New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 #3when I would heal Israel, the corruption of Ephraim is revealed, and the wicked deeds of Samaria; for they deal falsely, the thief breaks in, and the bandits raid outside.
1
When my desire was for the fate of my people to be changed and to make Israel well, then the sin of Ephraim was made clear, and the evil-doing of Samaria; for their ways are false, and the thief comes into the house, while the band of outlaws takes property by force in the streets.
2 But they do not consider that I remember all their wickedness. Now their deeds surround them, they are before my face.
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And they do not say to themselves that I keep in mind all their sin; now their evil acts come round them on every side; they are before my face.
3 By their wickedness they make the king glad, and the officials by their treachery.
3
In their sin they make a king for themselves, and rulers in their deceit.
4 They are all adulterers; they are like a heated oven, whose baker does not need to stir the fire, from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
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They are all untrue; they are like a burning oven; the bread-maker does not make up the fire from the time when the paste is mixed till it is leavened.
5 On the day of our king the officials became sick with the heat of wine; he stretched out his hand with mockers.
5
On the day of our king, the rulers made him ill with the heat of wine; his hand was stretched out with the men of pride.
6 For they are kindled like an oven, their heart burns within them; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
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For they have made their hearts ready like an oven, while they are waiting secretly; their wrath is sleeping all night; in the morning it is burning like a flaming fire.
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls upon me.
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They are all heated like an oven, and they put an end to their judges; all their kings have been made low; not one among them makes prayer to me.
8 Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
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Ephraim is mixed with the peoples; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Foreigners devour his strength, but he does not know it; gray hairs are sprinkled upon him, but he does not know it.
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Men from other lands have made waste his strength, and he is not conscious of it; grey hairs have come on him here and there, and he has no knowledge of it.
10 Israel's pride testifies against him; yet they do not return to the Lord their God, or seek him, for all this.
10
And the pride of Israel gives an answer to his face; but for all this, they have not gone back to the Lord their God, or made search for him.
11 Ephraim has become like a dove, silly and without sense; they call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria.
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And Ephraim is like a foolish dove, without wisdom; they send out their cry to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 As they go, I will cast my net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air; I will discipline them according to the report made to their assembly.
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When they go, my net will be stretched out over them; I will take them like the birds of heaven, I will give them punishment, I will take them away in the net for their sin.
13 Woe 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.
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May trouble be theirs! for they have gone far away from me; and destruction, for they have been sinning against me; I was ready to be their saviour, but they said false words against me.
14 They do not cry to me from the heart, but they wail upon their beds; they gash themselves for grain and wine; they rebel against me.
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And they have not made prayer to me in their hearts, but they make loud cries on their beds; they are cutting themselves for food and wine, they are turned against me.
15 It was I who trained and strengthened their arms, yet they plot evil against me.
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Though I have given training and strength to their arms, they have evil designs against me.
16 They turn to that which does not profit; they have become like a defective bow; their officials shall fall by the sword because of the rage of their tongue. So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.
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They have gone to what is of no value; they are like a false bow; their captains will come to destruction by the sword, and their ruler by my wrath; for this, the land of Egypt will make sport of them.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.