Hosea 4

1 Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no 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 Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.

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

3 Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.

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 So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.

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

5 And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.

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 have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons.

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 According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.

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

8 They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity.

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

9 And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.

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

10 And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.

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 Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

12 My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before 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 They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.

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 send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.

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 If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “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 For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.

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

17 Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.

Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.

18 Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.

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

19 The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.

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