Hosea 4

1 Hear the Lord’s message, Israelites, for the Lord has brought charges against the inhabitants of the land, for there is no fidelity, nor true love, nor knowledge of God in the land,

Hear the word of Jehovah, ye sons of Israel, for Jehovah has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2 but cursing, lying, and murder, stealing, committing adultery, and deeds of violence, and acts of bloodshed quickly follow each other.

There is nothing but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery. They break out, and blood touches blood.

3 Therefore the land mourns, all its inhabitants languish, the wild animals and the birds of the skies, even the fish of the sea are dying.

Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone who dwells in it shall languish with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens. Yea, the fishes of the sea shall also be taken away.

4 Yet let no one bring charges, let none accuse, for your people are like those, who bring charges against a priest.

Yet, let no man strive, nor let any man reprove, for thy people are as those who strive with the priest.

5 You stumble by day, and the prophet stumbles with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

And thou shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night. And I will destroy thy mother.

6 My people are being destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I reject you from being priest to me. Since you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I also will forget your children.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou have rejected knowledge, I also will reject thee, that thou shall be no priest to me. Since thou have forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy sons.

7 The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will change their dignity to dishonour.

As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.

8 They feed on the sin offerings of my people, so they hunger after their guilt.

They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

9 Thus it comes to be, like people, like priest: I will visit upon each punishment for their ways, and their deeds I will repay them.

And it shall be, like people, like priest. And I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.

10 They will eat and not be satisfied, they will sleep around but stay childless, because they have abandoned the Lord to give themselves to

And they shall eat, and not have enough. They shall play the harlot, and shall not increase, because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

11 prostitution. Old and new wine take away the understanding.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

12 My own people ask counsel of a piece of wood! A stick gives them advice! For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray, they commit adultery against their God.

My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

13 On the heights of the mountains they sacrifice, and on the hills they burn incense under oaks and poplars and terebinths, for their shade is so pleasant. Therefore your daughters become cult prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow of it is good. Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters for committing prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law for adultery. Your men visit prostitutes, sacrifice with cult prostitutes. So a people without understanding come to ruin!

I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery. For themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes. And the people who do not understand shall be overthrown.

15 Though you commit adultery, Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, nor swear an oath, ‘As the Lord lives.’

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, and come not ye to Gilgal, nor go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah lives.

16 Like a wilful heifer, Israel is stubborn. Can the Lord now feed them as he would a lamb in a broad pasture?

For Israel has behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Now Jehovah will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Ephraim is wedded to idols. Leave them alone!

Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.

18 When their drinking is over they sleep with the cult prostitutes, their rulers love shameful ways.

Their drink has become sour. They play the harlot continually. Her rulers dearly love shame.

19 A windstorm will wrap them in its wings and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.

The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.