The Lord's People Speak
1 Let's return to the Lord.
He has torn us to shreds,
but he will bandage our wounds
and make us well.
2 In two or three days
he will heal us
and restore our strength
that we may live with him.
3 Let's do our best
to know the Lord.
His coming is as certain
as the morning sun;
he will refresh us like rain
renewing the earth
in the springtime.
The Lord Speaks to Israel and Judah
4 People of Israel and Judah,
what can I do with you?
Your love for me disappears
more quickly than mist
or dew at sunrise.
5 That's why I slaughtered you
with the words
of my prophets.
That's why my judgments blazed
like the dawning sun.
6 I'd rather for you to be faithful
and to know me
than to offer sacrifices.
7 At a place named Adam,
you betrayed me
by breaking our agreement.
8 Everyone in Gilead is evil;
your hands are stained
with the blood of victims.
9 You priests are like a gang
of robbers in ambush.
On the road to Shechem
you murder and commit
other horrible crimes.
10 I have seen a terrible thing
in Israel—
you are unfaithful
and unfit to worship me.
11 People of Judah,
your time is coming too.
The Lord Wants To Help Israel
I, the Lord, would like to make
my nation prosper again
ǁAes di ǂhumi ǃhobasens
1 “Hā, î da ǃKhūb ǃoa oa re, ǁîb ge sada go ǀkhauǃā tsîb ge sada nî ǂuruǂuru; ǁîb ge sada go ǂnau, tsîb ge sada nî ǃgae-aiba. 2 ǀGam tsēra khaoǃgâb ge nî ûi-ûi da; ǃnonaǁî tsēs aib ge nî ūkhâi da, tsî da ge ǁîb aiǃâ nî ûi. 3 A da ǂan, î da ôa-am ǃKhūba ǂansa; ǁîb di hās ge ǁgoaǂnobos khami a ǁaposa; ǀnanub khamib ge sada ai nî hā, ǃkhāǁaeb di ǀnanub, ǃhūba ra ǀâǀâb khami.”
ǃKhūb di ǃereams
4 “Efraimtse, tare-e ta kha nî dī-ū tsi? Judatse, tare-e ta kha nî dī-ū tsi? Sa ǀnammi ge ǁgoaǀnanu-i khami ī, ǀaub ǁgoaga ra khâib khami. 5 ǁNā-amaga ta ge ǁîna kēbo-aogu ǃnâ-u nî ǂnau; ti ams di mîdi ǃnâ-u ta ge ǁîna ge ǃgam tsî sa ǀgoraǃgâdi ge ǃnâ-i ase ība te tsî ra aiǃgûba te. 6 Tita ge hâhâ ra ǀnamma ǂhâba hâ, ǁguibadi âdu ose; Elob di ǂansa, khauǁguibadi ose.
7 “ǁÎn ge Adammi khami ǃgaeǀhaosa ge ǃûǂam; ǁnāpan ge tita ǀkha ǂgomǂgomsa tamase ge sîsen. 8 Gileads ge ǂkhababa ra sîsenn xa ǀoa hâ, ǁîs ge ǀaob ǀkha dā-aihe hâ. 9 ǁKhâuǁnâ-aogu ra khoe-e ǃâuǁgoe khamis ge pristergu ǂnubisa ī; ǁîgu ge Sexems daob ai ra ǃgam, ǁîgu ge taotaosa dīga ra dī. 10 Israeli ommi ǃnâ ta ge ui-uisa xū-e ge mû. Efraimmi ǀaib ge ǁnāpa hâ, tsîb ge Israela ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen hâ.
11 “Sadu Judab didu ǃaromas tsînas ge ǃgaosa ǂnûihe hâ, tita ga ǃkhōsaben ti ǁaes dina oahā-ūo.”
