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.

Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no 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.

Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed.

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.

Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together.

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.

So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood.

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 you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent.

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 have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your 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.

According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace.

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

They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards 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, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions.

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

And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded.

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

Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart.

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 have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before 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 have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses.

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 send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated.

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.

If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord 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 gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse.

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

Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away.

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

Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors.

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

The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices.