| א לְכוּ וְנָשׁוּבָה אֶל-יְהוָה, כִּי הוּא טָרָף וְיִרְפָּאֵנוּ; יַךְ, וְיַחְבְּשֵׁנוּ. | 1 'Come, and let us return unto the LORD; for He hath torn, and He will heal us, He hath smitten, and He will bind us up. |
| ב יְחַיֵּנוּ, מִיֹּמָיִם; בַּיּוֹם, הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, יְקִמֵנוּ, וְנִחְיֶה לְפָנָיו. | 2 After two days will He revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence. |
| ג וְנֵדְעָה נִרְדְּפָה, לָדַעַת אֶת-יְהוָה, כְּשַׁחַר, נָכוֹן מֹצָאוֹ; וְיָבוֹא כַגֶּשֶׁם לָנוּ, כְּמַלְקוֹשׁ יוֹרֶה אָרֶץ. | 3 And let us know, eagerly strive to know the LORD, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.' |
| ד מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה-לְּךָ אֶפְרַיִם, מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה-לְּךָ יְהוּדָה; וְחַסְדְּכֶם, כַּעֲנַן-בֹּקֶר, וְכַטַּל, מַשְׁכִּים הֹלֵךְ. | 4 O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away. |
| ה עַל-כֵּן, חָצַבְתִּי בַּנְּבִיאִים--הֲרַגְתִּים, בְּאִמְרֵי-פִי; וּמִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, אוֹר יֵצֵא. | 5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and thy judgment goeth forth as the light. |
| ו כִּי חֶסֶד חָפַצְתִּי, וְלֹא-זָבַח; וְדַעַת אֱלֹהִים, מֵעֹלוֹת. | 6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings. |
| ז וְהֵמָּה, כְּאָדָם עָבְרוּ בְרִית; שָׁם, בָּגְדוּ בִי. | 7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against Me. |
| ח גִּלְעָד, קִרְיַת פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן--עֲקֻבָּה, מִדָּם. | 8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it is covered with footprints of blood. |
| ט וּכְחַכֵּי אִישׁ גְּדוּדִים, חֶבֶר כֹּהֲנִים, דֶּרֶךְ, יְרַצְּחוּ-שֶׁכְמָה: כִּי זִמָּה, עָשׂוּ. | 9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so doth the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they commit enormity. |
| י בְּבֵית, יִשְׂרָאֵל, רָאִיתִי, שעריריה שַׁעֲרוּרִיָּה; שָׁם זְנוּת לְאֶפְרַיִם, נִטְמָא יִשְׂרָאֵל. | 10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; there harlotry is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled. |
| יא גַּם-יְהוּדָה, שָׁת קָצִיר לָךְ, בְּשׁוּבִי, שְׁבוּת עַמִּי. {פ} | 11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee! When I would turn the captivity of My people, {P} |