Hosea 4
1 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.
[後編：以色列的罪惡和懲罰]四：以色列子民，請聽上主的話! 因為上主譴責此地的居民：因為此地沒有誠實，沒有仁愛，沒有人認識天主；
2 Swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery! they break all bounds, and blood toucheth blood.
只有詛咒、謊言、殺戳、偷竊、姦淫、強暴和纍纍的血案。
3 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.
因此，此地必要荒廢；凡住在這地上的，甚至田間的野獸和天空的飛鳥都要絕跡，連海中的魚類也要消滅。
4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
但是沒有人爭辯，也沒有人譴責! 司祭啊，我要與你爭辯!
5 Therefore shalt thou stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.
你白天黑夜跌倒，先知也同你一齊跌倒，你竟然使你的人民喪亡。
6 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.
我的百姓因缺乏知識而滅亡；因為你拋棄了知識，我也要拋棄你，不讓你充當我的司祭；你既然忘卻了你的天主的法律，我也要忘記你的子孫。
7 The more they were increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.
司祭越增多，也越得罪我，竟以羞辱作為他們的光榮。
8 They feed on the sin of My people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
他們賴我百姓的罪惡自肥，一心渴望他們的過犯。
9 And it is like people, like priest; and I will punish him for his ways, and will recompense him his doings.
由此百姓和司祭，一律看待：我將按他的行徑懲治他，對他的行為予以報復，
10 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.
好使他們吃，卻吃不飽，行淫而不能繁殖；因為他們捨棄了上主，縱慾，
11 Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the heart.
行淫：老酒新酒叫人失去良知。
12 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.
我的人民求教於木偶，讓木杖啟示他；因為淫心迷往了他們，使他們行淫，遠開了他們的天主。
13 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.
在山頂上獻祭，在丘陵上、在橡樹、楊樹和篤耨香下焚香，在濃蔭下多麼愉快；因此你們的女兒行淫，你的兒媳犯姦。
14 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.
但我卻不因你們的女兒行了淫，而懲罰她們，也不因你們的兒息媳犯了姦，而處罰她們；因為她們同蕩婦走往偏僻之處，又同廟妓一同獻祭：但無知的百姓卻因此而墮落!
15 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.'
以色列，如果你行了淫，但願猶大不要陷於罪惡! 你們不要到基耳加耳去，不要上貝特阿文，也不要起誓願 2上主永在! 」
16 For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer; now shall the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place?
的確，以色列倔強，有如一頭倔強的母牛，那麼上主那能牧放他們，有如在廣闊的草場牧放羔羊﹖
17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.
厄弗辣因與偶像結了不解之緣：任憑他們吧!
18 When their carouse is over, they take to harlotry; her rulers deeply love dishonour.
他們與醉客為伍，任意荒淫，喜愛羞恥勝於上主的光榮。
19 The wind hath bound her up in her skirts; and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
暴風要伸展羽翼將他們捲去，他們必因自己的祭壇蒙受恥辱。
