Hosea 4

New American Standard Bible 1995

⁴ Yet let no one ^[e](L)find fault, and let none offer reproof;
For your people are like those who ^(M)contend with the priest.
⁵ So you will ^(N)stumble by day,
And the prophet also will stumble with you by night;
And I will destroy your ^(O)mother.
^6 (P)My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have ^(Q)rejected knowledge,
I also will ^(R)reject you from being My priest.
Since you have ^(S)forgotten the ^(T)law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

⁷ The more they ^(U)multiplied, the more they sinned against Me;
I will ^(V)change their glory into shame.
⁸ They ^(W)feed on the ^[f]sin of My people
And ^(X)direct their desire toward their iniquity.
⁹ And it will be, like people, ^(Y)like priest;
So I will ^(Z)punish them for their ways
And repay them for their deeds.
^10 (AA)They will eat, but not have enough;
They will ^(AB)play the harlot, but not increase,
Because they have ^[g](AC)stopped giving heed to the Lord.

¹¹ Harlotry, ^(AD)wine and new wine take away the ^[h]understanding.
¹² My people ^(AE)consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;
For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,
And they have played the harlot, departing ^[i]from their God.
¹³ They offer sacrifices on the ^(AF)tops of the mountains
And ^[j](AG)burn incense on the hills,
^(AH)Under oak, poplar and terebinth,
Because their shade is pleasant.
Therefore your daughters play the harlot
And your ^[k]brides commit adultery.
¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot
Or your ^[l]brides when they commit adultery,
For the men themselves go apart with harlots
And offer sacrifices with ^(AI)temple prostitutes;
So the people without understanding are ^[m]ruined.

¹⁵ Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Do not let Judah become guilty;
Also do not go to ^(AJ)Gilgal,
Or go up to Beth-aven
^(AK)And take the oath:
“As the Lord lives!”
¹⁶ Since Israel is ^(AL)stubborn
Like a stubborn heifer,
^[n]Can the Lord now ^(AM)pasture them
Like a lamb in a large field?
¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to ^(AN)idols;
^(AO)Let him alone.
¹⁸ Their liquor gone,
They play the harlot continually;
^(AP)Their ^[o]rulers dearly love shame.
^19 (AQ)The wind wraps them in its wings,
And they will be ashamed because of their sacrifices.