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 Jehovah, ye sons of Israel! For Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; For there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

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

Perjury, and falsehood, and murder, And theft, and adultery have broken forth, And blood reacheth to blood.

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.

Therefore shall the land mourn, And every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, Together with the beasts of the forest, and the birds of heaven; Yea, even the fishes of the sea shall perish.

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

Yet let no man rebuke, and let no man reprove; For thy people are like those that contend with the priest,

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

Therefore shalt thou Fall by day, And the prophet shall fall with thee by night, And I will destroy thy 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 is destroyed for lack of knowledge; Since thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, so that thou shalt no more be my priest; Since thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.

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

As they have become great, so have they sinned against me; 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 upon the sins of my people, And incline their hearts to their iniquity.

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

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; I will punish them for their ways, And requite them for their doings.

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 shall eat and shall not be satisfied; They shall commit fornication, and shall not increase, For they have left off giving heed to Jehovah.

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

Fornication and wine and new wine take away the understanding;

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 ask counsel of their stocks, And their staff revealeth to them. For the spirit of fornication causeth them to err; Yea, they commit fornication, forsaking 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.

On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they burn incense, Under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters commit fornication, 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 commit fornication, Nor your daughters-in-law, when they commit adultery; For ye yourselves go aside with harlots, And sacrifice with prostitutes; Therefore the people that hath not understanding shall fall.

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 thou play the harlot, O Israel, Yet let not Judah offend! Come ye not to Gilgal, Neither go ye up to Bethaven. And swear ye not, saying, As Jehovah liveth!

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

For like a refractory heifer is Israel become refractory, Therefore will Jehovah feed them, like a lamb in a wide place.

17 Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.

Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone!

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

When their carousal is over, They give themselves up to lasciviousness; Their rulers love shame.

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

The wind hath bound them up with its wings, And they shall be brought to shame on account of their sacrifices.