[1] "I wanted to forgive Israel, but her sins were far too great-no one can even live in Samaria without being a liar, thief, and bandit! [2] "Her people never seem to recognize that I am watching them. Their sinful deeds give them away on every side; I see them all. [3] The king is glad about their wickedness; the princes laugh about their lies. [4] They are all adulterers; as a baker's oven is constantly aflame-except after he kneads the dough and waits for it to rise again-so are these people constantly aflame with lust. [5] "On the king's birthday, the princes get him drunk; he makes a fool of himself and drinks with those who mock him. [6] Their hearts blaze like a furnace with intrigue. Their plot smolders through the night, and in the morning it flames forth like raging fire. [7] "They kill their kings one after another, and no one cries out to me for help. [8] "My people mingle with the heathen, picking up their evil ways; thus they become as good-for-nothing as a half-baked cake! [9] "Worshiping foreign gods has sapped their strength, but they don't know it. Ephraim's hair is turning gray, and he doesn't even realize how weak and old he is. [10] His pride in other gods has openly condemned him; yet he doesn't return to his God, nor even try to find him. [11] "Ephraim is a silly, witless dove, calling to Egypt, flying to Assyria. [12] But as she flies, I throw my net over her and bring her down like a bird from the sky; I will punish her for all her evil ways. [13] "Woe to my people for deserting me; let them perish, for they have sinned against me. I wanted to redeem them but their hard hearts would not accept the truth. [14] They lie there sleepless with anxiety but won't ask my help. Instead, they worship heathen gods, asking them for crops and for prosperity. [15] "I have helped them and made them strong, yet now they turn against me. [16] "They look everywhere except to heaven, to the Most High God. They are like a crooked bow that always misses targets; their leaders will perish by the sword of the enemy for their insolence to me. And all Egypt will laugh at them.
