1 H ear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye sons of Israel; for the LORD contends with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the earth.

2 T here is nought but swearing and breaking faith, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery; they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

By swearing and lying and murdering and stealing and committing adultery, they prevailed, and blood touches blood.

3 T herefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Therefore the earth shall mourn, and every one that dwells therein shall be cut off, with the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven; and even the fishes of the sea shall be caught.

4 Y et let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

Certainly man does not contend with nor reprehend man; for thy people are as those that resist the priest.

5 A nd thou shalt stumble in the day, and the prophet also shall stumble with thee in the night; and I will destroy thy mother.

Therefore thou shalt fall in the day, and the prophet shall also fall with thee by night, and I will cut off thy mother.

6 M y 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 also will forget thy children.

¶ My people were cut off because they lacked wisdom; because thou hast rejected wisdom, I will cast thee out of the priesthood; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy sons.

7 A s they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.

According to their greatness, so did they sin against me; therefore I will change their honour into shame.

8 T hey feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

They eat up the sin of my people, and in their iniquity they raise up their soul.

9 A nd it shall be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will requite them their doings.

The people shall become like the priest; and I will visit his ways upon him, and they shall reward him according to his doings.

10 A nd they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall play the harlot, and shall not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

For they shall eat and not be satisfied; they shall commit whoredom and shall not increase because they have quit showing hospitality unto the LORD.

11 W horedom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12 M y people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

¶ My people ask counsel of their wooden idol, and their stick declares unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring under their gods.

13 T hey sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery.

They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, that had good shade; therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your daughters-in-law shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

I will not visit upon your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor upon your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery: for they offer with whores, and they sacrifice with cult prostitutes; therefore the people without understanding shall fall.

15 T hough 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, As Jehovah liveth.

Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah be guilty; and do not come unto Gilgal, neither go up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives,

16 F or Israel hath behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

for Israel has turned away as a wild heifer; shall the LORD now feed them as rams in a large place?

17 E phraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

Ephraim is given over to idols; leave him.

18 T heir drink is become sour; they play the harlot continually; her rulers dearly love shame.

Their drink has become corrupted; they have committed whoredom continually; her princes love gifts, shamefully.

19 T he wind hath wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.

The wind has bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.