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 Lord’s message, Israelites, for the Lord has brought charges against the inhabitants of the land, for there is no fidelity, nor true love, 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.
but cursing, lying, and murder, stealing, committing adultery, and deeds of violence, and acts of bloodshed quickly follow each other.
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 the land mourns, all its inhabitants languish, the wild animals and the birds of the skies, even the fish of the sea are dying.
4 Yet let none rebuke, nor reproue another: for thy people are as they that rebuke the Priest.
Yet let no one bring charges, let none accuse, for your people are like those, who bring charges against a 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.
You stumble by day, and the prophet stumbles with you by 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 being destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I reject you from being priest to me. Since you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I chaunge their glorie into shame.
The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will change their dignity to dishonor.
8 They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.
They feed on the sin offerings of my people, so they hunger after their guilt.
9 And there shalbe like people, like Priest: for I wil visite their wayes vpon them, and reward them their deedes.
Thus it comes to be, like people, like priest: I will visit upon each punishment for their ways, and their deeds I will repay them.
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 and not be satisfied, they will sleep around but stay childless, because they have abandoned the Lord to give themselves to
11 Whoredome, and wine, and newe wine take away their heart.
prostitution. Old 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 own people ask counsel of a piece of wood! A stick gives them advice! For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray, they commit adultery against 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 heights of the mountains they sacrifice, and on the hills they burn incense under oaks and poplars and terebinths, for their shade is so pleasant. Therefore your daughters become cult prostitutes, 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 for committing prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law for adultery. Your men visit prostitutes, sacrifice with cult prostitutes. So a people without understanding come to ruin!
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 commit adultery, Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, nor swear an oath, “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.
Like a willful heifer, Israel is stubborn. Can the Lord now feed them as he would a lamb in a broad pasture?
17 Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.
Ephraim is wedded to idols. Leave them alone!
18 Their drunkennes stinketh: they haue committed whoredome: their rulers loue to say with shame, Bring ye.
When their drinking is over they sleep with the cult prostitutes, their rulers love shameful ways.
19 The winde hath bounde them vp in her wings, and they shalbe ashamed of their sacrifices.
A windstorm will wrap them in its wings and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.
