Hosea 4

1 Hear the word of the LORD, 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.

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

There is cursing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery. The people have broken all bounds, and bloodshed comes after bloodshed.

3 Therefore the land mourns, and all those who dwell in it will waste away, along with the animals of the field and the crawling creatures of the earth and the birds of the sky, and even the fish of the sea will be 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 bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; For your people are like those who bring charges against a 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 You will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your 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 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.

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 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. They have exchanged 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 It will be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.

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 They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned giving 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 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

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

12 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.

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

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 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.'

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

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

17 Ephraim, joined to idols, has placed stumbling blocks against himself.

Ephraim united himself with idols; leave him alone.

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

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

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

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