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.

Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Israelfo efisɛ Awurade wɔ kwaadu de bɔ mo a mote asase no so: “Nokware, ɔdɔ, anaa Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ nni asase no so.

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

Nnome nko ara, atorotwa ne awudi, akrɔmmɔ, ne aguamammɔ na moyɛ ma ɛtra so, na mogyahwiegu ba ntoatoaso.

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.

Eyi nti asase no di awerɛhow na wɔn a wɔte so nyinaa wuwu; wuram mmoa, wim nnomaa ne po mu nam rewuwu.

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.

“Mma obiara mmɔ kwaadu, mma obiara mmɔ ɔfoforo sobo. Na mmom, mo asɔfo mo na me ne mo anya.

5 You priests will stumble during the day; the prophets will also stumble with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

Muhintiw awia ne anadwo, na adiyifo no ne mo hintiw. Ɛno nti mɛsɛe mo man.

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.

Nimdeɛ a me nkurɔfo nni nti wɔresɛe. “Sɛ moapo nimdeɛ nti, me nso mapo mo sɛ mʼasɔfo; sɛ moabu mo ani agu mo Nyankopɔn mmara so nti, me nso mabu mʼani agu mo mma so.

7 The more the priests multiplied, the more they sinned against me. They exchanged their honor for shame.

Asɔfo no redɔɔso no na bɔne a ɛboro so na wɔyɛ tia me. Wɔde wɔn Anuonyam asesa nea ɛyɛ animguase.

8 They feed on the sin of my people; they are greedy for more of their wickedness.

Wodidi me nkurɔfo bɔne ho ɛno nti wɔn ani gye atirimɔdensɛm ho.

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.

Sɛnea nnipa no te no, saa ara na asɔfo no nso te. Mɛtwe wɔn nyinaa aso wɔ wɔn akwan ho na matua wɔn wɔn nneyɛe so ka.

10 They will eat but not have enough; they will commit prostitution but not increase, because they have gone far away from Yahweh.

“Wobedidi, nanso wɔremmee. Wɔbɛbɔ aguaman, nanso wɔn ase remfɛe, efisɛ, wɔagyaw Awurade hɔ, de wɔn ho ama

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

aguamammɔ, nsa dedaw ne foforo, a ɛma me nkurɔfo

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.

ntease tu yera. Wɔkɔ abisa wɔ ahoni a wɔde nnua asen nkyɛn na duasin bi ama wɔn mmuae. Aguamammɔ honhom rema wɔn ayera kwan; wonni wɔn Nyankopɔn nokware.

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.

Wɔbɔ afɔre wɔ mmepɔw atifi na wɔhyew afɔrebɔde wɔ nkoko so: odum, duafufu ne odupɔn ase, nea onwini yɛ fɔmm hɔ. Ɛno nti, wo mmabea dan aguamammɔfo na mo nsemmea nso yɛ nguamanfo.

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.

“Merentwe mo mmabea aso sɛ wɔadan aguamammɔfo, anaa mo nsemmea aso sɛ wɔasɛe aware. Efisɛ mo mmarima, mo nso mote saa ara. Mo ne mmabea ne nsɔreso nguamanfo fa ayɔnko. Nnipa a wonni ntease no bɛkɔ ɔsɛe mu!

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.”

“Ɛwɔ mu sɛ woyɛ ɔwaresɛefo de, Israel, nanso, mma Yuda nni ho fɔ. “Nkɔ Gilgal; na mforo nkɔ Bet-Awen. Na nka ntam se, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi!’

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

Israelfo yɛ asoɔdenfo te sɛ nantwi ba a ɔyɛ asowui ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Awurade ahwɛ wɔn so sɛ nguantenmma a wɔwɔ adidibea?

17 Ephraim united himself with idols; leave him alone.

Efraim de ne ho abɔ ahoni ho; Gyaa no!

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

Sɛ wɔn nsa sa koraa a, wɔtoa wɔn aguamammɔ so; wɔn sodifo ani gye aniwude ho yiye.

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

Mfɛtɛ bɛpra wɔn akɔ, na wɔn afɔrebɔ de animguase bɛbrɛ wɔn.