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.
Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel, for the Lord has an accusation against the inhabitants of the land! “There is no faithfulness, no loyalty, and 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.
Instead there is only cursing, lying, murdering, stealing, and adultery. They commit violence, and bloodshed follows 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.
As a result the land dries up, and everyone who lives there is wasting away, along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky and the fish of the sea—they are all dying.
4 Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.
But no one should accuse or blame anyone else. My quarrel is with you the priests—you are the ones responsible.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the Prophet shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
Consequently you will stumble in daylight, and the prophet will stumble together with you in the night, and I will destroy your mother.
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 are dying because they don't know me. Because you have refused to know me, I refuse to accept you as my priests. You have forgotten my teachings, so I will forget your children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I chaunge their glorie into shame.
The more there were of them, the more they sinned against me, so I will change their glory into shame.
8 They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.
They feed on the sin of my people, greedy for their iniquity.
9 And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.
So it will be for the people like the priests: I will punish them for what they have done, repaying them for their actions.
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.
They will eat, but they will not be satisfied; they will engage in prostitution, but they will not prosper because they have given up on the Lord to go and prostitute themselves to other gods.
11 Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.
They destroy their minds with old wine and new wine.
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 consult their wooden idols and their divining rods give them answers, for a spirit of prostitution makes them go astray. Prostituting themselves, they have deserted 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 offer sacrifices on the tops of mountains; they burn incense in the hills under the oak, poplar, and terebinth trees where the shade is pleasant. That's the reason why your daughters practice prostitution and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
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 punish your daughters when they practice prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because you men visit whores and sacrifice with temple prostitutes. A people who lack understanding end up in disaster.
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.
Though you, Israel, have become a prostitute, may Judah not offend in the same way and not enter Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, nor swear saying, ‘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 is as stubborn as a stubborn cow. Should the Lord then take care of them like a lamb in a wide pasture?
17 Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.
Ephraim is bewitched by idols, so leave him alone!
18 Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.
Once the leaders finish drinking, they go off and find prostitutes to sleep with. They love their shameful acts more than honor.
19 The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.
A wind will carry them away; they will be ashamed of their pagan worship.
