God's Love for His People
1 When Israel was a child,
I loved him, and I called
my son out of Egypt.
2 But as the saying goes,
“The more they were called,
the more they rebelled.”
They never stopped offering
incense and sacrifices
to the idols of Baal.
3 I took Israel by the arm
and taught them to walk.
But they would not admit
that I was the one
who had healed them.
4 I led them with kindness
and with love,
not with ropes.
I held them close to me;
I bent down to feed them.
5 But they rejected me,
and so must return to Egypt;
now Assyria will rule them.
6 War will visit their cities,
and their plans will fail.
7 My people are determined
to reject me for a god
they think is stronger,
but he can't help.
8 Israel, I can't let you go.
I can't give you up.
How could I possibly destroy you
as I did the towns of Admah
and Zeboiim?
I just can't do it.
My feelings for you
are much too strong.
9 Israel, I won't lose my temper
and destroy you again.
I am the Holy God—
not merely some human,
and I won't stay angry.
10 I, the Lord, will roar like a lion,
and my children will return,
trembling from the west.
11 They will come back,
fluttering like birds from Egypt
or like doves from Assyria.
Then I will bring them
back to their homes.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Israel and Judah Compared
12 Israel is deceitful to me,
their loyal and holy God;
they surround me with lies,
and Judah worships
other gods.
محبة الرب لشعبه المتمرد
1 يومَ كانَ إِسرائيلُ فَتًى أحبَبْتُهُ، ومِنْ مِصْرَ دعوتُ ابْني. 2 كُلَّما دعوتُه هربَ مِنْ وجهي. ذبَحَ بَنو أفرايم لِلبَعلِ وبَخَّروا لِلأصنامِ، 3 وأنا الّذي عَلَّمَهُمُ المَشْيَ وحمَلَهُم على ذِراعِهِ، لكنَّهُم لم يَعتَرِفوا أنِّي أنا أصلَحتُ حالَهُم. 4 جذَبتُهُم إليَّ بِـحبالِ الرَّحمةِ ورَوابِطِ المحبَّةِ، وكُنتُ لهُم كأبٍ يرفعُ طِفْلا على ذِراعِهِ ويَحنو علَيهِم ويُطعِمُهُم.
5 لا يَرجِعونَ إلى أرضِ مِصْرَ، ومَلِكُ أشُّورَ يكونُ مَلِكَهُم لأنَّهُم رفَضوا أنْ يَتوبوا. 6 ويَحِلُّ السَّيفُ في مُدُنِهِم ويُتلِفُ أرزاقَهُم ويُفنيهِم لِمَعاصيهِم. 7 يُبطِئونَ في الرُّجوعِ إليَّ ويَحمِلونَ النِّيرَ ولن يَرفَعَهُ أحدٌ.
8 كيفَ أتَخَلَّى عَنكُم يا بَيتَ أفرايمَ؟ كيفَ أهجُرُكُم يا بَني إِسرائيلَ؟ أأجعَلُكُم مِثلَ أدْمةَ وأعامِلُكُم مِثلَ صَبويـيمَ؟ قلبـي يَضطَرِبُ في صَدْري، وكُلُّ مَراحِمي تَتَّقِدُ. 9 لن أُعاقِبَكُم في شِدَّةِ غضَبـي، فأُدَمِّرَكُم بَعدُ يا بَني أفرايمَ، لأنِّي أنا اللهُ لا إنسانٌ، وقُدُّوسٌ بَينَكُم فلا أعودُ أغضَبُ علَيكُم.
10 يَسيرونَ وَراءَ الرّبِّ وهوَ يَزأرُ كالأسدِ. يَزأرُ فيُسرِعُ البَنونَ إليَّ مِنْ جِهةِ البحرِ. 11 مِنْ مِصْرَ يُسرِعونَ إليَّ كالعصافيرِ، ومِنْ أرضِ أشُّورَ كالحمامِ، فأُعيدُهُم إلى بُيوتِهِم، أنا الرّبُّ.
