Hosea 4
1 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.
Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God, in the land.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and whoring they breake out, and blood toucheth blood.
Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.
3 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.
Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.
4 Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.
So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.
6 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.
My people have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I chaunge their glorie into shame.
According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.
8 They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.
They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity.
9 And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.
And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.
10 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.
And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.
11 Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.
Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.
12 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.
My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before their God.
13 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.
They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.
14 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.
I will not send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.
15 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.
If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord lives.”
16 For Israel is rebellious as an vnruly heyfer. Nowe the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.
For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.
17 Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.
Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.
18 Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.
Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.
19 The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.
The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.
