1When Yisroel was a na'ar (child), I loved him,
and called Beni (My son) out of Mitzrayim. ²¹

2The more I called them,
the more they went from Me;
they sacrificed unto Ba'alim,
and burned incense to peselim (graven images).

3Yet it was I who taught Ephrayim to walk,
taking them by their zero'ot;
but they knew not
that it was I who healed them.

4I drew them with cords of man,
with bands of ahavah;
and I was to them
as they that ease the ol (yoke) on their jaws,
and I bent down to feed them.

5Will they not return into Eretz Mitzrayim?
And will not the Assyrian be his melech,
because they refused to make teshuvah.

6And the cherev shall flash in his towns,
and shall destroy his gate bars, and devour them,
because of their own counsels.

7And Ami are bent to backsliding from Me;
though they called to the Most High,
none at all would exalt Him.

8How shall I give thee up, Ephrayim?
How shall I hand thee over, Yisroel?
How shall I make thee as Admah?
How shall I make thee as Tzevoyim?
Mine lev is turned within Me,
My relentings are kindled together.

9I will not execute Mine charon af,
I will not return to destroy Ephrayim;
for El ani, and not ish;
the Kadosh (Holy One) in the midst of thee;
and I will not come in wrath.

10They shall walk after Hashem;
He shall roar like an aryeh;
when He shall roar,
then the banim shall come trembling from the west.

11They shall come trembling as a bird out of Mitzrayim,
and as a yonah out of Eretz Assyria;
and I will place them in their batim (houses), saith Hashem.