ホセア書 4
1 イスラエルの人々よ、主の言葉を聞け。主はこの地に住む者と争われる。この地には真実がなく、愛情がなく、また神を知ることもないからである。
You Israeli people, listen to this message from Yahweh! He is accusing you people who live in this country, [saying] “The people are not faithfully [doing what pleases me], they are not kind [to others], and they do not [even] know me!
2 ただのろいと、偽りと、人殺しと、盗みと、姦淫することのみで、人々は皆荒れ狂い、殺害に殺害が続いている。
Everywhere in this land they curse [others], they murder [others], they steal, and they commit adultery. They act violently toward others and commit one murder after another.
3 それゆえ、この地は嘆き、これに住む者はみな、野の獣も空の鳥も共に衰え、海の魚さえも絶えはてる。
It is because of their doing those things that there is no rain [MTY], the land has become dry, the people are mourning, and the people are dying [from hunger]. Even the wild animals and the birds and the fish in the sea are dying.
4 しかし、だれも争ってはならない、責めてはならない。祭司よ。わたしの争うのは、あなたと争うのだ。
But no one should accuse someone else and say it is his fault. It is you priests whom I am accusing.
5 あなたは昼つまずき、預言者もまたあなたと共に夜つまずく。わたしはあなたの母を滅ぼす。
So I will punish [MTY] you priests, night and day, and I will punish the prophets with you. I am going to destroy [Israel, the nation that is like] [MET] a mother to you.
6 わたしの民は知識がないために滅ぼされる。あなたは知識を捨てたゆえに、わたしもあなたを捨てて、わたしの祭司としない。あなたはあなたの神の律法を忘れたゆえに、わたしもまたあなたの子らを忘れる。
It is because my people do not know [about me] that they will be destroyed. And their not knowing about me is because you priests have refused [to teach them about me]; so I will no longer allow you to be my priests. You have forgotten the things that I taught you, so I will forget [to bless] your children.
7 彼らは大きくなるにしたがって、ますますわたしに罪を犯したゆえ、わたしは彼らの栄えを恥に変える。
As there are more and more priests, they have sinned against me more and more. So I will no longer allow them to be honored; instead, I will cause them to be disgraced.
8 彼らはわが民の罪を食いものにし、その罪を犯すことをせつに願っている。
The priests get food from [the offerings that the] people [bring in order to be forgiven for having sinned], [so] the priests want the people to sin more and more [in order that the people will bring them more and more offerings].
9 それゆえ祭司も民と同じようになる。わたしはそのわざのために彼らを罰し、そのおこないのために彼らに報いる。
The priests [are as sinful] as the [other] people, and I will punish [all of] them for what they have done; I will pay them back for the [evil] things that they have done.
10 彼らは食べても飽くことなく、淫行をなしてもその数を増すことがない。彼らは主を捨てて、淫行を愛したからである。
[The priests] will eat, but they will still be hungry; they will have sex with prostitutes, but they will not have any children, because they have abandoned [me], Yahweh,
11 酒と新しい酒とは思慮を奪う。
and they are devoting themselves to sleeping with prostitutes, and to [drinking] old wine and new wine, which results in their not being able to think clearly.”
12 わが民は木に向かって事を尋ねる。またそのつえは彼らに事を示す。これは淫行の霊が彼らを迷わしたからである。彼らはその神を捨てて淫行をなした。
“[You] my people request wooden idols [to tell you what you should do]! Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,
13 彼らは山々の頂で犠牲をささげ、丘の上、かしの木、柳の木、テレビンの木の下で供え物をささげる。これはその木陰がここちよいためである。それゆえ、あなたがたの娘は淫行をなし、あなたがたの嫁は姦淫を行う。
you have abandoned [me] your God, and you are chasing after [other gods] on the tops of hills and mountains; you burn incense under oak [trees], poplar [trees], and other trees where there is nice/pleasing shade. So your daughters have become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law have committed adultery.
14 わたしはあなたがたの娘が淫行をしても罰しない。またあなたがたの嫁が姦淫を行っても罰しない。男たちみずから遊女と共に離れ去り、宮の遊女と共に犠牲をささげているからである。悟りのない民は滅びる。
But it is not [only] your daughters [whom I will punish] for having become prostitutes, and it is not [only] your daughters-in-law whom I will punish for committing adultery, because the men also are having sex with prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices with the prostitutes [who search for men at the] shrines [of the idols]. [They are all] foolish people, and they will [all] be ruined.
15 イスラエルよ、あなたは淫行をなしても、ユダに罪を犯させてはならない。ギルガルへ行ってはならない。ベテアベンにのぼってはならない。また「主は生きておられる」と言って誓ってはならない。
You Israeli [people] have abandoned me like [MET] those who commit adultery have abandoned their spouses. But do not cause [the people of] Judah to sin [also]. Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth-Aven [towns] [to worship idols there]. Do not make solemn promises [there, saying ‘Just as surely] as Yahweh lives, [I will do what I am promising].’
16 イスラエルは強情な雌牛のように強情である。今、主は小羊を広い野に放つようにして、彼らを養うことができようか。
You [people of Israel] are as stubborn as [SIM] a young cow. So there is no way [RHQ] that [I], Yahweh, will [provide food for them] [like a shepherd provides food for his] lambs [by leading them] to a nice meadow.
17 エフライムは偶像に結びつらなった。そのなすにまかせよ。
The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], [so] allow them [to do what they want to do].
18 彼らは酒宴のとりことなり、淫行にふけっている。彼らはその光栄よりも恥を愛する。
When their rulers finish drinking [their wine], they go to find prostitutes; they love their disgraceful behavior.
19 風はその翼に彼らを包んだ。彼らはその祭壇のゆえに恥を受ける。
But they will disappear [as though] [MET] they were blown away by a whirlwind. They will become [very] ashamed because of their offering sacrifices [to idols].”
