Hosea 4
1 Vernehmt das Wort des Herrn, ihr Söhne Israels: Zu rechten hat der Herr mit den Bewohnern dieses Landes; denn keine Treue, keine Frömmigkeit, keine Erkenntnis Gottes gibt es mehr im Land.
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!
2 Das Schwören und Betrügen, Morden, Stehlen, Ehebrechen nimmt überhand; Bluttat reihet sich an Bluttat.
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.
3 Darüber steht das Land in Trauer, und was darinnen wohnt, verschwindet. Des Feldes Tiere und des Himmels Vögel, selbst des Meeres Fische schwinden hin.
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.
4 "'Man rechte nicht! Man tadle nicht!' Dein Volk, du Priester, dein Volk ist solchen gleich, die mich angreifen.
But no one should accuse someone else and say it is his fault. It is you priests whom I am accusing.
5 Du gabst am Tage Anstoß deinem Volk und der Prophet zur Nachtzeit. Und ich vertilgte deine Ernte.
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.
6 Hinschwand mein Volk, weil ihm Erkenntnis mangelte. Du hast ja die Erkenntnis weggeworfen, und so verwerfe ich auch dich, daß du mir nimmer Priester seist. Du wolltest nichts von deines Gottes Lehre wissen, so weiß auch ich nichts mehr von deinen Söhnen.
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.
7 Je angesehener sie wurden, um so mehr verfehlten sie sich gegen mich; drum wandle ich in Schmach ihr Ansehen.
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.
8 Sie nähren sich von meines Volkes Sünde; nach seinen Missetaten hungern sie.
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].
9 Drum wie dem Volke so dem Priester! Ich strafe seinen Wandel und vergelte ihm nach seinen Werken."
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.
10 Sie essen, werden aber nimmer satt; sie buhlen, aber mehren sich nicht mehr, weil sie den Herrn verlassen, um sich der Unzucht zu ergeben.
[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,
11 "Der Wein und Most nimmt den Verstand gefangen.
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.”
12 Mein Volk befragt nur sein Stück Holz; sein Stab gibt ihm Bescheid." Ein buhlerischer Geist betört es ja, und sie entfernen buhlend sich von ihrem Gott.
“[You] my people request wooden idols [to tell you what you should do]! Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,
13 "Auf Bergesgipfeln opfern sie; auf Hügeln bringen sie Brandopfer dar und unter Eichen, Pappeln, Terebinthen, weil so lieblich deren Schatten. Drum huren eure Töchter, und eure Bräute brechen hier die Treue.
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.
14 Soll ich an euren Töchtern nicht die Buhlerei bestrafen, an euren Bräuten nicht den Treuebruch? Sie selber haben sich den Buhlerinnen beigesellt und opfern mit geweihten Dirnen, und das gedankenlose Volk wird so geschändet."
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.
15 Magst du auch buhlen, Israel, so möge Juda sich doch nicht versündigen! "Kommt nicht nach Gilgal! Wallfahrt nicht zum Götzenhaus! nicht 'Beim Herrn'!"
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].’
16 Beträgt sich Israel wie eine widerspenstige Kuh, kann dann der Herr es weiden lassen auf weiter Flur gleich einem Lamm?
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.
17 Man bringt jetzt Ephraim ins Joch, zur Arbeit angebunden.
The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], [so] allow them [to do what they want to do].
18 Ihr Weingelage schwindet hin, bei dem sie so gebuhlt und ihrer Berge Schmach geliebt.
When their rulers finish drinking [their wine], they go to find prostitutes; they love their disgraceful behavior.
19 Der Atem macht ihm eng in seinen Flanken. Dann schämen sie sich ihrer Opfer.
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].”
