3. By their wickedness they make the king glad,and give joy to the officials with their lies.
4. They all act like adulterers;they are like a heated oven,whose baker doesn’t need to stoke the fire,from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5. On the day of our king,the officials became sick with the heat of wine;he stretched out his hand to those who mocked him.
6. They approach like a hot oven, their hearts burning.Throughout the night, their anger smolders;in the morning, it continues to burn like a flaming fire.
7. All of them are hot as an oven;they devour their rulers.All their kings have fallen;none of them call upon me.
8. Ephraim mixes himself among the people;Ephraim is like flatbread that is cooked on only one side.
9. Strangers have eaten up his strength,yet he doesn’t know it;gray hairs are sprinkled here and there upon him,yet he doesn’t know it.
10. Israel’s pride is a witness against him;yet they don’t return to the Lord their God,or seek him because of all this.
11. Ephraim has become like a dove,silly and without common sense;they call upon Egypt; they go to Assyria.
12. As they go, I will spread my net over them;like birds in the sky, I will bring them down;I will judge them according to the report made to their assembly.
13. Doom to them, for they have strayed from me;destruction will be their lot because they have rebelled against me.I would redeem them,but they speak lies against me.