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 word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there is] no truth, nor mercy, 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.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

3 Eyi nti asase no di awerɛhow na wɔn a wɔte so nyinaa wuwu; wuram mmoa, wim nnomaa ne po mu nam rewuwu.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

4 “Mma obiara mmɔ kwaadu, mma obiara mmɔ ɔfoforo sobo. Na mmom, mo asɔfo mo na me ne mo anya.

Yet let no man contend, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that contend with the priest.

5 Muhintiw awia ne anadwo, na adiyifo no ne mo hintiw. Ɛno nti mɛsɛe mo man.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy 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 destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

7 Asɔfo no redɔɔso no na bɔne a ɛboro so na wɔyɛ tia me. Wɔde wɔn Anuonyam asesa nea ɛyɛ animguase.

As they were increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.

8 Wodidi me nkurɔfo bɔne ho ɛno nti wɔn ani gye atirimɔdensɛm ho.

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

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.

And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

10 “Wobedidi, nanso wɔremmee. Wɔbɛbɔ aguaman, nanso wɔn ase remfɛe, efisɛ, wɔagyaw Awurade hɔ, de wɔn ho ama

For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall be guilty of lewdness, and shall not increase: because they have ceased to take heed to the LORD.

11 aguamammɔ, nsa dedaw ne foforo, a ɛma me nkurɔfo

Lewdness and wine and new wine take away the heart.

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 people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth to them: for the spirit of lewdness hath caused [them] to err, and they have gone astray from under 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.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shade of them is agreeable: therefore your daughters shall be guilty of lewdness, and your spouses shall 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 when they are guilty of lewdness, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for they themselves are separated with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people [that] doth not understand shall fall.

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 thou, Israel, playest the harlot, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

16 Israelfo yɛ asoɔdenfo te sɛ nantwi ba a ɔyɛ asowui ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Awurade ahwɛ wɔn so sɛ nguantenmma a wɔwɔ adidibea?

For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Efraim de ne ho abɔ ahoni ho; Gyaa no!

Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.

18 Sɛ wɔn nsa sa koraa a, wɔtoa wɔn aguamammɔ so; wɔn sodifo ani gye aniwude ho yiye.

Their drink is sour: they have been guilty of lewd deeds continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.

19 Mfɛtɛ bɛpra wɔn akɔ, na wɔn afɔrebɔ de animguase bɛbrɛ wɔn.

The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.