Hosea 4

1 Hear the word of YHWH, O sons of Israel, for a case [is] unto YHWH against those dwelling in the land: “For there is no truth, and there is no loving devotion, and there is no knowledge of God in the land.

2 Cursing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break all restraint, and bloodshed touches upon bloodshed.

3 Upon thus mourns the land, and languish all dwelling in it; with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens, and even the fish of the sea, they are gathered up.

4 Only let no man contend and no man rebuke, for your people [are] like those who contend with a priest.

5 And you will stumble by day, and will stumble also the prophet with you by night, and I will destroy your mother.

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge, and I will reject you from being priest unto Me; and you have forgotten the law of your God; I will forget your children also.

7 According to their becoming numerous, so they sinned against Me; their Glory they exchanged for shame.

8 The sin of My people they eat up, and toward their iniquity they lift up their soul.

9 And it will be like people, like priest; and I will visit punishment on them for their ways, and their deeds I will repay to them.

10 For they will eat, and they will not be satisfied; they will prostitute themselves and not increase, because they have abandoned to give heed to YHWH.

11 Prostitution and wine and new wine take the heart.

12 My people consult with a piece of wood, and their staff declares [it] to them; for the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have prostituted themselves from under their God.

13 On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, and on the hills they burn incense, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because its shade [is] good. In this [way] your⁺ daughters prostitute themselves, and your⁺ brides commit adultery.

14 I will not visit punishment on your⁺ daughters when they prostitute themselves, or on your⁺ brides when they commit adultery; for they themselves go off with the prostitutes, and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes, and a people without understanding will be thrown down.

15 Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, do not let Judah become guilty; and do not come to Gilgal, and do not go up [to] Beth-Aven, and do not swear an oath, ‘As YHWH lives.’

16 For being stubborn like a heifer, Israel is stubborn; now will YHWH let them graze like a lamb in a broad pasture?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!

18 Has turned aside their liquor, they engage in flagrant prostitution; her rulers dearly love love dishonor.

19 The wind has constrained her in its wings, and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.