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.

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.

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.

For they have gone up to Assyria, a wild donkey wandering alone; Ephraim has 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 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, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain her lust? Those who desire her don’t need to search, for she goes running to them!

Prostitutes charge for their services— but not you! You give gifts to your lovers, bribing them to come and have sex with you.So you are the opposite of other prostitutes. You pay your lovers instead of their paying you!

“ The people of Israel have become like silly, witless doves, first calling to Egypt, then flying to Assyria for help.

“ When Israel and Judah saw how sick they were, Israel turned to Assyria— to the great king there— but he could neither help nor cure them.

Then King Tiglath pileser of Assyria invaded the land. But Menahem paid him thirty seven tons of silver to gain his support in tightening his grip on royal power.

The people of Israel feed on the wind; they chase after the east wind all day long. They pile up lies and violence; they are making an alliance with Assyria while sending olive oil to buy support from Egypt.

This message came to me concerning the animals in the Negev: The caravan moves slowly across the terrible desert to Egypt— donkeys weighed down with riches and camels loaded with treasure— all to pay for Egypt’s protection. They travel through the wilderness, a place of lionesses and lions, a place where vipers and poisonous snakes live. All this, and Egypt will give you nothing in return.

“ Who gives the wild donkey its freedom? Who untied its ropes?I have placed it in the wilderness; its home is the wasteland.It hates the noise of the city and has no driver to shout at it.The mountains are its pastureland, where it searches for every blade of grass.

I will strip her naked in public, while all her lovers look on. No one will be able to rescue her from my hands.

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.’“ For this reason I will fence her in with thornbushes. I will block her path with a wall to make her lose her way.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.’

“ Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrian officers.They were all attractive young men, captains and commanders dressed in handsome blue, charioteers driving their horses.And so she prostituted herself with the most desirable men of Assyria, worshiping their idols and defiling herself.For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians slept with her, fondled her breasts, and used her as a prostitute.“ And so I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers, whom she desired so much.