Hosea 4

1 Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.

Heare the worde of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the lande, because there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the lande.

2 There is cursing and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring they breake out, and blood toucheth blood.

3 Because of this the land will be dry, and everyone living in it will be wasted away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven; even the fishes of the sea will be taken away.

Therefore shall the land mourne, and euery one that dwelleth therein, shall be cut off, with the beasts of the fielde, and with the foules of the heauen, and also the fishes of the sea shall be taken away.

4 Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.

Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.

5 You will not be able to keep on your feet by day, and by night the prophet will be falling down with you, and I will give your mother to destruction.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

6 Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge; because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up, so that you will be no priest to me, because you have not kept in mind the law of your God, I will not keep your children in my memory.

My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast refused knowledge, I will also refuse thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me: and seeing thou hast forgotten the Lawe of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

7 Even while they were increasing in number they were sinning against me; I will let their glory be changed into shame.

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

8 The sin of my people is like food to them; and their desire is for their wrongdoing.

They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.

9 And the priest will be like the people; I will give them punishment for their evil ways, and the reward of their acts.

And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.

10 They will have food, but they will not be full; they will be false to me, but they will not be increased, because they no longer give thought to the Lord.

For they shall eate, and not haue ynough: they shall commit adulterie, and shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heede to ye Lord.

11 Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.

Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.

12 My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.

My people aske counsell at their stockes, and their staffe teacheth them: for the spirite of fornications hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.

13 They make offerings on the tops of mountains, burning perfumes in high places, under trees of every sort, because their shade is good: and so your daughters are given up to loose ways and your brides are false to their husbands.

They sacrifice vpon the toppes of ye mountaines, and burne incense vpon the hilles vnder the okes, and the poplar tree, and the elme, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall be harlots, and your spouses shall be whores.

14 I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.

I will not visite your daughters when they are harlots: nor your spouses when they are whores: for they themselues are separated with harlots, and sacrifice with whores: therefore the people that doeth not vnderstand, shall fall.

15 Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Iudah sinne: come not ye vnto Gilgal, neither goe ye vp to Beth-auen, nor sweare, The Lord liueth.

16 For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.

For Israel is rebellious as an vnruly heyfer. Nowe the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.

17 Ephraim is joined to false gods; let him be.

Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.

18 Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.

Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.

19 They are folded in the skirts of the wind; they will be shamed because of their offerings.

The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.