Hosea 12

1“Ephraim is enjoying wind, || And is pursuing an east wind, || All the day he multiplies lying and spoiling, || And they make a covenant with Asshur, || And oil is carried to Egypt.

2And YHWH has a controversy with Judah, || To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, || He returns to him according to his doings.

3In the womb he took his brother by the heel, || And by his strength he was a prince with God,

4Indeed, he is a prince to the Messenger, || And he overcomes [by] weeping, || And he makes supplication to Him, || At Bethel He finds him, || And there He speaks with us,

5Even YHWH, God of the Hosts, YHWH [is] His memorial.

6And you, through your God, turn, || Keep kindness and judgment, || And wait on your God continually.

7Canaan! In his hand [are] balances of deceit! He has loved to oppress.

8And Ephraim says, || Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, || All my labors—they do not find against me iniquity that [is] sin.

9And I—your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, || Again I turn you back into tents, || As in the days of the appointed time.

10And I have spoken to the prophets, || And I have multiplied vision, || And by the hand of the prophets I use allegories.

11Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, || They have been only vanity, || In Gilead they have sacrificed bullocks, || Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.

12And Jacob flees to the country of Aram, || And Israel serves for a wife, || Indeed, he has kept watch for a wife.

13And by a prophet has YHWH brought up Israel out of Egypt, || And by a prophet it has been watched.

14Ephraim has most bitterly provoked, || And he leaves his blood on himself, || And his Lord turns his reproach back to him!”