何西阿书 11
1 以色列年幼的时候，我爱他， 就从埃及召出我的儿子来。
“Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.
2 先知越发招呼他们， 他们越发走开， 向诸巴力献祭， 给雕刻的偶像烧香。
But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.
3 我原教导以法莲行走， 用膀臂抱着他们， 他们却不知道是我医治他们。
[The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.
4 我用慈绳爱索牵引他们； 我待他们如人放松牛的两腮夹板， 把粮食放在他们面前。
[It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
5 他们必不归回埃及地， 亚述人却要作他们的王， 因他们不肯归向我。
But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.
6 刀剑必临到他们的城邑， 毁坏门闩，把人吞灭， 都因他们随从自己的计谋。
[Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.
7 我的民偏要背道离开我； 众先知虽然招呼他们归向至上的主， 却无人尊崇主。
My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.
8 以法莲哪，我怎能舍弃你？ 以色列啊，我怎能弃绝你？ 我怎能使你如押玛？ 怎能使你如洗扁？ 我回心转意， 我的怜爱大大发动。
[You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.
9 我必不发猛烈的怒气， 也不再毁灭以法莲。 因我是 神，并非世人， 是你们中间的圣者； 我必不在怒中临到你们。
Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].
10 耶和华必如狮子吼叫， 子民必跟随他。 他一吼叫， 他们就从西方急速而来。
You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.
11 他们必如雀鸟从埃及急速而来， 又如鸽子从亚述地来到。 我必使他们住自己的房屋。 这是耶和华说的。
[Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
12 以法莲用谎话， 以色列家用诡计围绕我； 犹大却靠 神掌权， 向圣者有忠心。
[Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”
