1 Toe Israel 'n kind was, het Ek hom liefgehad, en uit Egipte het Ek my seun geroep.

2 Hoe meer die profete hulle geroep het, des te meer het hulle van hulle af weggeloop; hulle het aan die Baäls geoffer en vir die gesnede beelde rook laat opgaan.

3 En Ek self het Efraim leer loop. Hy het hulle op sy arms geneem, maar hulle het nie erken dat Ek hulle genees het nie.

4 Met mensebande, met koorde van liefde het Ek hulle getrek; en Ek was vir hulle soos diegene wat die juk van hulle kakebeen af oplig; en Ek het My na hom neergebuig, Ek het hom voedsel gegee.

5 Hy sal na Egipteland nie terugkeer nie, maar Assur -- die sal sy koning wees; omdat hulle geweier het om hulle te bekeer.

6 En die swaard sal geswaai word in sy stede en sy grendels vernietig en verteer weens hulle planne.

7 Want my volk dwing om van My afvallig te word; en as die profete hom roep na bo, rig hy hom glad nie op nie.

8 Hoe kan Ek jou oorgee, o Efraim, jou prysgee, o Israel? Hoe kan Ek jou maak soos Adma, jou gelykstel met Sebo‹m: my hart is omgekeer in My, tegelykertyd is my medelyde opgewek.

9 Ek sal my toorngloed nie laat geld nie, Ek sal Efraim nie weer te gronde rig nie; want Ek is God en nie 'n mens nie, die Heilige in jou midde. En Ek sal nie kom in grimmigheid nie.

10 Hulle sal agter die HERE aan trek; Hy sal brul soos 'n leeu. Want Hy sal brul, en die kinders sal met siddering van die seekant aankom.

11 Hulle sal sidderende aankom soos 'n voëltjie uit Egipte en soos 'n duif uit die land Assur; en Ek sal hulle laat woon in hulle huise, spreek die HERE.

1 When Israel was a child he was dear to me; and I took my son out of Egypt.

2 When I sent for them, then they went away from me; they made offerings to the Baals, burning perfumes to images.

3 But I was guiding Ephraim's footsteps; I took them up in my arms, but they were not conscious that I was ready to make them well.

4 I made them come after me with the cords of a man, with the bands of love; I was to them as one who took the yoke from off their mouths, putting meat before them.

5 He will go back to the land of Egypt and the Assyrian will be his king, because they would not come back to me.

6 And the sword will go through his towns, wasting his children and causing destruction because of their evil designs.

7 My people are given up to sinning against me; though their voice goes up on high, no one will be lifting them up.

8 How may I give you up, O Ephraim? how may I be your saviour, O Israel? how may I make you like Admah? how may I do to you as I did to Zeboim? My heart is turned in me, it is soft with pity.

9 I will not put into effect the heat of my wrath; I will not again send destruction on Ephraim; for I am God and not man, the Holy One among you; I will not put an end to you.

10 They will go after the Lord; his cry will be like that of a lion; his cry will be loud, and the children will come from the west, shaking with fear;

11 Shaking with fear like a bird, they will come out of Egypt, like a dove out of the land of Assyria: and I will give them rest in their houses, says the Lord.