Hosea 13

¹ For past, when tribe of Ephraim talk, the other tribe of Israel dey fear; dem dey look up to Ephraim. But people dey sin as dem dey worship Baal, and for this dem go die.

² Dem still dey sin as dem dey make metal image to dey worship-idols of silver, wey dem use human mind design, wey human hand make. And them talk say, "Offer them sacrifice!" how anybody fit kiss those idols - idol wey get shape of bull!

³ Naso this people go disappear like morning mist, like dew wey vanish early in the morning. Dem go be like chaff wey wind blow from place wey dem dey separate grain, like smoke from funnel.

⁴ God talk say, "I be the LORD una God, wey lead una out of Egypt. Una no get God but me. I be only una savior.

⁵ I take care of una for dry, desert place.

⁶ But when una enter the good land, una become full and satisfy, and una pride grow and una forget me.

⁷ So I go attack una like lion. I go wait for una way like leopard.

⁸ I go attack una like bear wey don lose her pikin, and I go tear una open. I go tear una like lion, and like wild animal I go tear una to pieces.

⁹ "I go destroy una, people of Israel! Then who fit help una?

¹⁰ Una ask for king and leader, but how dem fit save the nation?

¹¹ I don give una kings in my anger, and I don take them away in my anger.

¹² "I dey record sin and guilt of Israel, and I don store the record for safe place.

¹³ Israel get chance to live, but too foolish to take am - like pikin wey dem wan born, wey no gree commot for womb.

¹⁴ I no go safe this people from world of the dead or rescue them from power of death. Bring your sickness, death! Bring your destruction, world of dead! I no go pity this people again.

¹⁵ Even though Israel flourish like weed, I go send hot east wind from desert, and e go dry their river and well. E go take everything of value commot.

¹⁶ I go punish Samaria for turning against me. Her people go die for war; dem go tear pikin for ground, and dem go open pregnant woman."