5 Their mother has been unfaithful

and has conceived them in disgrace.

She said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

who give me my food and my water,

my wool and my linen, my olive oil and my drink.’

6 Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes;

I will wall her in so that she cannot find her way.

7 She will chase after her lovers but not catch them;

she will look for them but not find them.

Then she will say,

‘I will go back to my husband as at first,

for then I was better off than now.’

5 For their mother hath played the harlot:

She that conceived them hath done shamefully:

For she said, I will go after my lovers,

That give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns,

And make a wall, that she shall not find her paths.

7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them;

And she shall seek them, but shall not find them:

Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband;

For then was it better with me than now.

5 Their mother is a shameless prostitute

and became pregnant in a shameful way.

She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers

and sell myself to them for food and water,

for clothing of wool and linen,

and for olive oil and drinks.’

6 “For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes.

I will block her path with a wall

to make her lose her way.

7 When she runs after her lovers,

she won’t be able to catch them.

She will search for them

but not find them.

Then she will think,

‘I might as well return to my husband,

for I was better off with him than I am now.’

5 For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has behaved shamefully.

For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

Who give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my linen,

My oil and my drink.’

6 “Therefore, behold,

I will hedge up your way with thorns,

And wall her in,

So that she cannot find her paths.

7 She will chase her lovers,

But not overtake them;

Yes, she will seek them, but not find them.

Then she will say,

‘I will go and return to my first husband,

For then it was better for me than now.’

5 Their mother has acted like a prostitute;

the one who became pregnant with them has acted disgracefully.

She said, ‘I will chase after my lovers,

who give me my food and water,

wool and flax, wine and olive oil.’

6 So I will block her road with thornbushes;

I will build a wall around her

so she cannot find her way.

7 She will run after her lovers,

but she won’t catch them.

She will look for them,

but she won’t find them.

Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband,

because life was better then for me than it is now.’

5 for their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully; for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink. 6 Therefore, behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and I will build a wall against her, that she shall not find her paths. 7 And she shall follow after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them: then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband; for then was it better with me than now.

5 For their mother hath played the harlot; she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.

6 Therefore behold, I will hedge up thy way with thorns; and I will fence her in with a wall, that she shall not find her paths. 7 And she shall pursue after her lovers, and shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, and shall not find them: and she shall say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then was it better with me than now.

5 Their mother acted like a prostitute. 

The woman who became pregnant with them did shameful things. 

She said, ‘I’ll chase after my lovers. 

They will give me food and water, 

wool and linen, olive oil and wine.’ 

6 “That is why I will block her way with thornbushes 

and build a wall so that she can’t get through. 

7 She will run after her lovers, but she won’t catch them. 

She will search for them, but she won’t find them. 

Then she will say, ‘I’ll go back to my first husband. 

Things were better for me than they are now.’ 

5 Yes, their mother is promiscuous;

she conceived them and acted shamefully.

For she thought, “I will go after my lovers,

the men who give me my food and water,

my wool and flax, my oil and drink.”

6 Therefore, this is what I will do:

I will block her way with thorns;

I will enclose her with a wall,

so that she cannot find her paths.

7 She will pursue her lovers but not catch them;

she will seek them but not find them.

Then she will think,

“I will go back to my former husband,

for then it was better for me than now.”

5 For their mother has played the whore;

she who conceived them has acted shamefully.

For she said, “I will go after my lovers;

they give me my bread and my water,

my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.”

6 Therefore I will hedge up her way with thorns;

and I will build a wall against her,

so that she cannot find her paths.

7 She shall pursue her lovers,

but not overtake them;

and she shall seek them,

but shall not find them.

Then she shall say, “I will go

and return to my first husband,

for it was better with me then than now.”

5 Because their mother was unfaithful;

she who conceived them has acted shamefully,

for she said:

“I will go after my lovers,

the ones who give me my bread, my water,

my wool, and my flax,

my oil, and my drink.”

6 Therefore, Look!

I am going to hedge her path with thorns,

and I will build a stone wall, a stone wall against her,

and she will not find her paths.

7 Then she will pursue her lovers,

but she will not overtake them;

she will seek them and not find them;

and she will say, “I will go

and return to my first husband

because it was better for me then than now.”

5 Their mother hasn’t been faithful to me.

She who became pregnant with them

has brought shame on herself.

She said, “I will chase after my lovers.

They give me my food and water.

They provide me with wool and linen.

They give me olive oil and wine.”

6 So I will block her path with bushes that have thorns.

I’ll build a wall around her.

Then she can’t go to her lovers.

7 She will still chase after her lovers.

But she won’t catch them.

She’ll look for them.

But she won’t find them.

Then she’ll say,

“I’ll go back to my husband.

That’s where I was at first.

I was better off then than I am now.”

5 “For their mother has played the harlot;

She who conceived them has acted shamefully.

For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers,

Who give me my bread and my water,

My wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’

6 “Therefore, behold, I will hedge up her way with thorns,

And I will build a wall against her so that she cannot find her paths.

7 “She will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them;

And she will seek them, but will not find them.

Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband,

For it was better for me then than now!’