Chapter 7

  When my desire was for the fate of my people to be changed and to make Israel well, then the sin of Ephraim was made clear, and the evil-doing of Samaria; for their ways are false, and the thief comes into the house, while the band of outlaws takes property by force in the streets.  

  And they do not say to themselves that I keep in mind all their sin; now their evil acts come round them on every side; they are before my face.  

  In their sin they make a king for themselves, and rulers in their deceit.  

  They are all untrue; they are like a burning oven; the bread-maker does not make up the fire from the time when the paste is mixed till it is leavened.  

  On the day of our king, the rulers made him ill with the heat of wine; his hand was stretched out with the men of pride.  

  For they have made their hearts ready like an oven, while they are waiting secretly; their wrath is sleeping all night; in the morning it is burning like a flaming fire.  

  They are all heated like an oven, and they put an end to their judges; all their kings have been made low; not one among them makes prayer to me.  

  Ephraim is mixed with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.  

  Men from other lands have made waste his strength, and he is not conscious of it; grey hairs have come on him here and there, and he has no knowledge of it.  

  And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; but for all this, they have not gone back to the Lord their God, or made search for him.  

  And Ephraim is like a foolish dove, without wisdom; they send out their cry to Egypt, they go to Assyria.  

  When they go, my net will be stretched out over them; I will take them like the birds of heaven, I will give them punishment, I will take them away in the net for their sin.  

  May trouble be theirs! for they have gone far away from me; and destruction, for they have been sinning against me; I was ready to be their saviour, but they said false words against me.  

  And they have not made prayer to me in their hearts, but they make loud cries on their beds; they are cutting themselves for food and wine, they are turned against me.  

  Though I have given training and strength to their arms, they have evil designs against me.  

  They have gone to what is of no value; they are like a false bow; their captains will come to destruction by the sword, and their ruler by my wrath; for this, the land of Egypt will make sport of them.