Hosea 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Israelites, hear what Yahweh says, for Yahweh indicts the citizens of the country: there is no loyalty, nofaithful love, no knowledge of God in the country,	1 Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel, for the LORD has a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: There is no fidelity, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land.
2 only perjury and lying, murder, theft, adultery and violence, bloodshed after bloodshed.	2 False swearing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery! in their lawlessness, bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 This is why the country is in mourning and al its citizens pining away, the wild animals also and birds ofthe sky, even the fish in the sea wil disappear.	3 Therefore the land mourns, and everything that dwells in it languishes: The beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and even the fish of the sea perish.
4 But let no one denounce, no one rebuke; it is you, priest, that I denounce.	4 But let no one protest, let no one complain; with you is my grievance, O priests!
5 Priest, you wil stumble in broad daylight, and the prophet will stumble with you in the dark, and I wilmake your mother perish.	5 You shall stumble in the day, and the prophets shall stumble with you at night; I will destroy your mother.
6 My people perish for want of knowledge. Since you yourself have rejected knowledge, so I shall rejectyou from my priesthood; since you have forgotten the teaching of your God, I in my turn shal forget yourchildren.	6 My people perish for want of knowledge! Since you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from my priesthood; Since you have ignored the law of your God, I will also ignore your sons.
7 The more of them there have been, the more they have sinned against me; they have bartered theirGlory for Shame.	7 One and all they sin against me, exchanging their glory for shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people, they are greedy for their iniquity.	8 They feed on the sin of my people, and are greedy for their guilt.
9 But as with the people, so with the priest, I shal punish them for their conduct, I shal pay them back fortheir deeds.	9 The priests shall fare no better than the people: I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.
10 They will eat but never be satisfied, they wil play the whore but not grow more prolific, since they havedeserted Yahweh to give themselves up	10 They shall eat but not be satisfied, they shall play the harlot but not increase, Because they have abandoned the LORD
11 to whoring. Old wine and new wine addle my people's wits,	11 to practice harlotry. Old wine and new deprive my people of understanding.
12 they consult their block of wood, and their stick explains what they should do. For an urge to gowhoring has led them astray and whoring they go and desert their God;	12 They consult their piece of wood, and their wand makes pronouncements for them, For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray; they commit harlotry, forsaking their God.
13 they offer sacrifice on the mountain tops, they burn incense on the hil s, under oak and poplar andterebinth, for pleasant is their shade. So, although your daughters play the whore and your daughters-in-lawcommit adultery,	13 On the mountaintops they offer sacrifice and on the hills they burn incense, Beneath oak and poplar and terebinth, because of their pleasant shade. That is why your daughters play the harlot, and your daughters-in-law are adulteresses.
14 I shal not punish your daughters for playing the whore nor your daughters-in-law for committingadultery, when the men themselves are wandering off with whores and offering sacrifice with sacred prostitutes,for a people with no understanding is doomed.	14 Am I then to punish your daughters for their harlotry, your daughters-in-law for their adultery? You yourselves consort with harlots, and with prostitutes you offer sacrifice! So must a people without understanding come to ruin.
15 Though you, Israel, play the whore, there is no need for Judah to sin too. Do not go to Gilgal, do notgo up to Beth-Aven, do not swear oaths 'by Yahweh's life',	15 Though you play the harlot, O Israel, let not Judah become guilty! Come not to Gilgal, nor up to Beth-aven, to swear, "As the Lord lives!"
16 for Israel is as stubborn as a stubborn heifer; so is Yahweh likely to pasture him like a lamb in a broadmeadow?	16 For Israel is as stubborn as a heifer; will the LORD now give them broad pastures as though they were lambs?
17 Ephraim has made a pact with idols- let him alone!	17 Ephraim is an associate of idols, let him alone!
18 Their drunken orgy over, they do nothing but play the whore, preferring Shame to their Pride;	18 When their carousing is over, they give themselves to harlotry; in their arrogance they love shame.
19 the wind with its wings wil carry them off and their sacrifices wil bring them nothing but disgrace.	19 The wind has bound them up in its pinions; they shall have only shame from their altars.