DO not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, for you have played harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor.

2 The threshing floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.

3 They shall not dwell in the LORD's land, but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

4 They shall not offer wine offering to the LORD, nor shall their sacrifices be pleasing to Him. It shall be like bread of mourners to them; all who eat it shall be defiled. For their bread shall be for their own life; it shall not come into the house of the LORD.

5 What will you do in the appointed day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?

6 For indeed they are gone because of destruction. Egypt shall gather them up; Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their valuables of silver; throns shall be in their tents.

7 The day of punishment have come; the days of recompense have come. Israel knows! The prophet is fool, the spiritual man is insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and great enmity.

8 The watchman of Ephraim with my God; but the prophet is a flower's snair in all his way - enmity in the house of his God.

9 They are deeply corrupted, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins.

10 "I found Israel like grapes in the wildernes; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, and separated themselve to that shame; they became an abomination like the thing they loved.

11 As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly like a bird - no birth, no pregency, and no conception!

12 Though they bring up their children yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!

13 Just as I saw Ephraim like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place, so Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer."

14 Give them, O LORD - what will You give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts!

15 "All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious.

16 Ephraim is stricken, their root is dried up; they shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darling of their womb."

17 My God will cast them away, because they did not obey Him; and they shall be wanderer among the nations. HOSEA 9