Audite hoc, sacerdotes, et attendite, domus Israël, et domus regis, auscultate: quia vobis judicium est, quoniam laqueus facti estis speculationi, et rete expansum super Thabor.

Hear ye this, O priests, and hearken, O ye house of Israel, and give ear, O house of the king: for there is a judgment against you, because you have been a snare to them whom you should have watched over, and a net spread upon Thabor.

Priest and people, hear and heed! And you, too, mark it well, men of the court; whose but yours the blame, if there are snares on every commanding height, if Thabor itself is ringed with toils,

Et victimas declinastis in profundum; et ego eruditor omnium eorum.

And you have turned aside victims into the depth: and I am the teacher of them all.

and your quarry is driven down to the depths? But to all alike comes the warning.

Ego scio Ephraim, et Israël non est absconditus a me: quia nunc fornicatus est Ephraim; contaminatus est Israël.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now Ephraim hath committed fornication, Israel is defiled.

Think you that I have no eyes for Ephraim’s wantonness? that Israel escapes my scrutiny, Israel, so defiled?

Non dabunt cogitationes suas ut revertantur ad Deum suum, quia spiritus fornicationum in medio eorum, et Dominum non cognoverunt.

They will not set their thoughts to return to their God: for the spirit of fornication is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

Return to the Lord? Not for such hearts the message; lust for strange worship is there, and of the Lord they reck nothing.

Et respondebit arrogantia Israël in facie ejus, et Israël et Ephraim ruent in iniquitate sua: ruet etiam Judas cum eis.

And the pride of Israel shall answer in his face: and Israel and Ephraim shall fall in their iniquity, Juda also shall fall with them.

Self-condemned, the pride of Israel; what wonder Israel … and Ephraim should be entangled in guilt? Juda itself shall not escape their downfall.

In gregibus suis et in armentis suis vadent ad quærendum Dominum, et non invenient: ablatus est ab eis.

With their flocks, and with their herds, they shall go to seek the Lord, and shall not find him: he is withdrawn from them.

All their flocks and herds shall not win them access to the Lord; he stands aloof from them,

In Dominum prævaricati sunt, quia filios alienos genuerunt: nunc devorabit eos mensis, cum partibus suis.

They have transgressed against the Lord, for they have begotten children that are strangers: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

sinners that have defied him; a bastard brood, that ere yonder moon rises new shall be disinherited and brought to nothing.

Clangite buccina in Gabaa, tuba in Rama; ululate in Bethaven, post tergum tuum, Benjamin.

Blow ye the cornet in Gabaa, the trumpet in Rama: howl ye in Bethaven, behind thy back, O Benjamin.

The trumpet, there, in Gabaa; at Rama sound for battle; let Bethaven echo with the rallying-cry! Benjamin, to arms!

Ephraim in desolatione erit in die correptionis; in tribubus Israël ostendi fidem.

Ephraim shall be in desolation in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel I have shewn that which shall surely be.

Alas for Ephraim, in the hour of punishment left forlorn! Mine to teach Israel’s tribes a lesson of faithfulness.

Facti sunt principes Juda quasi assumentes terminum; super eos effundam quasi aquam iram meam.

The princes of Juda are become as they that take up the bound: I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

And what of Juda’s chieftains? A neighbour’s land-mark scrupled they never to remove; on these, too, the full flood of my vengeance shall come down.

Calumniam patiens est Ephraim, fractus judicio, quoniam cœpit abire post sordes.

Ephraim is under oppression, and broken in judgment: because he began to go after filthiness.

Poor Ephraim, ever since he set his face towards the mire, all is oppression with him, all is judgement gone amiss.

Et ego quasi tinea Ephraim, et quasi putredo domui Juda.

And I will be like a moth to Ephraim: and like rottenness to the house of Juda.

And all the while I, none other, wear away strength of Ephraim and Juda alike; moth nor canker so surely!

Et vidit Ephraim languorem suum, et Juda vinculum suum; et abiit Ephraim ad Assur, et misit ad regem ultorem: et ipse non poterit sanare vos, nec solvere poterit a vobis vinculum.

And Ephraim saw his sickness, and Juda his band: and Ephraim went to the Assyrian, and sent to the avenging king: and he shall not be able to heal you, neither shall he be able to take off the band from you.

What did Ephraim, in his great sickness, what did Juda, bound hand and foot? To Assyria Ephraim would despatch envoys, to yonder ruthless king; but heal you he could not, nor unbind.

Quoniam ego quasi leæna Ephraim, et quasi catulus leonis domui Juda. Ego, ego capiam, et vadam; tollam, et non est qui eruat.

For I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and like a lion’s whelp to the house of Juda: I, I will catch, and go: I will take away, and there is none that can rescue.

Mine the encounter Ephraim has to fear, and Juda both; lion’s dam nor whelp mauls prey and carries it off so inexorably.

Vadens revertar ad locum meum, donec deficiatis, et quæratis faciem meam.

I will go and return to my place: until you are consumed, and seek my face.

All in a moment come and gone whence I came! Who knows if weariness will drive you back to my presence?