Hosea 6 WYC
Summary: The chapter opens with what may be Israel's own shallow, ritualistic call to return — "he has torn us, that he may heal us... after two days he will revive us" (v. 1-2) — which the LORD answers by comparing their loyalty to "a morning cloud... that goes away early," fickle and short-lived. He declares that what he desires is not sacrifice but "steadfast love, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (v. 6), a line quoted later by Jesus. The chapter closes describing priests as bandits lying in ambush and recalling specific crimes at Shechem, depicting Israel's corruption as horrific and widespread.
1In her tribulacioun thei schulen rise eerli to me. Come ye, and turne we ayen to the Lord;
2for he took, and schal heele vs; he schal smyte, and schal make vs hool.
3He schal quykene vs after twei daies, and in the thridde dai he schal reise vs, and we schulen lyue in his siyt. We schulen wite, and sue, that we knowe the Lord. His goyng out is maad redi at the morewtid, and he schal come as a reyn to vs, which is timeful and lateful to the erthe.
4Effraym, what schal Y do to thee? Juda, what schal Y do to thee? Youre merci is as a cloude of the morewtid, and as deew passynge forth eerli.
5For this thing Y hewide in profetis, Y killide hem in the wordis of my mouth;
6and thi domes schulen go out as liyt. For Y wolde merci, and not sacrifice, and Y wolde the kunnyng of God, more than brent sacrificis.
7But thei as Adam braken the couenaunt; there thei trespassiden ayens me.
8Galaad the citee of hem that worchen idol, is supplauntid with blood; and
9as the chekis of men `that ben theues. Partener of prestis sleynge in the weie men goynge fro Sichem, for thei wrouyten greet trespasse.
10In the hous of Israel Y siy an orible thing; there the fornicaciouns of Effraym.
11Israel is defoulid; but also thou, Juda, sette heruest to thee, whanne Y schal turne the caitiftee of my puple.
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