They have gone up to Assyria for help. They are like a wild donkey that wanders around by itself. Ephraim’s people have sold themselves to their Assyrian lovers.

他们投奔亚述，如同独行的野驴；以法莲贿买朋党。

他们投奔亚述如独行的野驴。以法莲雇用情人，

他们投奔亚述如独行的野驴。以法莲雇用情人，

他们投奔亚述，就像孤独漂泊的野驴。以法莲收买情人。

他们上去投奔亚述，像一只独行的野驴，以法莲贿买爱人。

他們投奔亞述，如同獨行的野驢；以法蓮賄買朋黨。

他們投奔亞述如獨行的野驢。以法蓮雇用情人，

他們投奔亞述如獨行的野驢。以法蓮雇用情人，

他們投奔亞述，就像孤獨漂泊的野驢。以法蓮收買情人。

他們上去投奔亞述，像一隻獨行的野驢，以法蓮賄買愛人。

因為他們上去投奔亞述，如獨行尋偶的野驢；以法蓮將愛情當禮物賄買人。

彼往亞述、如獨行之野驢、以法蓮以賄求愛、

昔以法蓮往亞述、以金贈於所歡、猶之野驢、欲求其牡、

彼往亞述求救、彼如獨處之野驢、以法蓮賄贈朋黨、

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has sold herself to lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has hired lovers.

Like a wild donkey looking for a mate, they have gone up to Assyria. The people of Israel have sold themselves— sold themselves to many lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey going off on its own. Ephraim has paid for love.

For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey all alone; Ephraim has paid fees for lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria, Like a wild donkey alone by itself; Ephraim has hired lovers.

For they are gone up to Assyria, like a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey going off on its own. Ephraim has paid for love.

For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim hath hired lovers.

They have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey that wanders off. Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers.

For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.

You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert. She smells the wind when she longs for a mate. Who can hold her back? The males that run after her do not need to wear themselves out. At mating time they will easily find her.

Every prostitute receives gifts. Instead, you give gifts to all your lovers. You offer them money to come to you from everywhere. You want them to sleep with you. You are not faithful to me.As a prostitute, you are the opposite of others. No one runs after you to sleep with you. You are exactly the opposite. You pay them. They do not pay you.” ’ ”

The Lord says,“ The people of Ephraim are like a dove. They are easily tricked. They do not have any sense at all. First they call out to Egypt for help. Then they turn to Assyria.

“ The people of Ephraim saw how sick they were. The people of Judah saw that they were wounded. Then Ephraim turned to Assyria for help. They sent gifts to the great King Tiglath- Pileser. But he is not able to make you well. He can’t heal your wounds.

Then Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land of Israel. He was king of Assyria. Menahem gave him 38 tons of silver to get his help. He wanted to make his control over the kingdom stronger.

The people of Ephraim look to others for help. It’s like chasing the wind. The wind they keep chasing is hot and dry. They tell more and more lies. They are always hurting others. They make a peace treaty with Assyria. They send olive oil to Egypt to get help.

Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.

“ Who let the wild donkeys go free? Who untied their ropes?I gave them the dry and empty land as their home. I gave them salt flats to live in.They laugh at all the noise in town. They do not hear the shouts of the donkey drivers.They wander over the hills to look for grass. They search for anything green to eat.

So now I’ll uncover her body. All her lovers will see it. No one can stop me from punishing her.

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.’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.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.’

“ Oholah was unfaithful to me even while she still belonged to me. She longed for her Assyrian lovers. They included soldierswho wore blue uniforms. They also included governors and commanders. All of them were young and handsome. They rode horses.She gave herself as a prostitute to all Assyria’s finest warriors. She made herself impure with the statues of the gods of everyone she longed for.She started being a prostitute in Egypt. And she never stopped. When she was young, men had sex with her. They kissed her virgin breasts. They used up all their sinful desires on her.“ So I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers. She longed for them.