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 Yahweh, you people of Israel. Yahweh has a lawsuit against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truthfulness or covenantal faithfulness, no 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 cursing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery. The people have broken all bounds, and bloodshed comes after bloodshed.

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.

So the land is drying up, and everyone living in it is wasting away; the beasts in the fields and the birds in the sky, even the fish in the sea, are being taken away.

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

But do not allow anyone to bring a lawsuit; do not let anyone accuse anyone else. For it is you, the priests, whom I am accusing.

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.

You priests will stumble during the day; the prophets will also stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your 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 being destroyed because of the lack of knowledge. Because you priests have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as priests to me. Because you have forgotten my law, although I am your God, I also will forget your children.

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

The more the priests multiplied, the more they sinned against me. They exchanged their honor for shame.

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

They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for more of their wickedness.

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

It will be the same for the people as for the priests: I will punish them all for their practices; I will repay them for their deeds.

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.

They will eat but not have enough; they will commit prostitution but not increase, because they have gone far away from Yahweh.

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

They love sexual promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which have taken away their understanding.

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 consult their wooden idols, and their walking sticks give them prophecies. For a mind of promiscuity has misled them, and they have acted as prostitutes instead of being faithful 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.

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars and terebinths, because the shade is good. So your daughters commit sexual immorality, and your daughters-in-law 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 will not punish your daughters when they choose to commit sexual immorality, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men also give themselves to the prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices so they can commit immoral acts with sacred prostitutes. So this people who does not understand will be thrown down.

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 you, Israel, have committed adultery, may Judah not become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, you people; do not go up to Beth Aven, and do not swear, saying, “As Yahweh lives.”

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

For Israel has behaved stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. How can Yahweh bring them to pasture like lambs in a meadow?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim united himself with idols; leave him alone.

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

Even when their strong drink is gone, they continue to commit adultery; her rulers dearly love their shame.

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

The wind will wrap her up in its wings; and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.