1bere biara a mɛsa Israel yare no,
Efraim nnebɔne da adi.
Samaria awurukasɛm nso da adi.
Wɔyɛ nnaadaafo
akorɔmfo a wobubu adan ani kɔ afi mu,
ne akwamukafo a wɔbɔ korɔn wɔ mmɔnten so.
2Na wonhu sɛ
mekae wɔn nnebɔne nyinaa.
Wɔn bɔne bunkam wɔn so;
egu mʼanim bere biara.
3“Wɔde atirimɔdensɛm gyigye ɔhene no ani,
na wɔde atoro nso gyigye ahenemma no ani.
4Wɔn nyinaa yɛ aguamammɔfo
a akɔnnɔ redɛw wɔ wɔn mu.
Wɔte sɛ fononoo a wɔasɔ mu gya
bere a brodotofo ahyɛ ase refɔtɔw nʼasikresiam.
5Da a ɔhene rehyɛ fa no
ahenemma bow nsa,
na ɔhene no fɛwdifo ne wɔn bɔ mu goru.
6Wɔn koma te sɛ fononoo;
wɔde atirimpɔw bɔne kɔ ɔhene anim.
Wɔn nsusuwii bɔne no dɛɛdɛɛ anadwo mu nyinaa;
anɔpa, ɛdɛw te sɛ ogyatannaa.
7Wɔn nyinaa ayɛ hyew sɛ fononoo.
Wokunkum wɔn sodifo.
Wɔn ahemfo nyinaa hwehwe ase
na wɔn mu biara nsu mfrɛ me.
8“Efraim ne aman no adi afra;
Efraim yɛ ɔfam a anyinya a wonkisae.
9Ananafo twe nʼahoɔden,
nanso onhu.
Dwen aba ne ti so,
nanso nʼani mmaa so ɛ.
10Israel ahantan di adanse tia no,
nanso eyi nyinaa akyi no
ɔnnsan nkɔ Awurade ne Nyankopɔn nkyɛn,
na ɔnhwehwɛ no nso.
11“Efraim te sɛ aborɔnoma,
wotumi daadaa no na onni adwene.
Ɔfrɛ Misraim,
na wadan akɔ Asiria.
12Sɛ wɔkɔ a, mɛtow mʼasau agu wɔn so;
atwe wɔn aba fam te sɛ wim nnomaa.
Sɛ mete sɛ wɔretu abɔ mu a,
mɛkyere wɔn.
13Nnome nka wɔn,
efisɛ wɔatwe wɔn ho afi me ho!
Ɔsɛe mmra wɔn so
efisɛ wɔatew me so atua!
anka mepɛ sɛ migye wɔn
nanso wutwa atoro fa me ho.
14Wommfi wɔn koma mu nsu mfrɛ me,
mmom wotwa adwo wɔ wɔn mpa so.
Wɔboaboa wɔn ho ano kɔhwehwɛ aduan ne nsa foforo,
nanso wɔtwe wɔn ho fi me ho.
15Metetew wɔn, hyɛɛ wɔn den,
nanso wɔbɔ pɔw bɔne tia me.
16Wɔnhwehwɛ Ɔsorosoroni no;
wɔte sɛ tadua a asɛe,
wɔn ntuanofo bɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano
efisɛ, wɔnkasa obu so.
Eyi nti wobedi wɔn ho fɛw
wɔ Misraim asase so.
1When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.7.1 wickedness: Heb. evils7.1 spoileth: Heb. strippeth 2And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.7.2 consider…: Heb. say not to 3They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies. 4They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.7.4 who…: or, the raiser will cease7.4 raising: or, waking 5In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.7.5 bottles…: or, heat through wine 6For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.7.6 made…: or, applied 7They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
8Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned. 9Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.7.9 here…: Heb. sprinkled 10And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
11¶ Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria. 12When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard. 13Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.7.13 destruction: Heb. spoil 14And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me. 15Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.7.15 have…: or, chastened 16They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
