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.

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.

2 Swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery! they break all bounds, and blood toucheth blood.

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

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.

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.

4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

7 The more they were increased, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.

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

8 They feed on the sin of My people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

They eate vp the sinnes of my people, and lift vp their mindes in their iniquitie.

9 And it is like people, like priest; and I will punish him for his ways, and will recompense him his doings.

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

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.

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.

11 Harlotry, wine, and new wine take away the heart.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.'

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.

16 For Israel is stubborn like a stubborn heifer; now shall the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place?

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

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim is ioyned to idoles: let him alone.

18 When their carouse is over, they take to harlotry; her rulers deeply love dishonour.

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

19 The wind hath bound her up in her skirts; and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

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