E'phraim a half-baked cake

When I would restore the fortunes of my people,

1when I would heal Israel,

the corruption of E'phraim is revealed,

and the wicked deeds of Samar'ia;

for they deal falsely,

the thief breaks in,

and the bandits raid without.

2But they do not consider

that I remember all their evil works.

Now their deeds encompass them,

they are before my face.

3By their wickedness they make the king glad,

and the princes by their treachery.

4They are all adulterers;

they are like a heated oven,

whose baker ceases to stir the fire,

from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

5On the day of our king the princes

became sick with the heat of wine;

he stretched out his hand with mockers.

6For like an oven their hearts burn7.6 Gk Syr: Heb brought near with intrigue;

all night their anger smolders;

in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

7All of them are hot as an oven,

and they devour their rulers.

All their kings have fallen;

and none of them calls upon me.

8E'phraim mixes himself with the peoples;

E'phraim is a cake not turned.

9Aliens devour his strength,

and he knows it not;

gray hairs are sprinkled upon him,

and he knows it not.

10The pride of Israel witnesses against him;

yet they do not return to the LORD their God,

nor seek him, for all this.

11E'phraim is like a dove,

silly and without sense,

calling to Egypt, going to Assyria.

12As they go, I will spread over them my net;

I will bring them down like birds of the air;

I will chastise them for their wicked deeds.7.12 Cn: Heb according to the report to their congregation

13Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!

Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!

I would redeem them,

but they speak lies against me.

14They do not cry to me from the heart,

but they wail upon their beds;

for grain and wine they gash themselves,

they rebel against me.

15Although I trained and strengthened their arms,

yet they devise evil against me.

16They turn to Ba'al;7.16 Cn: Heb uncertain

they are like a treacherous bow,

their princes shall fall by the sword

because of the insolence of their tongue.

This shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.