Hosea 4

1 Hear the LORD’s word, 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 Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

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

Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, — they break out; and blood toucheth blood.

3 Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells in it will waste away, with all living things in her, even the animals of the field and the birds of the sky; yes, the fish of the sea also die.

For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be 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.

Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

5 You will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.

And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy 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 destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will 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.

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

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

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

They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity.

9 It will be like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.

And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;

10 They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned listening to the LORD.

and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

11 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.

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 ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:

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

they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot 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 play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.

15 “Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet don’t let Judah offend; and don’t come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As the LORD lives.’

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!

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 is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide [pasture].

17 Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone!

— Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.

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

Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.

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

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