1 以色列最茂盛的葡萄树， 自己能结果子。他的果子越多， 他就越增添祭坛； 他的土地越肥美， 他就使柱像越美丽。 2 他们心怀诡诈， 现在要承担这罪的惩罚。耶和华必拆毁他们的祭坛， 毁坏他们的柱像。 3 那时他们必说： "我们没有君王， 因为我们不敬畏耶和华。至于君王， 他能为我们作什么呢？" 4 他们说很多话， 起假誓， 又立盟约； 所以审判像毒草一般在田间的犁沟中生长起来。 5 撒玛利亚的居民必因伯．亚文的牛犊而惧怕； 拜牛犊的人民必为它哀恸。拜牛犊的祭司必为它哀号， 都因它的荣耀离开它而被掳去了。 6 人要把它带到亚述去， 作贡物献给那里的大王。以法莲必受羞辱， 以色列必因自己的计谋蒙羞。 7 至于撒玛利亚， 她与她的君王必被剪除； 好像浮在水面的枯枝一般。 8 伯．亚文的邱坛， 就是以色列的罪恶， 都要被拆毁； 荆棘和蒺藜必在他们的祭坛上面长起来。那时人要对大山说： "遮盖我们！ "对小山说： "倒在我们身上！ " 9 以色列啊！ 从基比亚的日子以来， 你就犯罪， 他们仍然留在那里， 难道攻击恶人的战祸不能在基比亚赶上他们吗？ 10 我必来惩罚他们； 他们被自己那双重的罪孽捆绑的时候， 列国就集结起来攻击他们。 11 以法莲是一头驯服的母牛， 喜爱踹谷； 我却要把轭扣在它肥美的颈项上， 我要使以法莲拖犁； 犹大要耕田， 雅各必耙地。 12 你们要为自己撒种公义， 就能收割慈爱的果子， 你们要翻松荒地。现在是寻求耶和华的时候， 直等到他来， 降下公义的雨在你们身上。 13 你们耕种奸恶， 收割不义， 自吃谎言的果子； 因为你倚靠自己的战车和众多的勇士。 14 所以必有哄嚷之声攻击你的众民， 你的一切城堡都必被毁坏， 正如沙勒幔在争战的日子毁坏伯．亚比勒一般， 有母亲与儿女一同在那里被摔死。 15 以色列家啊， 因你们的罪大恶极， 我必这样待你们。在风暴中， 以色列的王必全然被除灭。

1 `An empty vine [is] Israel, Fruit he maketh like to himself, According to the abundance of his fruit, He hath multiplied for the altars, According to the goodness of his land, They have made goodly standing-pillars.2 Their heart hath been divided, now they are guilty, He doth break down their altars, He doth destroy their standing-pillars.3 For now they say: We have no king, Because we have not feared Jehovah, And the king -- what doth he for us?4 They have spoken words, To swear falsehood in making a covenant, And flourished as a poisonous herb hath judgment, on the furrows of a field.5 For the calves of Beth-Aven fear do inhabitants of Samaria, Surely mourned on account of it hath its people, And its priests on account of it leap about, Because of its honour, for it hath removed from it,6 Also it to Asshur is carried, a present to a warlike king, Shame doth Ephraim receive, And ashamed is Israel of its own counsel.7 Cut off is Samaria! Its king [is] as a chip on the face of the waters.8 And destroyed have been high places of Aven, the sin of Israel. Thorn and bramble go up on their altars, And they have said to hills, Cover us, And to heights, Fall upon us.9 From the days of Gibeah thou hast sinned, O Israel, There they have stood, Not overtake them in Gibeah doth battle, Because of sons of perverseness.10 When I desire, then I do bind them, And gathered against them have peoples, When they bind themselves to their two iniquities.11 And Ephraim [is] a trained heifer -- loving to thresh, And I -- I have passed over on the goodness of its neck, I cause [one] to ride Ephraim, Plough doth Judah, harrow for him doth Jacob.12 Sow for yourselves in righteousness, Reap according to loving-kindness, Till for yourselves tillage of knowledge, To seek Jehovah, Till he come and shew righteousness to you.13 Ye have ploughed wickedness, Perversity ye have reaped, Ye have eaten the fruit of lying, For thou hast trusted in thy way, In the abundance of thy might.14 And rise doth a tumult among thy people, And all thy fortresses are spoiled, As the spoiling of Shalman of Beth-Arbel, In a day of battle, Mother against sons dashed in pieces.15 Thus hath Beth-El done to you, Because of the evil of your wickedness, In the dawn cut off utterly is a king of Israel!