The Wages of the Harlot

1  לֵאמֹ֡ר (They say), הֵ֣ן (If) יְשַׁלַּ֣ח (divorces) אִ֣ישׁ (a man) אֶת־ (-) אִשְׁתּוֹ֩ (his wife),

וְהָלְכָ֨ה (and she goes) מֵאִתּ֜וֹ (from him) וְהָיְתָ֣ה (and becomes) לְאִישׁ־ (man’s), אַחֵ֗ר (another)

הֲיָשׁ֤וּב (can he return) אֵלֶ֙יהָ֙ (to her) ע֔וֹד (again)?

הֲל֛וֹא (Shall not) חָנ֥וֹף (being defiled) תֶּחֱנַ֖ף (be defiled)? הָאָ֣רֶץ (Land) הַהִ֑יא (that)

וְאַ֗תְּ (and you) זָנִית֙ (have played the harlot) רֵעִ֣ים (lovers); רַבִּ֔ים (with many)

וְשׁ֥וֹב (and yet return) אֵלַ֖י (to Me)

נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהֹוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

2  שְׂאִֽי־ (Lift up) עֵינַ֨יִךְ (your eyes) עַל־ (to) שְׁפָיִ֜ם (the barren heights), וּרְאִ֗י (and see)

אֵיפֹה֙ (where) לֹ֣א (have you not) שֻׁגַּלְתְּ (been violated)

עַל־ (along) דְּרָכִים֙ (the pathway) יָשַׁ֣בְתְּ (you have sat) לָהֶ֔ם (for them)

כַּעֲרָבִ֖י (like an Arabian) בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר (in the desert);

וַתַּחֲנִ֣יפִי (and you have defiled) אֶ֔רֶץ (the land)

בִּזְנוּתַ֖יִךְ (with your whoredoms) וּבְרָעָתֵֽךְ׃ (and with your evil).

3  וַיִּמָּנְע֣וּ (Have been withheld), רְבִבִ֔ים (and the showers)

וּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ (and the spring rain); ל֣וֹא (has not) הָיָ֑ה (come)

וּמֵ֨צַח (forehead), אִשָּׁ֤ה (woman’s) זוֹנָה֙ (a whorish) הָ֣יָה (to be)

לָ֔ךְ (and yet you had) מֵאַ֖נְתְּ (you refuse) הִכָּלֵֽם׃ (ashamed).

4  הֲל֣וֹא (Not) מֵעַ֔תָּה (from now) קָרָאתִי (have called out) לִ֖י (to Me)

אָבִ֑י (My Father), אַלּ֥וּף (the companion) נְעֻרַ֖י (of my youth) אָֽתָּה׃ (You are)?

5  הֲיִנְטֹ֣ר (Will He keep His anger) לְעוֹלָ֔ם (forever)?

אִם־ (Or) יִשְׁמֹ֖ר (will He keep it) לָנֶ֑צַח (to the end)?

הִנֵּ֥ה (Behold), דִבַּרְתִּי (you have spoken)

וַתַּעֲשִׂ֥י (and have done) הָרָע֖וֹת (the evils) וַתּוּכָֽל׃פ (as you could).

Judah Follows Israel’s Example

6  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֵלַ֗י (to me) בִּימֵי֙ (in the days) יֹאשִׁיָּ֣הוּ (of Josiah) הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ (the king), הֲ‍ֽרָאִ֔יתָ (Have you seen) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (what) עָשְׂתָ֖ה (has done)? מְשֻׁבָ֣ה (Backsliding) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel) הֹלְכָ֨ה (has gone up) הִ֜יא (she) עַל־ (on) כָּל־ (every) הַ֣ר (hill) גָּבֹ֗הַּ (high) וְאֶל־ (and) תַּ֛חַת (under) כָּל־ (every) עֵ֥ץ (tree), רַעֲנָ֖ן (green) וַתִּזְנִי־ (to prostitute herself) שָֽׁם׃ (there). 7  וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said) אַחֲרֵ֨י (after) עֲשׂוֹתָ֧הּ (her doing) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) אֵ֛לֶּה (these things) אֵלַ֥י (to Me) תָּשׁ֖וּב (she will return) וְלֹא־ (and she did not). שָׁ֑בָה (Return) וַתֵּרֶאה (saw it) בָּגוֹדָ֥ה (and her treacherous) אֲחוֹתָ֖הּ (sister) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (Judah).

8  וָאֵ֗רֶא (And I saw), כִּ֤י (that) עַל־ (in spite) כָּל־ (of all) אֹדוֹת֙ (the causes) אֲשֶׁ֤ר (for which) נִֽאֲפָה֙ (had committed adultery) מְשֻׁבָ֣ה (backsliding) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (Israel) שִׁלַּחְתִּ֕יהָ (I had sent her away), וָאֶתֵּ֛ן (and had given) אֶת־ (-) סֵ֥פֶר (a writ) כְּרִיתֻתֶ֖יהָ (of divorce); אֵלֶ֑יהָ (to her) וְלֹ֨א (not), יָֽרְאָ֜ה (feared) בֹּֽגֵדָ֤ה (and her treacherous) יְהוּדָה֙ (Judah) אֲחוֹתָ֔הּ (sister) וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ (and she went) וַתִּ֥זֶן (and she prostituted) גַּם־ (and also) הִֽיא׃ (herself). 9  וְהָיָה֙ (And it came to pass that) מִקֹּ֣ל (from the thoughtlessness) זְנוּתָ֔הּ (of her prostitution), וַתֶּחֱנַ֖ף (and she even defiled) אֶת־ (-) הָאָ֑רֶץ (the land), וַתִּנְאַ֥ף (and she committed adultery) אֶת־ (with) הָאֶ֖בֶן (the stones) וְאֶת־ (and with) הָעֵֽץ׃ (the trees). 10  וְגַם־ (Yet) בְּכָל־ (in all) זֹ֗את (this) לֹא־ (not) שָׁ֨בָה (has turned back) אֵלַ֜י (to Me) בָּגוֹדָ֧ה (the treacherous one) אֲחוֹתָ֛הּ (her sister) יְהוּדָ֖ה (Judah) בְּכָל־ (with all) לִבָּ֑הּ (her heart), כִּ֥י (but) אִם־ (only) בְּשֶׁ֖קֶר (in deception), נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃פ (of YHWH).

A Call to Repentance
(Hosea 14:1–3; Zechariah 1:1–6)

11  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (Said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֵלַ֔י (to me) צִדְּקָ֥ה (More righteous) נַפְשָׁ֖הּ (has proven herself) מְשֻׁבָ֣ה (backsliding) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel) מִבֹּגֵדָ֖ה (than treacheous) יְהוּדָֽה׃ (Judah). 12  הָלֹ֡ךְ (Go) וְקָֽרָאתָ֩ (and proclaim) אֶת־ (-) הַדְּבָרִ֨ים (words) הָאֵ֜לֶּה (these) צָפ֗וֹנָה (to the north), וְ֠אָמַרְתָּ (and say),

שׁ֣וּבָה (Return), מְשֻׁבָ֤ה (O backsliding) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Israel), נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH);

לֽוֹא־ (Not) אַפִּ֥יל (I will cause to fall) פָּנַ֖י (my face) בָּכֶ֑ם (on you⁺)

כִּֽי־ (for) חָסִ֤יד (merciful), אֲנִי֙ (I am) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH),

לֹ֥א (Not) אֶטּ֖וֹר (I will keep it) לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (forever).

13  אַ֚ךְ (Only) דְּעִ֣י (acknowledge) עֲוֺנֵ֔ךְ (your iniquity),

כִּ֛י (that) בַּיהוָ֥ה (against YHWH) אֱלֹהַ֖יִךְ (your God), פָּשָׁ֑עַתְּ (you have transgressed)

וַתְּפַזְּרִ֨י (and you have scattered) אֶת־ (-) דְּרָכַ֜יִךְ (your ways) לַזָּרִ֗ים (to strangers)

תַּ֚חַת (under) כָּל־ (every) עֵ֣ץ (tree), רַעֲנָ֔ן (green)

וּבְקוֹלִ֥י (to My voice), לֹא־ (and not) שְׁמַעְתֶּ֖ם (you⁺ have listened)

נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהֹוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

14  שׁ֣וּבוּ (Return), בָנִ֤ים (sons), שׁוֹבָבִים֙ (backsliding) נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH); כִּ֥י (for) אָנֹכִ֖י (I) בָּעַ֣לְתִּי (am married) בָכֶ֑ם (to you⁺) וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י (and I will take) אֶתְכֶ֜ם (you⁺) אֶחָ֣ד (one) מֵעִ֗יר (from a city), וּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ (and two) מִמִּשְׁפָּחָ֔ה (from a family), וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י (and I will bring) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) צִיּֽוֹן׃ (to Zion); 15  וְנָתַתִּ֥י (and I will give) לָכֶ֛ם (to you⁺) רֹעִ֖ים (shepherds) כְּלִבִּ֑י (according to My heart), וְרָע֥וּ (and they will shepherd) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) דֵּעָ֥ה (with knowledge) וְהַשְׂכֵּֽיל׃ (and understanding).

16  וְהָיָ֡ה (And it will come to pass), כִּ֣י (when) תִרְבּוּ֩ (you⁺ have multiplied) וּפְרִיתֶ֨ם (and increased) בָּאָ֜רֶץ (in the land), בַּיָּמִ֤ים (in the days), הָהֵ֙מָּה֙ (those) נְאֻם־ (says) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH), לֹא־ (They will not) יֹ֣אמְרוּ (say) ע֗וֹד (anymore), אֲרוֹן֙ (The ark) בְּרִית־ (of the covenant) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH); וְלֹ֥א (and it shall not) יַעֲלֶ֖ה (come) עַל־ (upon) לֵ֑ב (the heart), וְלֹ֤א (and not) יִזְכְּרוּ־ (they will remember) בוֹ֙ (it) וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִפְקֹ֔דוּ (shall they attend to it) וְלֹ֥א (and not) יֵעָשֶׂ֖ה (will be made) עֽוֹד׃ (another).

17  בָּעֵ֣ת (Time) הַהִ֗יא (at that) יִקְרְא֤וּ (they will call) לִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (to Jerusalem) כִּסֵּ֣א (Throne) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH); וְנִקְוּ֨וּ (will be gathered) אֵלֶ֧יהָ (to her) כָֽל־ (and all) הַגּוֹיִ֛ם (the nations) לְשֵׁ֥ם (to the name) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH), לִירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם (to Jerusalem), וְלֹא־ (and they will not) יֵלְכ֣וּ (go) ע֔וֹד (anymore) אַחֲרֵ֕י (after) שְׁרִר֖וּת (the stubborness) לִבָּ֥ם (hearts) הָרָֽע׃ס (of their evil). 18  בַּיָּמִ֣ים (Days) הָהֵ֔מָּה (In those) יֵלְכ֥וּ (will walk) בֵית־ (the house) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) עַל־ (alongside) בֵּ֣ית (the house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel), וְיָבֹ֤אוּ (and they will come) יַחְדָּו֙ (together) מֵאֶ֣רֶץ (from the land) צָפ֔וֹן (of the north) עַל־ (to) הָאָ֕רֶץ (the land) אֲשֶׁ֥ר (that) הִנְחַ֖לְתִּי (I have given as an inheritance to) אֶת־ (-) אֲבוֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ (to your⁺ fathers).

19  וְאָנֹכִ֣י (And I) אָמַ֗רְתִּי (said), אֵ֚יךְ (How) אֲשִׁיתֵ֣ךְ (I would set you) בַּבָּנִ֔ים (among the sons),

וְאֶתֶּן־ (and give) לָךְ֙ (to you) אֶ֣רֶץ (a land), חֶמְדָּ֔ה (of delight)

נַחֲלַ֥ת (a heritage) צְבִ֖י (of beauty)

צִבְא֣וֹת (of the beauty) גּוֹיִ֑ם (of the nations)?

וָאֹמַ֗ר (And I said), אָבִי֙ (My Father); תִּקְרְאוּ (surely you will call) לִ֔י (Me)

וּמֵאַחֲרַ֖י (and from Me) לֹ֥א (not) תָשׁוּבוּ׃ (turn away).

20  אָכֵ֛ן (Surely) בָּגְדָ֥ה (treacherously departs) אִשָּׁ֖ה (as a wife) מֵרֵעָ֑הּ (from her husband)

כֵּ֣ן (so) בְּגַדְתֶּ֥ם (have you⁺ dealt treacherously) בִּ֛י (with Me) בֵּ֥ית (O house) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel),

נְאֻם־ (a declaration) יְהוָֽה׃ (of YHWH).

21  ק֚וֹל (A voice) עַל־ (on) שְׁפָיִ֣ים (the barren heights), נִשְׁמָ֔ע (is heard)

בְּכִ֥י (the weeping) תַחֲנוּנֵ֖י (and pleadings) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel);

כִּ֤י (for) הֶעֱוּוּ֙ (they have perverted) אֶת־ (-) דַּרְכָּ֔ם (their way),

שָׁכְח֖וּ (they have forgotten) אֶת־ (-) יְהֹוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ (their God).

22  שׁ֚וּבוּ (Return), בָּנִ֣ים (sons), שׁוֹבָבִ֔ים (O backsliding)

אֶרְפָּ֖ה (I will heal) מְשׁוּבֹֽתֵיכֶ֑ם (your⁺ backsliding).

הִנְנוּ֙ (Behold) אָתָ֣נוּ (we do come) לָ֔ךְ (to You)

כִּ֥י (for) אַתָּ֖ה (You are) יְהֹוָ֥ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ (our God).

23  אָכֵ֥ן (Truly) לַשֶּׁ֛קֶר (in vain is salvation hoped for) מִגְּבָע֖וֹת (from the hills),

הָמ֣וֹן (And from the multitude) הָרִ֑ים (of mountains).

אָכֵן֙ (Truly) בַּיהֹוָ֣ה (in YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ (our God)

תְּשׁוּעַ֖ת (is the salvation) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).

24  וְהַבֹּ֗שֶׁת (And the shame) אָֽכְלָ֛ה (has devoured) אֶת־ (-)

יְגִ֥יעַ (the labor) אֲבוֹתֵ֖ינוּ (of our fathers) מִנְּעוּרֵ֑ינוּ (from our youth); אֶת־ (-)

צֹאנָם֙ (their flocks) וְאֶת־ (and) בְּקָרָ֔ם (their herds), אֶת־ (-)

בְּנֵיהֶ֖ם (their sons) וְאֶת־ (and) בְּנוֹתֵיהֶֽם׃ (their daughters).

25  נִשְׁכְּבָ֣ה (Let us lie down) בְּבָשְׁתֵּ֗נוּ (in our shame),

וּֽתְכַסֵּנוּ֮ (and let cover us) כְּלִמָּתֵנוּ֒ (our disgrace)

כִּי֩ (for) לַיהוָ֨ה (against YHWH) אֱלֹהֵ֜ינוּ (our God), חָטָ֗אנוּ (we have sinned)

אֲנַ֙חְנוּ֙ (we) וַאֲבוֹתֵ֔ינוּ (and our fathers),

מִנְּעוּרֵ֖ינוּ (from our youth) וְעַד־ (and to) הַיּ֣וֹם (the day), הַזֶּ֑ה (this)

וְלֹ֣א (and not) שָׁמַ֔עְנוּ (we have listened) בְּק֖וֹל (to the voice) יְהֹוָ֥ה (of YHWH) אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃ס (our God).