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.

Hear the Lord’s message, Israelites, for the Lord has brought charges against the inhabitants of the land, for there is no fidelity, nor true love, nor 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.

but cursing, lying, and murder, stealing, committing adultery, and deeds of violence, and acts of bloodshed quickly follow each other.

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.

Therefore the land mourns, all its inhabitants languish, the wild animals and the birds of the skies, even the fish of the sea are dying.

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

Yet let no one bring charges, let none accuse, for your people are like those, who bring charges against a priest.

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.

You stumble by day, and the prophet stumbles with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

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 are being destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I reject you from being priest to me. Since you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I also will forget your children.

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

The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will change their dignity to dishonour.

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

They feed on the sin offerings of my people, so they hunger after their guilt.

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

Thus it comes to be, like people, like priest: I will visit upon each punishment for their ways, and their deeds I will repay them.

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.

They will eat and not be satisfied, they will sleep around but stay childless, because they have abandoned the Lord to give themselves to

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

prostitution. Old and new wine take away the understanding.

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 own people ask counsel of a piece of wood! A stick gives them advice! For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray, they commit adultery against 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.

On the heights of the mountains they sacrifice, and on the hills they burn incense under oaks and poplars and terebinths, for their shade is so pleasant. Therefore your daughters become cult prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

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 punish your daughters for committing prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law for adultery. Your men visit prostitutes, sacrifice with cult prostitutes. So a people without understanding come to ruin!

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.

Though you commit adultery, Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, nor swear an oath, ‘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.

Like a wilful heifer, Israel is stubborn. Can the Lord now feed them as he would a lamb in a broad pasture?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim is wedded to idols. Leave them alone!

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

When their drinking is over they sleep with the cult prostitutes, their rulers love shameful ways.

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

A windstorm will wrap them in its wings and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.