1 and to heal its wounds.
But then I see the crimes
in Israel and Samaria.
Everyone is deceitful;
robbers roam the streets.
2 No one realizes
that I have seen their sins
surround them like a flood.

3 The king and his officials
take great pleasure
in their sin and deceit.
4 Everyone burns with desire—
they are like coals in an oven,
ready to burst into flames.
5 On the day their king
was crowned,
his officials got him drunk,
and he joined
in their foolishness.

6 Their anger is a fire
that smolders all night,
then flares up at dawn.
7 They are flames
destroying their leaders.
And their kings are powerless;
none of them trust me.

8 The people of Israel
have mixed with foreigners;
they are a thin piece of bread
scorched on one side.
9 They don't seem to realize
how weak and feeble they are;
their hair has turned gray,
while foreigners rule.
10 I am the Lord, their God,
but in all of their troubles
their pride keeps them
from returning to me.
No Help from Foreign Nations
The Lord said:

11 Israel is a senseless bird,
fluttering back and forth
between Egypt and Assyria.
12 But I will catch them in a net
as hunters trap birds;
I threatened to punish them,
and indeed I will.
13 Trouble and destruction
will be their reward
for rejecting me.
I would have rescued them,
but they told me lies.

14 They don't really pray to me;
they just howl in their beds.
They have rejected me for Baal
and slashed themselves,
in the hope that Baal
will bless their crops.
15 I taught them what they know,
and I made them strong.
Now they plot against me
16 and refuse to obey.
They are more useless
than a crooked arrow.
Their leaders will die in war
for saying foolish things.
Egyptians will laugh at them.
Efraima noziedzība
1 Līdzko dziedinu Israēlu,
tā atklājas Efraima vaina un Samarijas ļaunums,
jo tie tik melo –
nāk zaglis, ielās izģērbj sirotāji!
2 Pat sirdī tie neatzīst,
ka es atceros visu viņu ļaunumu!
Nu viņu darbi tos ielenkuši –
tie manā priekšā!
3 Ar savu ļaunumu tie priecē ķēniņu
un ar meliem augstmaņus!
4 Visi viņi laulības pārkāpēji,
tie kvēlo kā krāsns,
ko maiznieks vairs nebiksta,
kopš iejāvis mīklu, līdz uzrūgst!
5 Mūsu ķēniņa diena!
Augstmaņi sasirguši, karsti no vīna,
sniedz savu roku ņirgām!
6 Tie uzkur viltu sirdī kā krāsni –
visu nakti guļ viņu cepējs,
gan rītā tas dedzinās ar uguns liesmu!
7 Visi tie kvēlo kā krāsns,
savus soģus tie aprij,
visi viņu ķēniņi kritīs –
neviens no tiem nesauc uz mani!
8 Efraims sajaucies ar tautām –
Efraims kā neapgrozīts plācenis!
9 Sveši rij viņa spēku,
bet viņš nezina,
sirmi mati jau metušies,
bet viņš nezina!
10 Israēla lepnība
liecina pret viņu pašu,
bet viņi neatgriežas pie Kunga, sava Dieva,
tie nemeklē viņu!
Veltā paļāvība uz citām tautām
11 Efraims bija kā balodis,
bezprāta vientiesis –
sauca Ēģipti, gāja uz Asīriju!
12 Tādēļ, ka viņi tur gāja,
es izpletīšu pār tiem savu tīklu,
kā debesu putnus noraušu lejā,
pārmācīšu viņus par to,
ko viņu sapulcēs esmu dzirdējis!

13 Vai! tiem –
jo tie mūk no manis,
posts tiem –
jo tie noziegušies pret mani!
Es izpirku viņus,
bet tie man runāja melus!
14 Sirdī tie nebrēca uz mani,
bet gaudoja savās cisās,
pie klaipa un jaunvīna brāļojās,
novērsušies no manis!
15 Es tos mācīju,
stiprināju tiem rokas,
bet tie man atdarīja ar ļaunu!
16 Ne augšup tie vēršas,
tie ir kā vaļīgs loks,
to augstmaņi no zobena kritīs
savas negantās mēles dēļ –
tas par viņu muldēšanu Ēģiptes zemē!