[1]In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us;[2]he will smite, and bind us up.[3]After two days he will heal us: in the third day we shall arise, and live before him, and shall know him:[4]let us follow on to know the Lord: we shall find him ready as the morning, and he will come to us as the early and latter rain to the earth.[5]What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do to thee, Juda? whereas your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that goes away.[6]Therefore have I mown down your prophets; I have slain them with the word of my mouth: and my judgment shall go forth as the light.[7]For I will have mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings.[8]But they are as a man transgressing a covenant:[9]there the city Galaad despised me, working vanity, troubling water.[10]And thy strength is that of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered the people of Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel.[11]I have seen horrible things there, even the fornication of Ephraim: Israel and Juda are defiled;[12]begin together grapes for thyself, when I turn the captivity of my people.
Credit
Author: Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton (1851)
Source: ecmarsh.com