9:1 O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly
for you are unfaithful
You love to receive a prostitute's wages
on all the floors where you thresh your grain.
9:2 Threshing floors and wine vats will not feed the people,
and new wine only deceives them.
9:3 They will not remain in the Lord’s land.
Ephraim will return to Egypt;
they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.
9:4 They will not pour out drink offerings of wine to the Lord;
they will not please him with their sacrifices.
Their sacrifices will be like bread eaten while in mourning;
all those who eat them will make themselves ritually unclean.
For their bread will be only to satisfy their appetite;
it will not come into the temple of the Lord.
9:5 So what will you do on the festival day,
on the festival days of the Lord?
9:6 Look!
Egypt will take hold
and Memphis will bury them.
The weeds will inherit the silver they treasure
thorn bushes will occupy their homes.
9:7 The time of judgment
The time of retribution
Let Israel know!
The prophet is considered a fool
the inspired man
because of the multitude of your sins
and your intense
9:8 The prophet
yet traps
animosity rages against him in the land
9:9 They have sunk deep into corruption
as in the days of Gibeah.
He will remember their wrongdoing.
He will repay them for their sins.
9:10 When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness.
I viewed your ancestors
Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame –
they became as detestable as what they loved.
9:11 Ephraim will be like a bird;
what they value
They will not bear children –
they will not enjoy pregnancy –
they will not even conceive!