1. Whenever I would heal Israel, I am confronted by the guilt of Ephraim and the evil-doings of Samaria; for deceit is their principle of behaviour; the thief breaks into the house, marauders raid in the open;

2. and they never pause to consider that I remember all their wicked deeds; and now their own deeds hem them in and stare me in the face.

3. They amuse the king with their wickedness and the chief men with their lies.

4. They are all adulterers, hot as an oven which the baker need not stoke from the time he has kneaded the dough until it rises.

5. At the holiday for our king, the ministers become inflamed with wine, while he accepts the homage of people

6. who laugh at him. Their hearts are like an oven as they plot, all night their passion slumbers, then in the morning it bursts into flame;

7. yes, all of them as hot as ovens, they consume their rulers. All their kings have fallen thus, not one of them has ever called on me.

8. Ephraim mixes with the nations. Ephraim is a half-baked cake.

9. Foreigners have eaten his strength away but he is unconscious of it; even his hair is turning grey but he is unconscious of it.

10. (Israel's arrogance is his own accuser; but they do not come back to Yahweh their God or seek him, despite all this.)

11. Ephraim is like a silly, witless pigeon calling on Egypt, turning to Assyria.

12. Wherever they turn, I shall spread my net over them, I shall bring them down like the birds of the sky, I shall punish them for their perversity.

13. Woe to them for having fled from me! Ruin seize them for having wronged me! I have rescued them again and again and they have only told lies about me.

14. Theirs is no heartfelt cry to me when they lament on their beds; when they gash themselves over the grain and new wine, they are still rebelling against me.

15. Though I supported and gave strength to their arms, they plan how to hurt me.

16. They turn to what does not exist, they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because of their arrogant talk; how they will be laughed at in Egypt!





“Se você tem dúvidas sobre a fé é exatamente porque tem fé!” São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina