1 H ear Yahweh’s word, you children of Israel; for Yahweh has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “Indeed there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord has a controversy (a pleading contention) with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness, love, pity and mercy, or knowledge of God in the land.

2 T here is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.

There is nothing but swearing and breaking faith and killing and stealing and committing adultery; they break out, one bloodshed following close on another.

3 T herefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells therein will waste away. all living things in her, even the animals of the field and the birds of the sky; yes, the fish of the sea also die.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and all who dwell in it shall languish, together with the wild beasts of the open country and the birds of the heavens; yes, the fishes of the sea also shall be collected and taken away.

4 “ Yet let no man bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; For your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.

Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove, for with you is My contention, O priest.

5 Y ou will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.

And you shall stumble in the daytime, and the prophet also shall stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.

6 M y people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God’s law, I will also forget your children.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you that you shall be no priest to Me; seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

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

The more they increased and multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.

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

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

9 I t will be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.

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

10 T hey will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned giving to Yahweh.

For they shall eat and not have enough; they shall play the harlot and beget no increase, because they have forsaken the Lord for harlotry;

11 P rostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

Harlotry and wine and new wine take away the heart and the mind and the spiritual understanding.

12 M y people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.

My people ask counsel of their wood, and their staff gives them oracles and instructs them. For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray and they have played the harlot, withdrawing themselves from subjection to their God.

13 T hey sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides commit adultery.

They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and they burn incense upon the hills and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because there the shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the harlot and your sons’ wives commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; so the people without understanding will come to ruin.

I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, for themselves go aside in order to be alone with women who prostitute themselves for gain, and they sacrifice at the altar with dedicated harlots. Therefore the people without understanding shall stumble and fall and come to ruin.

15 “ Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet don’t let Judah offend; and don’t come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, ‘As Yahweh lives.’

Though you, Israel, play the harlot and worship idols, let not Judah offend and become guilty; come not to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As the Lord lives.

16 F or Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will Yahweh feed them like a lamb in a meadow.

For Israel has behaved stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. How then should he expect to be fed and treated by the Lord like a lamb in a large pasture?

17 E phraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone!

Ephraim is joined to idols, let him alone.

18 T heir drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.

Their drinking carousal over, they go habitually to play the harlot; rulers love shame more than her glory.

19 T he wind has wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.

The resistless wind has bound up in its wings or skirts, and they and their altars shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.