Hosea 4

The LORD brings a charge against Israel: there is no truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." The priests feed on the people's sin, and the spirit of whoredoms has led them astray — they sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn incense under every green tree.

v	King James Version	Modern English
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.	Hear the word of the LORD, You Israelites! The LORD has a charge to bring against You who live in the land: there is no faithfulness, 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.	There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. Violence breaks out, and 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.	Because of this the land dries up, and all who live in it waste away. The beasts of the field, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea are swept away.
4	Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.	But let no one bring a charge; let no one accuse another. Your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.
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.	You stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with You. So 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.	my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. Because You have rejected knowledge, I also reject You as My priests. Because You have ignored the law of Your God, I also will ignore Your children.
7	As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.	The more priests there were, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their glory for something shameful.
8	They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.	They feed on the sins of My people and relish their iniquity.
9	And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.	And it will be: like people, like priests. I will punish both of 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.	They will eat but not have enough; they will commit whoredom but not increase, because they have left off to take heed to the LORD to give themselves
11	Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.	to whoredom. Old wine and new wine take away the heart of My people.
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.	They consult a wooden idol and are answered by a stick of wood. A spirit of whoredoms has caused them to err; they have gone a whoring from under 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.	They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shade is good. Therefore Your daughters shall commit whoredom, and Your spouses shall commit adultery.
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.	I will not punish Your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor Your spouses when they commit adultery, because the men themselves are separated with whores and sacrifice with harlots. A people without understanding will 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.	Even if You, Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal; do not go up to Beth Aven. Do not 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.	Israel has slid back like a backsliding heifer. Now the LORD will feed them like a lamb in a large place.
17	Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.	Ephraim is joined to idols — leave Him alone!
18	Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.	Even when their drinks are gone, they keep on committing adultery. Their rulers dearly love shameful ways.
19	The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.	A whirlwind will sweep them away, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.