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 YHWH, you children of Israel; for YHWH has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "Indeed 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 cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes 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.

Therefore the land mourns, and all those who dwell in it will waste away, along with the animals of the field and the crawling creatures of the earth and the birds of the sky, and even the fish of the sea will 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 bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; For your people are like those who bring charges against a 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.

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

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. They have exchanged 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.

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

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

They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned giving to YHWH.

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

Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away 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 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.

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 on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and shady terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, 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 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.

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 you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet do not let Judah offend; and do not come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, 'As YHWH 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 extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will YHWH feed them like a lamb in a meadow.

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

Ephraim, joined to idols, has placed stumbling blocks against himself.

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 prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.

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 disappointed because of their sacrifices.