1 Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has struck us down, but He will bind us up.

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.

2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, so that we may live before Him.

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

3 Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to know Him. His coming is as certain as the dawn, and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

4 What shall I do with you, Ephraim? What shall I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning cloud, like the dew that disappears early.

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 early dew it goeth away.

5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them with the words of My mouth, and My judgments shine like light.

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

6 For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they dealt treacherously with Me.

But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

8 Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood.

Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

9 As marauders lie in wait for someone, so a band of priests murder on the road to Shechem; they commit heinous crimes.

And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There Ephraim acts like a prostitute; Israel is defiled.

I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

11 Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore the fortunes of My people.

Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.