1when 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 outside.*

2But they do not consider

that I remember all their wickedness.

Now their deeds surround them;

they are before my face.*

3By their wickedness they make the king glad,

and the officials by their treachery.

4They are all adulterers;

they are like a heated oven

whose baker does not need to stir the fire

from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.*

5On the day of our king the officials

became sick with the heat of wine;

he stretched out his hand with mockers.*

6For they are kindledf like an oven; their heart burns within them;

all night their anger smolders;

in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

7All of them are hot as an oven,

and they devour their rulers.

All their kings have fallen;

none of them calls upon me.*

8Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;

Ephraim is a cake not turned.

9Foreigners devour his strength,

but he does not know it;

gray hairs are sprinkled upon him,

but he does not know it.*

10Israel’s pride testifies againstg him;

yet they do not return to the Lord their God

or seek him, for all this.*

11Ephraim has become like a dove,

silly and without sense;

they call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria.*

12As they go, I will cast my net over them;

I will bring them down like birds of the air;

I will discipline them according to the report made to their assembly.h^,*

13Woe 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.*

14They do not cry to me from the heart,

but they wail upon their beds;

they gash themselves for grain and wine;

they rebel against me.*

15It was I who trained and strengthened their arms,

yet they plot evil against me.*

16They turn to that which does not profit;i

they have become like a defective bow;

their officials shall fall by the sword

because of the rage of their tongue.

So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.*