Now when Lo-ruhamah had been taken from the breast, the woman gave birth to a son.

And if she goes after her lovers she will not overtake them; if she makes search for them she will not see them; then will she say, I will go back to my first husband, for then it was better for me than now.

And now I will make her shame clear before the eyes of her lovers, and no one will take her out of my hand.

For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.

I have knowledge of Ephraim, and Israel is not secret from me; for now, O Ephraim, you have been false to me, Israel has become unclean.

They have been false to the Lord; they have given birth to strange children; now the new moon will make them waste with their fields.

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.

Israel has come to destruction; now they are among the nations like a cup in which there is no pleasure.

He gives the offerings of his lovers, and takes the flesh for food; but the Lord has no pleasure in them; now he will keep in mind their evil-doing and give them the punishment of their sins; they will go back to Egypt.

Their mind is taken away; now they will be made waste: he will have their altars broken down, he will give their pillars to destruction.

Now, truly, they will say, We have no king, we have no fear of the Lord; and the king, what is he able to do for us?

And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.

And now their sins are increased; they have made themselves a metal image, false gods from their silver, after their designs, all of them the work of the metal-workers; they say of them, Let them give offerings, let men give kisses to the oxen.