Hosea 10:1–6

qIsrael is a luxuriant vine

that yields its fruit.

The more his fruit increased,

rthe more altars he built;

as his country improved,

he improved his pillars.

2  Their heart is false;

now they must bear their guilt.

The Lord1 will break down their altars

and destroy their pillars.

3  For now they will say:

s“We have no king,

for we do not fear the Lord;

and a king—what could he do for us?”

4  They utter tmere words;

with empty2 oaths they make covenants;

so ujudgment springs up like poisonous weeds

vin the furrows of the field.

5  The inhabitants of Samaria tremble

for wthe calf3 of xBeth-aven.

Its people mourn for it, and so do its idolatrous priests—

those who rejoiced over it and yover its glory—

for it has departed4 from them.

6  zThe thing itself shall be carried to Assyria

as tribute to athe great king.5

Ephraim shall be put to shame,

and Israel shall be ashamed bof his idol.6