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.

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 kindness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

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

There is false swearing, and lying, and murdering, and stealing, and committing adultery: they break the bounds, and blood toucheth on 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 mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven; yea, also the fishes of the sea shall perish.

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

Yet let no man strive, let no man reprove another: and thy people are contentious equally with 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 stumble in the daytime, and the prophet also shall stumble 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 lack of knowledge; because thou hast rejected knowledge, so will I also reject thee, that thou shalt not be a priest to me; and as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, so will I myself also forget thy children.

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

The more they increased, the more did they sin against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

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

The sin-offering of my people do they eat, and for their iniquity doth the soul of each one of them long.

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

Therefore shall the same befall both people and priest: and I will punish every one of them for his ways, and recompense every one for his doings.

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.

And they will eat, and shall not be satisfied; they will commit lewdness, and they shall not increase; because the Lord have they forsaken [not] keeping [his law].

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

Lewdness and wine and new wine take away the 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 ask counsel of their stick of wood, and their staff shall tell them [the future]: for the spirit of lewdness hath caused them to err, and they are gone astray unfaithful to 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.

Upon the tops of the mountains do they sacrifice, and upon the hills burn they incense, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because their shadow is good: therefore will your daughters play the harlot, and your daughter-in-law will commit adultery.

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 cannot inflict punishment on your daughters when they play the harlot, nor on your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; for they themselves associate with lewd women, and with harlots do they sacrifice: and so doth the people that doth not understand stumble.

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.'

Yet though thou play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah offend: and come not ye unto Gilgal, nor go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As the Lord liveth.

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

For like an untamable cow is Israel disobedient: now would the Lord have fed them as a sheep in a wide pasture.

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim is bound to idols: let him alone.

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

Their drinking bout will come to an end: while they are so often guilty of lewdness, their rulers love, prepare themselves but shame.

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

The wind seizeth fast on them with its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.