悔改带来祝福

14 以色列啊,
你被自己的罪恶绊倒了,
归向你的上帝耶和华吧!
你要归向耶和华,
向祂忏悔说:
“求你赦免我们的罪,
施恩悦纳我们,
好叫我们以赞美为祭献给你!
我们不再向亚述求救,
不再依靠战马,
也不再称自己所造的神像为我们的上帝。
耶和华啊,只有在你那里,
孤儿才能得到怜悯。”

耶和华说:
“我要医治他们的叛道,
心甘情愿地爱他们,
因为我的怒气已经转离他们。
我要像甘露一样滋润以色列,
使他绽放如百合花,
扎根如黎巴嫩的香柏树。
他要长出嫩枝,
他要像橄榄树一样荣美,
如黎巴嫩的香柏树一般芳香。
他要归回,住在我的荫下。
他要茂盛如五谷,
荣美如葡萄树,
声名远扬如黎巴嫩的美酒。

“以法莲啊,你要远离偶像。
我应允你的祷告,看顾你。
我像一棵青翠的松树,
你的果实都来自于我。”

让那些智者明白这一切,
让那些明哲了解这一切。
因为耶和华的道是正道,
义人要行走在上面,
罪人却在上面跌倒。

劝以色列归向 神

14 以色列啊,回转吧!回到耶和华你的 神那里,

因为你是因自己的罪孽跌倒的。(本节在《马索拉文本》为14:2)

你们预备好要说的话,归向耶和华,

对他说:“除去我们一切罪孽,

悦纳我们的祷告。

这样我们就把嘴唇的果子献上。

亚述不能救我们,

我们必不再骑马;

我们亲手所做的,

我们必不再称为‘我们的 神’;

因为在你那里,孤儿才得着怜悯。”

 神再施怜爱

“我必医治他们背道的病,

甘心乐意爱他们,

因为我的怒气已经远离他们了。

我对以色列要像甘露,

他必像百合花开放;

他要扎根,如黎巴嫩的香柏树。

他的幼枝必伸展,

他的荣美要像橄榄树,

他的香气必如黎巴嫩的香柏树。

他们必再住在他的荫下,

使五谷生长。

他们必发旺像葡萄树,

他们的名声要像黎巴嫩的酒。

以法莲与偶像还有甚么关系呢?

答允他的是我,看顾他的也是我。

我像一棵青翠的松树,

你的果子是从我而得。”

谁是智慧人,让他明白这些事吧!

谁是有见识的人,让他领会这一切吧!

因为耶和华的道路是正直的,

义人要行在其中,

恶人却必在其上绊倒。

Repentance to Bring Blessing

14 [a]Return,(A) Israel, to the Lord your God.
    Your sins(B) have been your downfall!(C)
Take words with you
    and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
    “Forgive(D) all our sins
and receive us graciously,(E)
    that we may offer the fruit of our lips.[b](F)
Assyria cannot save us;(G)
    we will not mount warhorses.(H)
We will never again say ‘Our gods’(I)
    to what our own hands have made,(J)
    for in you the fatherless(K) find compassion.”

“I will heal(L) their waywardness(M)
    and love them freely,(N)
    for my anger has turned away(O) from them.
I will be like the dew(P) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.(Q)
Like a cedar of Lebanon(R)
    he will send down his roots;(S)
    his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,(T)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.(U)
People will dwell again in his shade;(V)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom(W) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine(X) of Lebanon.(Y)
Ephraim, what more have I[c] to do with idols?(Z)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;(AA)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

Who is wise?(AB) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.(AC)
The ways of the Lord are right;(AD)
    the righteous walk(AE) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:1 In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10.
  2. Hosea 14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
  3. Hosea 14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim

Israel Restored at Last

14 O Israel, (A)return to the Lord your God,
For you have stumbled because of your iniquity;
Take words with you,
And return to the Lord.
Say to Him,
“Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the (B)sacrifices[a] of our lips.
Assyria shall (C)not save us,
(D)We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’
(E)For in You the fatherless finds mercy.”

“I will heal their (F)backsliding,
I will (G)love them freely,
For My anger has turned away from him.
I will be like the (H)dew to Israel;
He shall [b]grow like the lily,
And [c]lengthen his roots like Lebanon.
His branches shall [d]spread;
(I)His beauty shall be like an olive tree,
And (J)his fragrance like Lebanon.
(K)Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;
They shall be revived like grain,
And [e]grow like a vine.
Their [f]scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

“Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’
I have heard and observed him.
I am like a green cypress tree;
(L)Your fruit is found in Me.”

Who is wise?
Let him understand these things.
Who is prudent?
Let him know them.
For (M)the ways of the Lord are right;
The righteous walk in them,
But transgressors stumble in them.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 14:2 Lit. bull calves; LXX fruit
  2. Hosea 14:5 Lit. bud or sprout
  3. Hosea 14:5 Lit. strike
  4. Hosea 14:6 Lit. go
  5. Hosea 14:7 Lit. bud or sprout
  6. Hosea 14:7 Lit. remembrance