own counsels.

⁷ Yea, my people are bent upon backsliding from me: though they call them to the Most High, none at all exalteth [him].

⁸ How shall I give thee over, Ephraim? [how] shall I deliver thee up, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? [how] shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

⁹ I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am ùGod, and not man, -- the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not come in anger.

¹⁰ They shall walk after Jehovah; he shall roar like a lion; when he shall roar, then the children shall hasten from the west:

¹¹ they shall hasten as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the land of Assyria; and I will cause them to dwell in their houses, saith Jehovah.

¹² Ephraim encompasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah yet walketh with ùGod, and with the holy things of truth.

¹ And the word of Jehovah of hosts came [unto me], saying,

² Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great fury.

³ Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.

⁴ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each one with his staff in his hand for multitude of days.

⁵ And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

⁶ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: If it be wonderful in the eyes of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be wonderful in mine eyes? saith Jehovah of hosts.

⁷ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;

⁸ and I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

⁹ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Let your hands be strong, ye that hear in these days these words by the mouth of the prophets, that were in the day that the foundation of the house of Jehovah of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built.

¹⁰ For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; and there was no peace for him that went out or that came in, because of the distress: for I let loose all men, every one against his neighbour.

¹¹ But now I will not be unto the remnant of this people as in the former days, saith Jehovah of hosts;

¹² for the seed shall be prosperous, the vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these [things].

¹³ And it shall come to pass, like as ye were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and ye shall be a blessing: fear ye not, let your hands be strong.

¹⁴ For thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Like as I thought to do you evil when your fathers provoked me to wrath, saith Jehovah of hosts, and I repented not;

¹⁵ so again have I thought in these days to do good unto Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: fear ye not.

¹⁶ These are the things that ye shall do: Speak truth every one with his neighbour; execute truth and the judgment of peace in your gates;

¹⁷ and let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are [things] that I hate, saith Jehovah.

¹⁸ And the word of Jehovah of hosts came unto me, saying,

¹⁹ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: The fast of the fourth [month] and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and cheerful gatherings. Love ye then truth and peace.

²⁰ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Yet again shall there come peoples, and the inhabitants of many cities;

²¹ and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to supplicate Jehovah, and to seek Jehovah of hosts: I will go also.

²² And many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek Jehovah of hosts in Jerusalem, and to supplicate Jehovah.

²³ Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days shall ten men take hold, out of all languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard [that] God is with you.