Spoke Ephraim,✻ all Israel trembled at his word; how else came they, for Baal’s worship, to barter away life itself?

And they are busy yet over their sinning; melt down silver of theirs to fashion models of yonder images, craftsman copying craftsman’s design! And of such models they say, The man who would do sacrifice has but to kiss these calves.✻

Fades the memory of them, light as early mist or morning dew, light as chaff on the threshing-floor, smoke from the chimney, when high blows the wind!

And all the while I am the Lord thy God✻  … from the land of Egypt; God thou shalt own no other, other deliverance is none;

out in the desert, out in the parched wastes, owned I thee.

Fatal pasturing! With food came satiety, and with satiety pride, and with pride forgetfulness of me!

Now their way lies to Assyria, and on that road I will meet them again, their enemy now, watchful as lion or leopard;

bear robbed of its young should not tear open breast more cruelly, lion devour more greedily; they shall be a prey, now, to the wild beasts.

Alas, Israel, undone! Who but I can aid thee?

Thy king, where is he? Now, if ever, from end to end of thee thou hast sore need of king and princes both; king and court thou didst demand of me,

and gift of mine was never so grudgingly made, so angrily withdrawn.

Trust me, it is stored away, it is jealously preserved, the record of Ephraim’s sinning.

Pangs like the pangs of travail shall come upon him; or say he is babe ill-guided, that shall thrive never when it comes to the birth.✻

From the grave’s power to rescue them, from death to ransom them; I, death’s mortal enemy, I, corruption’s undoing!✻

Pity? My eyes are closed to it;

these, that now have a share among their brethren, shall feel the Lord’s vengeance, a burning desert wind that shall dry up their brooks, foul their springs, lay waste the store-houses where they hoard their treasure.