1 O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.

4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 5 I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon. 7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

8 Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found. 9 Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

1 תֶּאְשַׁם שֹׁמְרֹון כִּי מָרְתָה בֵּאלֹהֶיהָ בַּחֶרֶב יִפֹּלוּ עֹלְלֵיהֶם יְרֻטָּשׁוּ וְהָרִיֹּותָיו יְבֻקָּעוּ׃ פ

2 וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ כִּי כָשַׁלְתָּ בַּעֲוֹנֶךָ׃

3 קְחוּ עִמָּכֶם דְּבָרִים וְשׁוּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָה אִמְרוּ אֵלָיו כָּל־תִּשָּׂא עָוֹן וְקַח־טֹוב וּנְשַׁלְּמָה פָרִים שְׂפָתֵינוּ׃

4 אַשּׁוּר ׀ לֹא יֹושִׁיעֵנוּ עַל־סוּס לֹא נִרְכָּב וְלֹא־נֹאמַר עֹוד אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ יְרֻחַם יָתֹום׃

5 אֶרְפָּא מְשׁוּבָתָם אֹהֲבֵם נְדָבָה כִּי שָׁב אַפִּי מִמֶּנּוּ׃

6 אֶהְיֶה כַטַּל לְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִפְרַח כַּשֹּׁושַׁנָּה וְיַךְ שָׁרָשָׁיו כַּלְּבָנֹון׃

7 יֵלְכוּ יֹנְקֹותָיו וִיהִי כַזַּיִת הֹודֹו וְרֵיחַ לֹו כַּלְּבָנֹון׃

8 יָשֻׁבוּ יֹשְׁבֵי בְצִלֹּו יְחַיּוּ דָגָן וְיִפְרְחוּ כַגָּפֶן זִכְרֹו כְּיֵין לְבָנֹון׃ ס

9 אֶפְרַיִם מַה־לִּי עֹוד לָעֲצַבִּים אֲנִי עָנִיתִי וַאֲשׁוּרֶנּוּ אֲנִי כִּבְרֹושׁ רַעֲנָן מִמֶּנִּי פֶּרְיְךָ נִמְצָא׃

10 מִי חָכָם וְיָבֵן אֵלֶּה נָבֹון וְיֵדָעֵם כִּי־יְשָׁרִים דַּרְכֵי יְהוָה וְצַדִּקִים יֵלְכוּ בָם וּפֹשְׁעִים יִכָּשְׁלוּ בָם׃