Hosea 4

1Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

1Listen to the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a legal case against the inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness, no kindness, and no knowledge of God in the country.

2There is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

2There is nothing but swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They break all boundaries, and one murder follows another.

3Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

3Because of this, the land mourns, and everyone living in it wastes away. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish of the sea are disappearing.

4Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

4But let no one bring charges or point fingers at another, for my case is against you priests.

5And thou shalt stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.

5You will stumble in broad daylight, and the prophets will stumble with you at night. I will also destroy your mother nation.

6My 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 also will forget thy children.

6My people are destroyed because they don't know me. Since you priests have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from being my priests. Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your children.

7As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

7The more the priests increased in number, the more they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.

8They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

8They feed on the sins of my people and are greedy for the people's wickedness.

9And it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.

9The same thing will happen to the priests that happens to the people: I will punish them for their conduct and pay them back for what they have done.

10And they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

10They will eat but not be satisfied; they will practice prostitution but have no children, because they have stopped obeying the LORD.

11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

11Prostitution, old wine, and new wine take away my people’s ability to think straight.

12My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

12My people ask for advice from pieces of wood, and a walking stick gives them answers. A spirit of prostitution has led them astray; they have been unfaithful to their God.

13They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.

13They offer sacrifices on the mountain tops and burn incense on the hills under oaks, poplars, and terebinth trees because the shade is pleasant. That is why your daughters become prostitutes and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

14I will not punish your daughters for their prostitution or your daughters-in-law for their adultery, because the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes. A people without understanding will come to ruin.

15Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Jehovah liveth.

15Even though you, Israel, act like a prostitute, don't let Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal or up to Beth-aven. Do not take oaths saying, 'As surely as the LORD lives.'

16For Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

16The Israelites are as stubborn as a stubborn heifer. How then can the LORD feed them like lambs in an open pasture?

17Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

17Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18Their drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

18When their heavy drinking is over, they go right back to their prostitution. Their leaders dearly love their shameful ways.

19The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.

19A whirlwind will sweep them away, and they will be ashamed of their pagan sacrifices.