Yahweh is speaking.

## Ephraim's iniquity has been stored up; his guilt has been stored up ##

These two phrases are very similar and mean nearly the same thing. (UDB) (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parallelism]])

## Pains of childbirth will come on him, but he is an unwise son, for when it is time to be born, he does not come out of the womb.  ##

This illustration is used here by Yahweh to represent what is going to happen to Ephraim (Israel) because of their great wickedness. (UDB) (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])