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¹ "Israel [is] an empty vine, || He makes fruit like to himself, || According to the abundance of his fruit, || He has multiplied for the altars, || According to the goodness of his land, || They have made good standing-pillars.² Their heart has been divided, now they are guilty, || He breaks down their altars, || He destroys their standing-pillars.³ For now they say: We have no king, || Because we have not feared YHWH, || And the king—what does he do for us?⁴ They have spoken words, || To swear falsehood in making a covenant, || And flourished as a poisonous herb has judgment, on the furrows of a field.⁵ For the inhabitants of Samaria fear the calves of Beth-Aven, || Surely its people have mourned on account of it, || And its priests leap about on account of it, || Because of its glory, for it has removed from it,⁶ Also, it is carried to Asshur, a present to a warlike king, || Ephraim receives shame, || And Israel is ashamed of its own counsel.⁷ Samaria is cut off! Its king [is] as wrath on the face of the waters.⁸ And high places of Aven have been destroyed, the sin of Israel. Thorn and bramble go up on their altars, || And they have said to hills, Cover us, || And to heights, Fall on us.

⁹ From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, || There they have stood, || Battle does not overtake them in Gibeah, || Because of sons of perverseness.¹⁰ When I desire, then I bind them, || And peoples have gathered against them, || When they bind themselves to their two iniquities.¹¹ And Ephraim [is] a trained heifer—loving to thresh, || And I have passed over on the goodness of its neck, || I cause [one] to ride Ephraim, || Judah plows, Jacob harrows for him.¹² Sow for yourselves in righteousness, || Reap according to loving-kindness, || Till for yourselves tillage of knowledge, || To seek YHWH, || Until He comes and shows righteousness to you.¹³ You have plowed wickedness, || Perversity you have reaped, || You have eaten the fruit of lying, || For you have trusted in your way, || In the abundance of your might.¹⁴ And a tumult rises among your people, || And all your fortresses are spoiled, || As the spoiling of Shalman of Beth-Arbel, || In a day of battle, || Mother against sons dashed in pieces.¹⁵ Thus has Beth-El done to you, || Because of the evil of your wickedness, || In the dawn a king of Israel is utterly cut off!"