1Samaria shall bear her guilt, for she has rebelled against her God; by the sword they shall fall, their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and his pregnant women ripped open.
2Return, O Israel, to YHWH your God; for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
3Take with you words, and return to YHWH; say to him, "Take away all iniquity, and accept good, and we will render the bulls of our lips.
4Assyria shall not save us; upon horses we will not ride, and we will no longer say 'our God' to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion."
5I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for my anger has turned away from him.
6I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily, and strike his roots like Lebanon.
7His shoots shall spread, and his splendor shall be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
8Those who dwell in his shadow shall return; they shall revive the grain, and blossom like the vine; his memorial shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
9Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I have answered and I will look on him; I am like a luxuriant cypress; from me your fruit is found.
10Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Discerning, that he may know them? For the ways of YHWH are straight, and the righteous walk in them; but transgressors stumble in them.