¶ When I would¹ have healed Israel, then the iniquity² of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness³ of Samaria: for they commit⁴ falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop⁵ of robbers spoileth⁶ without.

And they consider not in⁷ their hearts that I remember⁸ all their wickedness: now their own⁹ doings have beset them about; they are before¹⁰ my face.

¹¹They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

They are all¹² adulterers, as¹³ an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth¹⁴ from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

In the day¹⁵ of our king the princes have made¹⁶ him sick with bottles of wine¹⁷; he stretched out his hand with scorners¹⁸.

For they¹⁹ have made ready²⁰ their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured²¹ their judges; all their kings are fallen: there²² is none among them that calleth unto me.

¶ Ephraim, he hath²³ mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake²⁴ not turned.

Strangers have devoured²⁵ his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there²⁶ upon him, yet he knoweth not.

¶ And the pride²⁷ of Israel testifieth to his face: and they²⁸ do not return to the LORD their God, nor²⁹ seek him for all this.

Ephraim also is like a silly³⁰ dove without³¹ heart: they call³² to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

When they shall go, I will spread³³ my net upon them; I will bring³⁴ them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their³⁵ congregation hath heard.

Woe³⁶ unto them! for they have fled³⁷ from me: destruction³⁸ unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken³⁹ lies against me.

And they have not⁴⁰ cried unto me with their heart, when⁴¹ they howled upon their beds: they assemble⁴² themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

Though I have⁴³ bound⁴⁴ and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine⁴⁵ mischief against me.

They return⁴⁶, but not to the most High: they are like⁴⁷ a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage⁴⁸ of their tongue: this⁴⁹ shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.