< Hosea 4 >

1 Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no 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 Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
Nnome nko ara, atorotwa ne awudi, akrɔmmɔ, ne aguamammɔ na moyɛ ma ɛtra so, na mogyahwiegu ba ntoatoaso.
3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.
Eyi nti asase no di awerɛhow na wɔn a wɔte so nyinaa wuwu; wuram mmoa, wim nnomaa ne po mu nam rewuwu.
4 But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.
“Mma obiara mmɔ kwaadu, mma obiara mmɔ ɔfoforo sobo. Na mmom, mo asɔfo mo na me ne mo anya.
5 You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
Muhintiw awia ne anadwo, na adiyifo no ne mo hintiw. Ɛno nti mɛsɛe mo man.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also 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 they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.
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 sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
Wodidi me nkurɔfo bɔne ho ɛno nti wɔn ani gye atirimɔdensɛm ho.
9 And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
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 but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have stopped obeying the LORD.
“Wobedidi, nanso wɔremmee. Wɔbɛbɔ aguaman, nanso wɔn ase remfɛe, efisɛ, wɔagyaw Awurade hɔ, de wɔn ho ama
11 Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
aguamammɔ, nsa dedaw ne foforo, a ɛma me nkurɔfo
12 My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot 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 They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to 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 when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will 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 prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely 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 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
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 joined to idols; leave him alone!
Efraim de ne ho abɔ ahoni ho; Gyaa no!
18 When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
Sɛ wɔn nsa sa koraa a, wɔtoa wɔn aguamammɔ so; wɔn sodifo ani gye aniwude ho yiye.
19 The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.
Mfɛtɛ bɛpra wɔn akɔ, na wɔn afɔrebɔ de animguase bɛbrɛ wɔn.

< Hosea 4 >