And she hath pursued her lovers, And she doth not overtake them, And hath sought them, and doth not find, And she hath said: I go, and I turn back unto My first husband, For -- better to me then than now.

And now do I reveal her dishonour before the eyes of her lovers, And none doth deliver her out of My hand.

For as a refractory heifer hath Israel turned aside, Now doth Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

I have known Ephraim, And Israel hath not been hid from me, For now thou hast gone a-whoring, Ephraim, Defiled is Israel.

Against Jehovah they dealt treacherously, For strange sons they have begotten, Now consume them doth a month with their portions.

And they do not say to their heart, That all their evil I have remembered, Now compassed them have their doings, Over-against My face they have been.

Israel hath been swallowed up, Now they have been among nations, As a vessel in which is no delight.

Also though they hire among nations, Now I gather them, and they are pained a little, From the burden of a king of princes.

The sacrifices of Mine offerings! They sacrifice flesh, and they eat, Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin, They -- to Egypt they turn back.

Their heart hath been divided, now they are guilty, He doth break down their altars, He doth destroy their standing-pillars.

For now they say: We have no king, Because we have not feared Jehovah, And the king -- what doth he for us?

And now do they add to sin, And make to them a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding -- idols, A work of artisans -- all of it, Of them they say, who are sacrificers among men, 'The calves let them kiss.'

Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel, But in Me is thy help, Where is thy king now -- And he doth save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou didst say, 'Give to me a king and heads?'