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.

Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel! for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

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.

Swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery! they break all bounds, 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 doth the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein doth languish, with the beasts of the field, and the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also are 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 no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with 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 stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble 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 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 God, I also will 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.

The more they were increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.

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

They feed on the sin of My people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

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 it is like people, like priest; and I will punish him for his ways, and will recompense him his doings.

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.

And they shall eat, and not have enough, they shall commit harlotry, and shall not increase; because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

11 Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.

Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the 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 ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of harlotry hath caused them to err, and they have gone astray from under 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 upon the tops of the mountains, and offer upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good; therefore your daughters commit harlotry, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

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 punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves consort with lewd women, and they sacrifice with harlots; and the people that is without understanding is distraught.

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 Judah become guilty; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear: 'As the LORD liveth.'

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 stubborn like a stubborn heifer; now shall the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place?

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

Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

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

When their carouse is over, they take to harlotry; her rulers deeply love dishonour.

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

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