Hosea 12:6–8

6 But you must return to your God;

maintain love and justice,

and wait for your God always.

7 The merchant uses dishonest scales

and loves to defraud.

8 Ephraim boasts,

“I am very rich; I have become wealthy.

With all my wealth they will not find in me

any iniquity or sin.”

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God:

Keep mercy and judgment,

And wait on thy God continually.

7 He is a merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand:

He loveth to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, Yet I am become rich, I have found me out substance:

In all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

6 So now, come back to your God.

Act with love and justice,

and always depend on him.

7 But no, the people are like crafty merchants

selling from dishonest scales—

they love to cheat.

8 Israel boasts, “I am rich!

I’ve made a fortune all by myself!

No one has caught me cheating!

My record is spotless!”

6 So you, by the help of your God, return;

Observe mercy and justice,

And wait on your God continually.

7 “A cunning Canaanite!

Deceitful scales are in his hand;

He loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said,

‘Surely I have become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors

They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.’

6 You must return to your God;

love him, do what is just,

and always trust in him as your God.

7 The merchants use dishonest scales;

they like to cheat people.

8 Israel said, “I am rich! I am someone with power!”

All their money will do them no good

because of the sins they have done.

6 Therefore turn thou to thy God: keep kindness and justice, and wait for thy God continually.

7 He is a trafficker, the balances of deceit are in his hand: he loveth to oppress. 8 And Ephraim said, Surely I am become rich, I have found me wealth: in all my labors they shall find in me no iniquity that were sin.

6 And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.

7 He is a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress. 8 And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.

6 Return to your God. 

Be loyal and fair, and always wait with hope for your God. 

7 ⸤The Lord says,⸥ “The merchants use dishonest scales. 

They love to cheat people. 

8 The people of Ephraim say, ‘We’re rich. We’ve made a fortune. 

With all this wealth, no one will find us guilty of any sin.’ 

6 But you must return to your God.

Maintain love and justice,

and always put your hope in God.

7 A merchant loves to extort

with dishonest scales in his hands.

8 But Ephraim says:

“How rich I have become;

I made it all myself.

In all my earnings,

no one can find any crime in me

that I can be punished for!”

6 But as for you, return to your God;

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

7 A trader in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress.

8 Ephraim has said, “Ah, I am rich;

I have gained wealth for myself;

in all of my gain

no offense has been found in me

that would be sin.”

6 But you, you must return to your God;

keep love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

7 The trader, in his hand are scales of deceit;

he loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, “Surely, I am rich,

I gained wealth for myself;

in all my toil they have not found guilt in me

that is sin.

6 People of Jacob, you must return to your God.

You must hold on to love and do what is fair.

You must trust in your God always.

7 You are like a trader who uses dishonest scales.

You love to cheat others.

8 People of Ephraim, you brag,

“We are very rich.

We’ve become wealthy.

And no one can prove we sinned

to gain all of this wealth.”

6 Therefore, return to your God,

Observe kindness and justice,

And wait for your God continually.

7 A merchant, in whose hands are false balances,

He loves to oppress.

8 And Ephraim said, “Surely I have become rich,

I have found wealth for myself;

In all my labors they will find in me

No iniquity, which would be sin.”