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.

Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God, in the land.

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

Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.

3 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.

Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.

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

So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.

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

And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.

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 have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons.

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

According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.

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

They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity.

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

And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.

10 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.

And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.

11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.

12 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.

My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before their God.

13 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.

They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.

14 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.

I will not send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.

15 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.

If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord lives.”

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

For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.

18 Their drink is become sour: they commit whoredom continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.

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

The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.