1The sin of Ephraim appears clearly; the wickedness of Samaria is obvious. They cheat one another, they break into houses while bandits raid outside. 2They do not realize that I am mindful of their evil deeds. They are engulfed by their sins which are always before me. 3They amuse the king with their wickedness and the officials with their trickery. 4They are and remain adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker; he has not to stir the fire from the time the dough is kneaded until it rises.
5On the day of the king his officials get drunk and the king joins hands with the revelers. 6In their plotting they burn like an oven; all night their anger smolders and in the morning blazes like a fire. 7They are all heated like an oven and they devour their own rulers; all their kings fall but none of them calls on me for help.
8Ephraim mixes with other nations. He is like a half-baked loaf; 9the nations around him consume his strength but he is unaware of it. He has become old and he does not know it.
10Israel’s arrogance is witness against him but even so they will not turn back to Yahweh, their God, or search for him. 11Ephraim is like a silly pigeon, now calling on Egypt, now turning to Assyria. 12But wherever they turn I shall throw my net over them for they rebelled against me and they will fall like birds.
13Woe to them who fled far from me; disgrace will fall on those who deceived me. I wanted to redeem them but they spoke evil of me. 14They did not call on me sincerely when they groaned on their beds because of their wheat and wine and turned to me.
15When I made them successful and strong, they plotted evil against me. 16Now they turn to nothingness. They are deceptive as a twisted bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their insolent talk; in the land of Egypt, people will make fun of them.
