1“Na since wen Israel bi small pikin I love am and I kon koll am komot from Egypt.
2But di more I dey koll am, di more e dey waka far from mi kon dey do sakrifice and burn incense give juju.
3Na mi tish Efraim how to waka. I karry my pipol for my hand, but dem nor know sey I kare for dem.
4I draw dem near body with love and kindness. I remove dia heavy load from dia head kon bend down feed dem by mysef.
5But dem nor gri kom back kon meet mi and bikos of dat, dem must go back to Egypt and Assyria pipol go rule dem by force.
6War go kom dia towns kon break and skata dia gates. Enemies go distroy my pipol for where dem tink sey nor-tin go fit happen to dem.
7Dem don gri sey dem nor go turn kom meet mi. Dem koll mi wey bi di Most High God, but I nor go raiz dem up at-all.
8Efraim pipol, how I won take leave or abandon una? I nor fit distroy una just as I distroy Admah pipol or trit una as I trit Zeboiim pipol? My heart nor go let mi do am, bikos di love wey I get for una, too strong.
9I nor go ponish una, bikos I dey vex; I nor go distroy Efraim again, bikos I bi God and I nor bi man. Mi wey dey holy, dey with una. I nor go vex kom meet una.
10I go shaut like lion kon fight my pipol enemies, den my pipol go follow mi. Dem go rush kom meet mi from west.
11Dem go rush kom from Egypt like bird and from Assyria like dove. I go bring dem kom back to dia town again. Mi, wey bi God, don tok.”
12Israel pipol surround mi with lie-lie; na wayo full Efraim, but Judah pipol still trust and dey faithful to God wey dey holy.