Hosea 4

1 You Israeli people, listen to this message from Yahweh! He is accusing you people who live in this country, [saying] “The people are not faithfully [doing what pleases me], they are not kind [to others], and they do not [even] know me!

Hear the word of Jehovah, ye sons of Israel! For Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; For there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2 Everywhere in this land they curse [others], they murder [others], they steal, and they commit adultery. They act violently toward others and commit one murder after another.

Perjury, and falsehood, and murder, And theft, and adultery have broken forth, And blood reacheth to blood.

3 It is because of their doing those things that there is no rain [MTY], the land has become dry, the people are mourning, and the people are dying [from hunger]. Even the wild animals and the birds and the fish in the sea are dying.

Therefore shall the land mourn, And every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, Together with the beasts of the forest, and the birds of heaven; Yea, even the fishes of the sea shall perish.

4 But no one should accuse someone else and say it is his fault. It is you priests whom I am accusing.

Yet let no man rebuke, and let no man reprove; For thy people are like those that contend with the priest,

5 So I will punish [MTY] you priests, night and day, and I will punish the prophets with you. I am going to destroy [Israel, the nation that is like] [MET] a mother to you.

Therefore shalt thou Fall by day, And the prophet shall fall with thee by night, And I will destroy thy mother.

6 It is because my people do not know [about me] that they will be destroyed. And their not knowing about me is because you priests have refused [to teach them about me]; so I will no longer allow you to be my priests. You have forgotten the things that I taught you, so I will forget [to bless] your children.

My people is destroyed for lack of knowledge; Since thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, so that thou shalt no more be my priest; Since thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

7 As there are more and more priests, they have sinned against me more and more. So I will no longer allow them to be honored; instead, I will cause them to be disgraced.

As they have become great, so have they sinned against me; I will change their glory into shame.

8 The priests get food from [the offerings that the] people [bring in order to be forgiven for having sinned], [so] the priests want the people to sin more and more [in order that the people will bring them more and more offerings].

They feed upon the sins of my people, And incline their hearts to their iniquity.

9 The priests [are as sinful] as the [other] people, and I will punish [all of] them for what they have done; I will pay them back for the [evil] things that they have done.

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; I will punish them for their ways, And requite them for their doings.

10 [The priests] will eat, but they will still be hungry; they will have sex with prostitutes, but they will not have any children, because they have abandoned [me], Yahweh,

They shall eat and shall not be satisfied; They shall commit fornication, and shall not increase, For they have left off giving heed to Jehovah.

11 and they are devoting themselves to sleeping with prostitutes, and to [drinking] old wine and new wine, which results in their not being able to think clearly.”

Fornication and wine and new wine take away the understanding;

12 “[You] my people request wooden idols [to tell you what you should do]! Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,

My people ask counsel of their stocks, And their staff revealeth to them. For the spirit of fornication causeth them to err; Yea, they commit fornication, forsaking their God.

13 you have abandoned [me] your God, and you are chasing after [other gods] on the tops of hills and mountains; you burn incense under oak [trees], poplar [trees], and other trees where there is nice/pleasing shade. So your daughters have become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law have committed adultery.

On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they burn incense, Under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters commit fornication, And your daughters-in-law commit adultery;

14 But it is not [only] your daughters [whom I will punish] for having become prostitutes, and it is not [only] your daughters-in-law whom I will punish for committing adultery, because the men also are having sex with prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices with the prostitutes [who search for men at the] shrines [of the idols]. [They are all] foolish people, and they will [all] be ruined.

I will not punish your daughters, when they commit fornication, Nor your daughters-in-law, when they commit adultery; For ye yourselves go aside with harlots, And sacrifice with prostitutes; Therefore the people that hath not understanding shall fall.

15 You Israeli [people] have abandoned me like [MET] those who commit adultery have abandoned their spouses. But do not cause [the people of] Judah to sin [also]. Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth-Aven [towns] [to worship idols there]. Do not make solemn promises [there, saying ‘Just as surely] as Yahweh lives, [I will do what I am promising].’

Though thou play the harlot, O Israel, Yet let not Judah offend! Come ye not to Gilgal, Neither go ye up to Bethaven. And swear ye not, saying, As Jehovah liveth!

16 You [people of Israel] are as stubborn as [SIM] a young cow. So there is no way [RHQ] that [I], Yahweh, will [provide food for them] [like a shepherd provides food for his] lambs [by leading them] to a nice meadow.

For like a refractory heifer is Israel become refractory, Therefore will Jehovah feed them, like a lamb in a wide place.

17 The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], [so] allow them [to do what they want to do].

Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone!

18 When their rulers finish drinking [their wine], they go to find prostitutes; they love their disgraceful behavior.

When their carousal is over, They give themselves up to lasciviousness; Their rulers love shame.

19 But they will disappear [as though] [MET] they were blown away by a whirlwind. They will become [very] ashamed because of their offering sacrifices [to idols].”

The wind hath bound them up with its wings, And they shall be brought to shame on account of their sacrifices.