en_tn_condensed/hos/12/01.md

# General Information:

Hosea the prophet is speaking.

# Ephraim feeds on the wind

Here "Ephraim" represents all the people of Israel. Also "wind" represents something that is useless or temporary. The people of Israel doing things that will not help them is spoken of as if they eat the wind. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-synecdoche]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# follows after the east wind

East winds were very hot and destructive to the land. Here it represents anything that is destructive. The people doing things that will destroy themselves is spoken of as if they are following the east wind. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# carry olive oil to Egypt

The people of Israel sent olive oil as a present to the king of Egypt to try and persuade him to help them.

# Yahweh also has a lawsuit against Judah

Yahweh stating that the people of Judah have sinned against him and broken his covenant is spoken of as if Yahweh were accusing them in court. See how you translated a similar phrase in [Hosea 4:1](../04/01.md). (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# against Judah ... punish Jacob for what he has done ... repay him for his deeds

Here "Judah" and "Jacob" both represent the people of Judah. AT: "against the people of Judah ... punish them for what they have done ... repay them for their deeds" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-doublet]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# lawsuit

This is a complaint by one person against another person in a court of law. See how you translated this in [Hosea 2:2](../02/02.md).