Hosea 4
1 Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Israelfo efisɛ Awurade wɔ kwaadu de bɔ mo a mote asase no so: “Nokware, ɔdɔ, anaa Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ nni asase no so.
Hear the Lord’s message, Israelites, for the Lord has brought charges against the inhabitants of the land, for there is no fidelity, nor true love, nor knowledge of God in the land,
2 Nnome nko ara, atorotwa ne awudi, akrɔmmɔ, ne aguamammɔ na moyɛ ma ɛtra so, na mogyahwiegu ba ntoatoaso.
but cursing, lying, and murder, stealing, committing adultery, and deeds of violence, and acts of bloodshed quickly follow each other.
3 Eyi nti asase no di awerɛhow na wɔn a wɔte so nyinaa wuwu; wuram mmoa, wim nnomaa ne po mu nam rewuwu.
Therefore the land mourns, all its inhabitants languish, the wild animals and the birds of the skies, even the fish of the sea are dying.
4 “Mma obiara mmɔ kwaadu, mma obiara mmɔ ɔfoforo sobo. Na mmom, mo asɔfo mo na me ne mo anya.
Yet let no one bring charges, let none accuse, for your people are like those, who bring charges against a priest.
5 Muhintiw awia ne anadwo, na adiyifo no ne mo hintiw. Ɛno nti mɛsɛe mo man.
You stumble by day, and the prophet stumbles with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.
6 Nimdeɛ a me nkurɔfo nni nti wɔresɛe. “Sɛ moapo nimdeɛ nti, me nso mapo mo sɛ mʼasɔfo; sɛ moabu mo ani agu mo Nyankopɔn mmara so nti, me nso mabu mʼani agu mo mma so.
My people are being destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge I reject you from being priest to me. Since you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 Asɔfo no redɔɔso no na bɔne a ɛboro so na wɔyɛ tia me. Wɔde wɔn Anuonyam asesa nea ɛyɛ animguase.
The more priests there are, the more they sin against me. I will change their dignity to dishonour.
8 Wodidi me nkurɔfo bɔne ho ɛno nti wɔn ani gye atirimɔdensɛm ho.
They feed on the sin offerings of my people, so they hunger after their guilt.
9 Sɛnea nnipa no te no, saa ara na asɔfo no nso te. Mɛtwe wɔn nyinaa aso wɔ wɔn akwan ho na matua wɔn wɔn nneyɛe so ka.
Thus it comes to be, like people, like priest: I will visit upon each punishment for their ways, and their deeds I will repay them.
10 “Wobedidi, nanso wɔremmee. Wɔbɛbɔ aguaman, nanso wɔn ase remfɛe, efisɛ, wɔagyaw Awurade hɔ, de wɔn ho ama
They will eat and not be satisfied, they will sleep around but stay childless, because they have abandoned the Lord to give themselves to
11 aguamammɔ, nsa dedaw ne foforo, a ɛma me nkurɔfo
prostitution. Old and new wine take away the understanding.
12 ntease tu yera. Wɔkɔ abisa wɔ ahoni a wɔde nnua asen nkyɛn na duasin bi ama wɔn mmuae. Aguamammɔ honhom rema wɔn ayera kwan; wonni wɔn Nyankopɔn nokware.
My own people ask counsel of a piece of wood! A stick gives them advice! For a spirit of prostitution has led them astray, they commit adultery against their God.
13 Wɔbɔ afɔre wɔ mmepɔw atifi na wɔhyew afɔrebɔde wɔ nkoko so: odum, duafufu ne odupɔn ase, nea onwini yɛ fɔmm hɔ. Ɛno nti, wo mmabea dan aguamammɔfo na mo nsemmea nso yɛ nguamanfo.
On the heights of the mountains they sacrifice, and on the hills they burn incense under oaks and poplars and terebinths, for their shade is so pleasant. Therefore your daughters become cult prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
14 “Merentwe mo mmabea aso sɛ wɔadan aguamammɔfo, anaa mo nsemmea aso sɛ wɔasɛe aware. Efisɛ mo mmarima, mo nso mote saa ara. Mo ne mmabea ne nsɔreso nguamanfo fa ayɔnko. Nnipa a wonni ntease no bɛkɔ ɔsɛe mu!
I will not punish your daughters for committing prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law for adultery. Your men visit prostitutes, sacrifice with cult prostitutes. So a people without understanding come to ruin!
15 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ woyɛ ɔwaresɛefo de, Israel, nanso, mma Yuda nni ho fɔ. “Nkɔ Gilgal; na mforo nkɔ Bet-Awen. Na nka ntam se, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi!’
Though you commit adultery, Israel, let not Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, nor swear an oath, ‘As the Lord lives.’
16 Israelfo yɛ asoɔdenfo te sɛ nantwi ba a ɔyɛ asowui ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Awurade ahwɛ wɔn so sɛ nguantenmma a wɔwɔ adidibea?
Like a wilful heifer, Israel is stubborn. Can the Lord now feed them as he would a lamb in a broad pasture?
17 Efraim de ne ho abɔ ahoni ho; Gyaa no!
Ephraim is wedded to idols. Leave them alone!
18 Sɛ wɔn nsa sa koraa a, wɔtoa wɔn aguamammɔ so; wɔn sodifo ani gye aniwude ho yiye.
When their drinking is over they sleep with the cult prostitutes, their rulers love shameful ways.
19 Mfɛtɛ bɛpra wɔn akɔ, na wɔn afɔrebɔ de animguase bɛbrɛ wɔn.
A windstorm will wrap them in its wings and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.
