Hosea 7

¹Whanne Y wolde heele Israel, the wickidnesse of Effraym was schewid, and the malice of Samarie was schewid, for thei wrouyten a leesyng. And a niyt theef entride, and robbid; a dai theef was withoutforth.

²And lest thei seien in her hertis, that Y haue mynde on al the malice of hem, now her fyndyngis han cumpassid hem, tho ben maad bifor my face.

³In her malice thei gladiden the kyng, and in her leesyngys `thei gladiden the princes.

⁴Alle that doen auoutrie, ben as an ouene maad hoot of a bakere. The citee restide a litil fro the medlyng of sour douy, til al was maad sour `of sour douy.

⁵The dai of oure kyng; the princis bigunnen to be wood of wyn; he stretchide forth his hoond with scorneris.

⁶For thei applieden her herte as an ouene, whanne he settide tresoun to hem. Al the niyt he slepte bakynge hem, in the morewtid he was maad hoot, as the fier of flawme.

⁷Alle weren maad hoot as an ouene, and thei deuouriden her iugis. Alle the kyngis of hem fellen doun, and noon is among hem that crieth to me.

⁸Effraym hym silf was medlid among puplis; Effraym was maad a loof bakun vndur aischis, which is not turned ayen.

⁹Aliens eeten the strengthe of hym, and he knew not; but also hoor heeris weren sched out in hym, and he knew not.

¹⁰And the pride of Israel schal be maad low in the face therof; thei turneden not ayen to her Lord God, and thei souyten not hym in alle these thingis.

¹¹And Effraym was maad as a culuer disseyued, not hauynge herte. Thei clepiden Egipt to help, thei yeden to Assiriens.

¹²And whanne thei ben goen forth, Y schal sprede abrood on hem my net, Y schal drawe hem doun as a brid of the eir. Y schal beete hem, bi the heryng of the cumpany of hem.

¹³Wo to hem, for thei yeden awei fro me; thei schulen be distried, for thei trespassiden ayens me. And Y ayenbouyte hem, and thei spaken leesyngis ayenus me.

¹⁴And thei crieden not to me in her herte, but yelliden in her beddis. Thei chewiden code on wheete, and wyn, and thei yeden awei fro me.

¹⁵And Y tauyte, and coumfortide the armes of hem, and thei thouyten malice ayens me.

¹⁶Thei turneden ayen, that thei schulden be with out yok; thei ben maad as a gileful bowe. The princis of hem schulen falle doun bi swerd, for the woodnesse of her tunge; this is the scornyng of hem in the lond of Egipt.

Hosea 7

¹When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.

²And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.

³They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.

⁴They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.

⁵In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.

⁶For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.

⁷They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.

⁸Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.

⁹Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.

¹⁰And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.

¹¹Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.

¹²When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.

¹³Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.

¹⁴And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.

¹⁵Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.

¹⁶They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.