Hosea 4

1 O Israelviwo, mise Yehowa ƒe nyawo. Yehowa saba mi, eye nya siwo wòtsɔ ɖe mia ŋuti la woe nye esiawo: Nuteƒewɔwɔ, lɔlɔ̃ kple sidzedze Mawu megale anyigba blibo la dzi o.

Hear the word of Jehovah, ye sons of Israel, for Jehovah has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

2 Mietaa nu, hedaa alakpa, wua ame, fia fi, eye miewɔa ahasi kpena ɖe eŋu. Ʋunyaʋunya kple amewuwu bɔ ɖe afi sia afi.

There is nothing but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery. They break out, and blood touches blood.

3 Esiawo tae miaƒe anyigba megale nuku wɔm o ɖo, anyigba la dzi yɔ fũu kple nuxaxa, nu gbagbe ɖe sia ɖe le dɔ lém, eye ɖewo le kukum; lãwo, dziƒoxeviwo kple tɔmelãwo gɔ̃ hã le tsɔtsrɔ̃m.

Therefore the land shall mourn, and everyone who dwells in it shall languish with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens. Yea, the fishes of the sea shall also be taken away.

4 “Ame aɖeke megatsɔ nya ɖe nɔvia ŋu alo aka mo nɛ o, elabena wò dukɔ la le abe ame siwo le dzre wɔm kple nunɔlawo ene.

Yet, let no man strive, nor let any man reprove, for thy people are as those who strive with the priest.

5 Eya ta mi kple míaƒe nyagblɔɖilawo miakli nu adze anyi le ŋdɔkutsu kple zã siaa, eye matsrɔ̃ mia dada Israel akpe ɖe mia ŋu.

And thou shall stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night. And I will destroy thy mother.

6 Le simadzemadze ta nye amewo le tsɔtsrɔ̃m, esi mi, nunɔlawo, miedo vlo sidzedze ta la, nye hã megbe be miaganye nye nunɔlawo o, eye esi mieŋlɔ miaƒe Mawu ƒe sewo be ta la, nye hã maŋlɔ mia viwo be.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because thou have rejected knowledge, I also will reject thee, that thou shall be no priest to me. Since thou have forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy sons.

7 Zi ale si nunɔlawo le agbɔ sɔm ɖe edzi la, zi nenema kee wole nu vɔ̃ wɔm ɖe ŋutinye, eya ta matrɔ woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe wòazu ŋukpe na wo.

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

8 Nunɔlawo hã kpɔa dzidzɔ le ameawo ƒe nu vɔ̃ ŋu, eye woɖunɛ abe nuɖuɖu ene,

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

9 eya ta ale wòle: Nunɔlawo kple ameawo katã sɔ, elabena nunɔlaawo vɔ̃ɖi, eye ameawo hã vɔ̃ɖi. Esia ta, mahe to na nunɔlaawo kple ameawo siaa le woƒe nu vɔ̃ɖiwo ta.

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

10 “Woaɖu nu, ke womaɖi ƒo o. Woawɔ gbolo, gake womadzi ɖe edzi o, elabena wogbe nu le Yehowa gbɔ,

And they shall eat, and not have enough. They shall play the harlot, and shall not increase, because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

11 eye wotsɔ wo ɖokuiwo na gbolowɔwɔ, wain, kple aha yeye, eye nu siawo na nye dukɔ zu bometsilawo.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

12 Elabena wole gbe biam ati si nye nu dzodzro la be negblɔ nu si yewoawɔ la na yewo. Atizɔtie wodana ɖi be negblɔ nyateƒe la na yewo. Ale voduwo yometiti vivivo wɔ wo movitɔwoe, elabena wowɔ ahasi, gbe nu le woƒe Mawu gbɔ hedze mawu bubuwo yome.

My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them, for the spirit of whoredom has caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

13 Wosaa vɔ le towo tame, eye wodoa dzudzɔ le togbɛwo dzi, le ati gãwo ƒe vɔvɔli fafɛ te. Afi siae viwò nyɔnuwo wɔa gbolo le, eye wò toyɔvi nyɔnuwo wɔa ahasi le.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow of it is good. Therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.

14 “Nu ka ta nyemahe to na wo ne wole ahasi wɔm o? Elabena ŋutsuwo ŋutɔ hã dɔna kple gbolowo, eye wosaa vɔ kple gbolowo. Ale ame siwo nye bometsilawo la atsrɔ̃.

I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery. For themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes. And the people who do not understand shall be overthrown.

15 “Togbɔ be Israel le gbolo wɔm hã la, esia wɔwɔ nete ɖa xaa tso Yuda gbɔ. “Mègayi Gilgal o, eye mègayi Bet Aven o. Mègaka atam agblɔ be, ‘Meta Yehowa ƒe agbe’ o.

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend, and come not ye to Gilgal, nor go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah lives.

16 Mèganɔ abe Israel ene o, wole abe nyitsu dzeaglã ene ɖe Yehowa ŋu, ɖe Yehowa ate ŋu akplɔ wo yi gbe damawo dzi abe alẽvi enea?

For Israel has behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Now Jehovah will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Mègate ɖe Efraim ŋu kura o, elabena edo ka kple legbawo.

Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.

18 Ne Israel ŋutsuwo no aha tsu vɔ la, ekema woyia gbolowo gbɔ. Woƒe kplɔlawo lɔ̃a ŋukpenanuwo wɔwɔ,

Their drink has become sour. They play the harlot continually. Her rulers dearly love shame.

19 eya ta ya sesẽ aɖe ava ƒo wo adzoe, eye woƒe vɔsawo ahe ŋukpe vɛ na wo.

The wind has wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.