1 ¶ Do not rejoice, O Israel, or celebrate like other people: for you have played the harlot, forsaking your God; you have loved the hire of a prostitute on every threshing floor.

2 The threshing floor and winepress will not feed you, and the new wine will fail you.

3 You will not stay in the LORD’S land; but Ephraim will go back to Egypt, and the people will eat unclean things in Assyria.

4 They will not offer wine offerings to the LORD, nor will they be pleasing to him: their sacrifices will be to them like the food mourners eat; all who eat it will make themselves unclean: because their food will only satisfy their appetites, and will not enter the temple of the LORD.

5 What will you do on the solemn day, the day of the feast of the LORD?

6 For even if they escape destruction: Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them: where they had their treasures of silver, thistles will grow: thorns will replace their tents.

7 ¶ The days of punishment will come, the days of retribution will arrive; Israel will know it: the prophet is seen as a fanatic, the spiritual man is regarded as stupid, because of your many sins, and your great hostility.

8 Ephraim was to be a watchman with my God: but the prophet is hampered as by a fowler’s snare in all he tries to do, and encounters hostility in the house of his God.

9 They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore he will remember their wrongs, he will punish their sins.

10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers like the first ripe fig when its season starts: but they went to Baalpeor, and consecrated themselves to shame; becoming as abominable as the thing they loved.

11 ¶ As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird, there will be no birth, no being with child, and no conception.

12 Even if they raise their children, I will take away each one, before they grow up, yes, woe to them when I depart from them!

13 Like Tyre, Ephraim is planted in a pleasant place: but Ephraim will bring out his children to the slayer.

14 Give them, O LORD: what should you give? give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

15 All their evil was evident at Gilgal: for there I came to hate them: because of the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house, I will not love them any longer: all their leaders are in rebellion.

16 Ephraim is cut down, their root has dried up, they will bear no fruit: yes, even if they have young, I will kill the children they delight in.

17 My God will reject them, because they refused to listen to him: and they will be wanderers among the nations.