Hosea 9
1Do not rejoice, Israel, 1 with joy like the other peoples. 1 For you have been unfaithful, 1 forsaking your God. 1 You love to pay the wages a prostitute requires 1 on all the threshing floors. 1
2But the threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them; 1 the new wine will fail them. 1
3They will not continue to live in Yahweh's land; 1 instead, Ephraim will return to Egypt, 1 and one day they will eat unclean food in Assyria. 1
4They will pour out no wine offerings to Yahweh, 1 neither will they be pleasing to him. 1 Their sacrifices will be to them like mourners' food: 1 all who eat it will be defiled. 1 For their food will be for themselves only; 1 it will not come into the house of Yahweh. 1
5What will you do on the day of an appointed festival, 1 on the day of a festival for Yahweh? 1
6For, look, if they escape from destruction, 1 Egypt will gather them, 1 and Memphis will bury them. 1 As for their treasures of silver— 1 sharp briers will possess them, 1 and thorns will fill their tents. 1
7The days for punishment are coming; 1 the days for retribution are coming. 1 Let all Israel know these things. 1 The prophet is a fool, 1 and the inspired man is insane, 1 because of your great iniquity 1 and great hostility. 1
8The prophet is the watchman for my God over Ephraim. 1 But a bird snare is on all of his paths, 1 and hostility toward him is in the house of his God. 1
9They have deeply corrupted themselves 1 as in the days of Gibeah. 1 God will call to mind their iniquity, 1 and he will punish their sins. 1
10Yahweh says, “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. 1 Like the very first fruit of the season on the fig tree, I found your fathers. 1 But they went to Baal Peor, 1 and they devoted themselves to that shameful idol. 1 They became as detestable as the idol they loved. 1
11As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. 1 There will be no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception. 1
12Though they have brought up children, 1 I will take them away so that none of them is left. 1 Woe to them when I turn away from them! 1
13I have seen Ephraim, just like Tyre, planted in a meadow, 1 but Ephraim will bring out his children to someone who will slaughter them.” 1
14Give them, Yahweh—what will you give them? 1 Give them a miscarrying womb and breasts that give no milk. 1
15“Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, 1 that is where I began to hate them. 1 Because of their sinful deeds, 1 I will drive them out of my house. 1 I will love them no more; 1 all their officials are rebels. 1
16Ephraim is diseased, 1 and their root is dried up; 1 they bear no fruit. 1 Even if they have children, 1 I will put their beloved children to death.” 1
17My God will reject them 1 because they have not obeyed him. 1 They will become wanderers among the nations.