1 ¶ 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.

Hear 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.

2 B y swearing and lying and murdering and stealing and committing adultery, they prevailed, and blood touches blood.

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

3 T herefore 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.

Therefore 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.

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

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

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

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

6 ¶ 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.

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 also will forget thy children.

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

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

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

They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.

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

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

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

And 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.

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

Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the understanding.

12 ¶ 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.

My 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.

13 T hey 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.

They 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.

14 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.

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.

15 T hough 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,

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, As Jehovah liveth.

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

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

17 E phraim is given over to idols; leave him.

Ephraim is joined to idols; let him alone.

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

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

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

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