1 When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he exalted himself in Israel: but he trespassed through Baal, and he died.

2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.

3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff driven with the whirlwind out of the threshing-floor, and as the smoke out of the lattice.

4 Yet I {am} Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou hast known no God but me; and there is no saviour besides me.

5 I knew thee in the wilderness, in the land of drought.

6 According to their pasture, they became full; they became full, and their heart was exalted: therefore have they forgotten me.

7 And I will be unto them as a lion; as a leopard I will lurk for them by the way;

8 I will meet them as a bear bereaved of her {whelps}, and will rend the covering of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lioness: the beast of the field shall tear them.

9 It is thy destruction, O Israel, that {thou art} against me, against thy help.

10 Where then is thy king, that he may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? -

11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.

12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is laid by in store.

13 The pangs of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is a son not wise; for at the time of the breaking forth of children, he was not there.

14 I will ransom them from the power of Sheol. I will redeem them from death: where, O death, are thy plagues? where, O Sheol, is thy destruction? Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

15 Though he be fruitful among {his} brethren, an east wind shall come, a wind of Jehovah {that} cometh up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.

16 Samaria shall bear her guilt; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword; their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

1 从前以法莲一说话， 人都战兢。他原在以色列中居高位， 但后来因事奉巴力犯了罪， 就死了。

2 现在他们犯罪越来越多， 为自己做铸像， 按着自己的技巧， 用自己的银子做偶像； 这些都是匠人的手工。他们论到这些说： "向偶像献祭的人， 可以与牛犊亲嘴。"

3 因此， 他们必像早晨的云雾， 又如易逝的朝露， 又像打谷场上的糠秕被旋风吹去， 又像烟气从烟窗上腾。

4 "自从你出埃及地以来， 我就是耶和华你的 神。除我以外， 你不可有别的神； 除我以外， 再没有拯救者。

5 我曾在旷野， 在干旱之地， 认识你。

6 但他们得了喂养， 饱足以后， 就心高气傲， 因此忘记了我。

7 所以我要像狮子临到他们， 像豹子埋伏在路旁。

8 我要袭击他们， 像一只失掉幼熊的母熊， 撕裂他们的胸膛； 在那里我必像一只母狮吞吃他们； 野兽必撕裂他们。

9 "以色列啊， 我要毁灭你， 谁能帮助你呢？

10 现在你的王在哪里？让他拯救你吧！ 你所有的领袖在哪里？让他们治理你吧！ 因为论到他们你曾请求： ‘把王和领袖赐给我。’

11 我在忿怒中把王赐给你， 又在烈怒中把他废去。

12 以法莲的罪孽是封着的， 他的罪恶贮藏起来。

13 生产的疼痛要临到他身上， 他却是没有智慧的人， 因为产期到了， 他还迟延不破胎而出。

14 我要救赎他们脱离阴间的权势吗？救赎他们脱离死亡吗？死亡啊， 你的灾害在哪里？阴间啊， 你的毁灭在哪里？怜悯必从我眼前隐藏起来。

15 他虽然在芦苇中长得茂盛， 但东风必要来到， 耶和华的风要从旷野上来， 他的水泉就干涸， 他的泉源就枯竭。他所贮藏的一切珍贵器皿， 都被掠夺去了。

16 撒玛利亚必承担自己罪的刑罚， 因为他背叛了他的 神。他们必倒在刀下。他们的婴孩被摔死， 他们的孕妇必被剖开肚腹。"（本节在《马索拉抄本》为14:1）