Hosea 4
1 Hear the word of the LORD, all of you children of Israel: for the LORD has 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 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touches blood.
只有詛咒、謊言、殺戳、偷竊、姦淫、強暴和纍纍的血案。
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwells therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be 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, nor reprove another: for your 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 shall you fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with you in the night, and I will destroy your 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 you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your 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 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I 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 eat up the sin of my people, and they 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 there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their 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 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, 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 Whoredom and 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 stocks, and their staff declares unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to go astray, and they have gone a whoring 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 burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall 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 whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that does not understand shall fall.
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 you, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not all of you unto Gilgal, neither go all of you up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives.
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 slides back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will 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 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give all of you.
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 has bound her up in her wings, 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。
