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 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.

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 nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

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 shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

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

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

And thou shalt stumble in the day, 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, 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 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.

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.

And it shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and will reward them their doings.

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].

And 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.

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

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the 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 ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under 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 upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters commit whoredom, 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 commit whoredom, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for they themselves go apart with whores, and they sacrifice with the harlots: and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

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 thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As the LORD liveth.

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 hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will the LORD feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Ephraim is bound to idols: let him alone.

Ephraim is joined to idols; let 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 is become sour: they commit whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

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

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