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 kindness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Hear the LORD’s word, you children of Israel, for the LORD has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “Indeed there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2 There is false swearing, and lying, and murdering, and stealing, and committing adultery: they break the bounds, and blood toucheth on blood.

There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.

3 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.

Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells in it will waste away, with all living things in her, even the animals of the field and the birds of the sky; yes, the fish of the sea also die.

4 Yet let no man strive, let no man reprove another: and thy people are contentious equally with the priest.

“Yet let no man bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.

5 Therefore shalt thou stumble in the daytime, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.

You will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.

6 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.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children.

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

As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.

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

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

9 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.

It will be like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.

10 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].

They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned listening to the LORD.

11 Lewdness and wine and new wine take away the heart.

Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

12 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.

My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.

13 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.

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides commit adultery.

14 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.

I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; so the people without understanding will come to ruin.

15 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.

“Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet do not let Judah offend; and do not come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As the LORD lives.’

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

For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will the LORD feed them like a lamb in a meadow?

17 Ephraim is bound to idols: let him alone.

Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone!

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

Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.

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

The wind has wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.