Hosea 4

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 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.	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 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.	2 False swearing, lying, murder, stealing and adultery! in their lawlessness, bloodshed follows bloodshed.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.	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 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.	4 But let no one protest, let no one complain; with you is my grievance, O priests!
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.	5 You shall stumble in the day, and the prophets shall stumble with you at night; I will destroy your mother.
6 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.	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 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.	7 One and all they sin against me, exchanging their glory for shame.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.	8 They feed on the sin of my people, and are greedy for their guilt.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.	9 The priests shall fare no better than the people: I will punish them for their ways, and repay them for their deeds.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.	10 They shall eat but not be satisfied, they shall play the harlot but not increase, Because they have abandoned the LORD
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.	11 to practice harlotry. Old wine and new deprive my people of understanding.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under 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 sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit 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 will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.	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 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, The LORD liveth.	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 slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.	16 For Israel is as stubborn as a heifer; will the LORD now give them broad pastures as though they were lambs?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.	17 Ephraim is an associate of idols, let him alone!
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.	18 When their carousing is over, they give themselves to harlotry; in their arrogance they love shame.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.	19 The wind has bound them up in its pinions; they shall have only shame from their altars.