Hosea 4
1 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.
[後編：以色列的罪惡和懲罰]四：以色列子民，請聽上主的話! 因為上主譴責此地的居民：因為此地沒有誠實，沒有仁愛，沒有人認識天主；
2 There is cursing, lying, killing, stealing and adultery. The people have broken all bounds, and bloodshed comes after bloodshed.
只有詛咒、謊言、殺戳、偷竊、姦淫、強暴和纍纍的血案。
3 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.
因此，此地必要荒廢；凡住在這地上的，甚至田間的野獸和天空的飛鳥都要絕跡，連海中的魚類也要消滅。
4 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.
但是沒有人爭辯，也沒有人譴責! 司祭啊，我要與你爭辯!
5 You priests will stumble during the day; the prophets will also stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.
你白天黑夜跌倒，先知也同你一齊跌倒，你竟然使你的人民喪亡。
6 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.
我的百姓因缺乏知識而滅亡；因為你拋棄了知識，我也要拋棄你，不讓你充當我的司祭；你既然忘卻了你的天主的法律，我也要忘記你的子孫。
7 The more the priests multiplied, the more they sinned against me. They exchanged their honor for shame.
司祭越增多，也越得罪我，竟以羞辱作為他們的光榮。
8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for more of their wickedness.
他們賴我百姓的罪惡自肥，一心渴望他們的過犯。
9 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.
由此百姓和司祭，一律看待：我將按他的行徑懲治他，對他的行為予以報復，
10 They will eat but not have enough; they will commit prostitution but not increase, because they have gone far away from Yahweh.
好使他們吃，卻吃不飽，行淫而不能繁殖；因為他們捨棄了上主，縱慾，
11 They love sexual promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which have taken away their understanding.
行淫：老酒新酒叫人失去良知。
12 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.
我的人民求教於木偶，讓木杖啟示他；因為淫心迷往了他們，使他們行淫，遠開了他們的天主。
13 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.
在山頂上獻祭，在丘陵上、在橡樹、楊樹和篤耨香下焚香，在濃蔭下多麼愉快；因此你們的女兒行淫，你的兒媳犯姦。
14 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.
但我卻不因你們的女兒行了淫，而懲罰她們，也不因你們的兒息媳犯了姦，而處罰她們；因為她們同蕩婦走往偏僻之處，又同廟妓一同獻祭：但無知的百姓卻因此而墮落!
15 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.”
以色列，如果你行了淫，但願猶大不要陷於罪惡! 你們不要到基耳加耳去，不要上貝特阿文，也不要起誓願 2上主永在! 」
16 For Israel has behaved stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. How can Yahweh bring them to pasture like lambs in a meadow?
的確，以色列倔強，有如一頭倔強的母牛，那麼上主那能牧放他們，有如在廣闊的草場牧放羔羊﹖
17 Ephraim united himself with idols; leave him alone.
厄弗辣因與偶像結了不解之緣：任憑他們吧!
18 Even when their strong drink is gone, they continue to commit adultery; her rulers dearly love their shame.
他們與醉客為伍，任意荒淫，喜愛羞恥勝於上主的光榮。
19 The wind will wrap her up in its wings; and they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
暴風要伸展羽翼將他們捲去，他們必因自己的祭壇蒙受恥辱。
