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,

Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Israelfo efisɛ Awurade wɔ kwaadu de bɔ mo a mote asase no so: “Nokware, ɔdɔ, anaa Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ nni asase no so.

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

Nnome nko ara, atorotwa ne awudi, akrɔmmɔ, ne aguamammɔ na moyɛ ma ɛtra so, na mogyahwiegu ba ntoatoaso.

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.

Eyi nti asase no di awerɛhow na wɔn a wɔte so nyinaa wuwu; wuram mmoa, wim nnomaa ne po mu nam rewuwu.

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

“Mma obiara mmɔ kwaadu, mma obiara mmɔ ɔfoforo sobo. Na mmom, mo asɔfo mo na me ne mo anya.

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

Muhintiw awia ne anadwo, na adiyifo no ne mo hintiw. Ɛno nti mɛsɛe mo man.

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.

Nimdeɛ a me nkurɔfo nni nti wɔresɛe. “Sɛ moapo nimdeɛ nti, me nso mapo mo sɛ mʼasɔfo; sɛ moabu mo ani agu mo Nyankopɔn mmara so nti, me nso mabu mʼani agu mo mma so.

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

Asɔfo no redɔɔso no na bɔne a ɛboro so na wɔyɛ tia me. Wɔde wɔn Anuonyam asesa nea ɛyɛ animguase.

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

Wodidi me nkurɔfo bɔne ho ɛno nti wɔn ani gye atirimɔdensɛm ho.

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.

Sɛnea nnipa no te no, saa ara na asɔfo no nso te. Mɛtwe wɔn nyinaa aso wɔ wɔn akwan ho na matua wɔn wɔn nneyɛe so ka.

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

“Wobedidi, nanso wɔremmee. Wɔbɛbɔ aguaman, nanso wɔn ase remfɛe, efisɛ, wɔagyaw Awurade hɔ, de wɔn ho ama

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

aguamammɔ, nsa dedaw ne foforo, a ɛma me nkurɔfo

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.

ntease tu yera. Wɔkɔ abisa wɔ ahoni a wɔde nnua asen nkyɛn na duasin bi ama wɔn mmuae. Aguamammɔ honhom rema wɔn ayera kwan; wonni wɔn Nyankopɔn nokware.

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.

Wɔbɔ afɔre wɔ mmepɔw atifi na wɔhyew afɔrebɔde wɔ nkoko so: odum, duafufu ne odupɔn ase, nea onwini yɛ fɔmm hɔ. Ɛno nti, wo mmabea dan aguamammɔfo na mo nsemmea nso yɛ nguamanfo.

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!

“Merentwe mo mmabea aso sɛ wɔadan aguamammɔfo, anaa mo nsemmea aso sɛ wɔasɛe aware. Efisɛ mo mmarima, mo nso mote saa ara. Mo ne mmabea ne nsɔreso nguamanfo fa ayɔnko. Nnipa a wonni ntease no bɛkɔ ɔsɛe mu!

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.’

“Ɛwɔ mu sɛ woyɛ ɔwaresɛefo de, Israel, nanso, mma Yuda nni ho fɔ. “Nkɔ Gilgal; na mforo nkɔ Bet-Awen. Na nka ntam se, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi!’

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

Israelfo yɛ asoɔdenfo te sɛ nantwi ba a ɔyɛ asowui ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Awurade ahwɛ wɔn so sɛ nguantenmma a wɔwɔ adidibea?

17 Ephraim is wedded to idols. Leave them alone!

Efraim de ne ho abɔ ahoni ho; Gyaa no!

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

Sɛ wɔn nsa sa koraa a, wɔtoa wɔn aguamammɔ so; wɔn sodifo ani gye aniwude ho yiye.

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

Mfɛtɛ bɛpra wɔn akɔ, na wɔn afɔrebɔ de animguase bɛbrɛ wɔn.