< Hosea 4 >
1 'Hear a word of Jehovah, sons of Israel, For a strife [is] to Jehovah with inhabitants of the land, For there is no truth, nor kindness, Nor knowledge of God, in the land,
“Hear a word of YHWH, sons of Israel, For a strife [is] to YHWH with inhabitants of the land, For there is no truth, nor kindness, Nor knowledge of God in the land;
2 Swearing, and lying, and murdering, And stealing, and committing adultery — have increased, And blood against blood hath touched.
Swearing, and lying, and murdering, And stealing, and committing adultery—have increased, And blood has touched against blood.
3 Therefore mourn doth the land, And weak is every dweller in it, With the beast of the field, And with the fowl of the heavens, And the fishes of the sea — they are removed.
Therefore the land mourns, And every dweller is weak in it, With the beast of the field, And with the bird of the heavens, And the fishes of the sea—they are removed.
4 Only, let no one strive, nor reprove a man, And thy people [are] as those striving with a priest.
Only, let no one strive, nor reprove a man, And your people [are] as those striving with a priest.
5 And thou hast stumbled in the day, And stumbled hath also a prophet with thee in the night, And I have cut off thy mother.
And you have stumbled in the day, And a prophet has also stumbled with you in the night, And I have cut off your mother.
6 Cut off have been My people for lack of knowledge, Because thou knowledge hast rejected, I reject thee from being priest to Me, And thou forgettest the law of thy God, I forget thy sons, I also!
My people have been cut off for lack of knowledge, Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest to Me, And you forget the Law of your God—I forget your sons, I also!
7 According to their abundance so they sinned against Me, Their honour into shame I change.
According to their abundance so they sinned against Me, I change their glory into shame.
8 The sin of My people they do eat, And unto their iniquity lift up their soul.
The sin of My people they eat, And to their iniquity lift up their soul.
9 And it hath been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.
And it has been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.
10 And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone a-whoring, and increase not, For they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone whoring, and do not increase, For they have left off taking heed to YHWH.
11 Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take the heart,
Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take the heart,
12 My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.
My people at its staff asks and its rod declares to it, For a spirit of whoredoms has caused to err, And they go whoring from under their God.
13 On tops of the mountains they do sacrifice, And on the hills they make perfume, Under oak, and poplar, and terebinth, For good [is] its shade.
On tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they make incense, Under oak, and poplar, and terebinth, For good [is] its shade.
14 Therefore commit whoredom do your daughters, And your spouses commit adultery, I do not see after your daughters when they commit whoredom, And after your spouses when they commit adultery, For they with the harlots are separated, And with the whores they do sacrifice, A people that doth not understand kicketh.
Therefore your daughters commit whoredom, And your spouses commit adultery, I do not see after your daughters when they commit whoredom, And after your spouses when they commit adultery, For they with the harlots are separated, And with the whores they sacrifice, A people that does not understand kicks.
15 Though a harlot thou [art], O Israel, Let not Judah become guilty, And come not ye in to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear ye, Jehovah liveth.
Though you [are] a harlot, O Israel, Do not let Judah become guilty, And do not come to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear, YHWH lives.
16 For as a refractory heifer hath Israel turned aside, Now doth Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.
For Israel has turned aside as a stubborn heifer, Now YHWH feeds them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Joined to idols [is] Ephraim, let him alone.
Ephraim is joined to idols, leave him alone.
18 Sour [is] their drink, They have gone diligently a-whoring, Her protectors have loved shame thoroughly.
Sour [is] their drink, They have gone whoring diligently, Her protectors have thoroughly loved shame.
19 Distressed her hath wind with its wings, And they are ashamed of their sacrifices!
Wind has distressed her with its wings, And they are ashamed of their sacrifices!”