1 Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.

2 O Israel, come back to the Lord your God; for your evil-doing has been the cause of your fall.

3 Take with you words, and come back to the Lord; say to him, Let there be forgiveness for all wrongdoing, so that we may take what is good, and give in payment the fruit of our lips.

4 Assyria will not be our salvation; we will not go on horses; we will not again say to the work of our hands, You are our gods; for in you there is mercy for the child who has no father.

5 I will put right their errors; freely will my love be given to them, for my wrath is turned away from him.

6 I will be as the dew to Israel; he will put out flowers like a lily, and send out his roots like Lebanon.

7 His branches will be stretched out, he will be beautiful as the olive-tree and sweet-smelling as Lebanon.

8 They will come back and have rest in his shade; their life will be made new like the grain, and they will put out flowers like the vine; his name will be like the wine of Lebanon.

9 As for Ephraim, what has he to do with false gods any longer? I have given an answer and I will keep watch over him; I am like a branching fir-tree, from me comes your fruit.