God’s Love for Israel
1“When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2But the more they were called,
the more they went away from me.11:2 Septuagint; Hebrew them
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them.
5“Will they not return to Egypt
and will not Assyria rule over them
because they refuse to repent?
6A sword will flash in their cities;
it will devour their false prophets
and put an end to their plans.
7My people are determined to turn from me.
Even though they call me God Most High,
I will by no means exalt them.
8“How can I give you up, Ephraim?
How can I hand you over, Israel?
How can I treat you like Admah?
How can I make you like Zeboyim?
My heart is changed within me;
all my compassion is aroused.
9I will not carry out my fierce anger,
nor will I devastate Ephraim again.
For I am God, and not a man—
the Holy One among you.
I will not come against their cities.
10They will follow the Lord;
he will roar like a lion.
When he roars,
his children will come trembling from the west.
11They will come from Egypt,
trembling like sparrows,
from Assyria, fluttering like doves.
I will settle them in their homes,”
declares the Lord.
Israel’s Sin
12Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,
Israel with deceit.
And Judah is unruly against God,
even against the faithful Holy One.11:12 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:12) is numbered 12:1.
111:1 Jer 2:2; Math 2:19“Rĩrĩa Isiraeli aarĩ kaana-rĩ, nĩndamwendete,
ngĩgĩĩta mũrũ ũcio wakwa oime bũrũri wa Misiri.
2No o ũrĩa ndaakĩragĩrĩria gwĩta Isiraeli,
noguo maakĩragĩrĩria kũnjũrĩra.
Nao makĩrutĩra Baali magongona,
na magĩcinĩra mĩhianano ũbumba.
311:3 Gũcook 1:31; Thaam 15:26Niĩ nĩ niĩ ndaarutire andũ a Efiraimu gwĩtwara na magũrũ,
ndĩmanyiitĩte moko;
no matiigana kũmenya
atĩ nĩ niĩ ndamahonagia.
411:4 Alaw 26:13; Thab 78:15Nĩndamatongoragia na mĩkanda ya ũtugi wa ũmũndũ,
ngamaguucĩrĩria na mĩhĩndo ya wendo;
ngĩmaruta icooki ngingo,
na ngĩinamĩrĩra kũmahe irio.
511:5 Hos 7:16; Thaam 13:17“Githĩ matigagĩcooka o kũu bũrũri wa Misiri,
o na githĩ matigaathwo nĩ Ashuri,
tondũ nĩmaregete kwĩrira, manjookerere?
611:6 Hos 13:16; Maca 2:9Hiũ cia njora ikaahenũkaga matũũra-inĩ mao manene,
ikaananga mĩgĩĩko ya ihingo ciao,
na ikinyie mĩbango yao mũthia.
7Andũ akwa nĩmatuĩte itua maahuutatĩre.
O na mangĩgaakaĩra Ũrĩa-ũrĩ-Igũrũ-Mũno-rĩ,
ndakamatũgĩria o na atĩa.
811:8 Kĩam 14:8; Thab 25:6“Ndahota atĩa gũgũtirika, wee Efiraimu?
Ndahota atĩa gũkũrekereria, wee Isiraeli?
Ndahota atĩa gũtũma ũtuĩke ta Adima?
Ndahota atĩa gũgũtua ta Zeboimu?
Ngoro yakwa nĩĩreganĩte na ũhoro ũcio,
nacio tha ciakwa ciothe nĩciarahũkĩte.
9Ndikamũkinyĩria marakara makwa mahiũ,
o na kana hũgũkĩre Efiraimu ndĩmũniine.
Nĩgũkorwo niĩ nĩ niĩ Ngai, ndirĩ mũndũ,
Ngai Ũrĩa Mũtheru gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu.
Ndigooka kũrĩ we ndĩ na mangʼũrĩ.
10Nĩmakarũmĩrĩra Jehova;
nake nĩakararama ta mũrũũthi.
Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa akaararama-rĩ,
ciana ciake nĩigooka ikĩinainaga ciumĩte mwena wa ithũĩro.
1111:11 Isa 11:11; Ezek 28:26Igooka ikĩinainaga
ta nyoni ikiuma bũrũri wa Misiri,
na ta ndutura ikiuma bũrũri wa Ashuri.
Nĩngatũma matũũre mĩciĩ-inĩ yao ene,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
Mehia ma Isiraeli
1211:12 Hos 4:2; Gũcook 7:9Efiraimu andigiicĩirie na maheeni,
nyũmba ya Isiraeli ĩkandigiicĩria na kũheenania.
Nake Juda akaremera Ngai,
o na agookĩrĩra Ũrĩa Mũtheru mwĩhokeku.
