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 YHWH, ye children of Israel: for YHWH hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of Elohim in the land.

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

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth 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 shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall 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 reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

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

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall 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 hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy Elohim, I will also forget thy children.

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

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

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

They eat up the sin of my people, and they 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 there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward 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

For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to YHWH.

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

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

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 stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their Elohim.

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 elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall 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 commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

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 unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, YHWH liveth.

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 slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now YHWH 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 is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

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

The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.