Oseas 4
Bible in Basic English
1Give ear to the word of the Lord, O children of Israel; for the Lord has a cause against the people of this land, because there is no good faith in it, and no mercy and no knowledge of God in the land.
2There is cursing and broken faith, violent death and attacks on property, men are untrue in married life, houses are broken into, and there is blood touching blood.
3Because of this the land will be dry, and everyone living in it will be wasted away, with the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven; even the fishes of the sea will be taken away.
4Let no man go to law or make protests, for your people are like those who go to law with a priest.
5You will not be able to keep on your feet by day, and by night the prophet will be falling down with you, and I will give your mother to destruction.
6Destruction has overtaken my people because they have no knowledge; because you have given up knowledge, I will give you up, so that you will be no priest to me, because you have not kept in mind the law of your God, I will not keep your children in my memory.
7Even while they were increasing in number they were sinning against me; I will let their glory be changed into shame.
8The sin of my people is like food to them; and their desire is for their wrongdoing.
9And the priest will be like the people; I will give them punishment for their evil ways, and the reward of their acts.
10They will have food, but they will not be full; they will be false to me, but they will not be increased, because they no longer give thought to the Lord.
11Loose ways and new wine take away wisdom.
12My people get knowledge from their tree, and their rod gives them news; for a false spirit is the cause of their wandering, and they have been false to their God.
13They make offerings on the tops of mountains, burning perfumes in high places, under trees of every sort, because their shade is good: and so your daughters are given up to loose ways and your brides are false to their husbands.
14I will not give punishment to your daughters or your brides for their evil behaviour; for they make themselves separate with loose women, and make offerings with those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of the gods: the people who have no wisdom will be sent away.
15Do not you, O Israel, come into error; do not you, O Judah, come to Gilgal, or go up to Beth-aven, or take an oath, By the living Lord.
16For Israel is uncontrolled, like a cow which may not be controlled; now will the Lord give them food like a lamb in a wide place.
17Ephraim is joined to false gods; let him be.
18Their drink has become bitter; they are completely false; her rulers take pleasure in shame.
19They are folded in the skirts of the wind; they will be shamed because of their offerings.
Reina-Valera 1909
1OID palabra de Jehová, hijos de Israel, porque Jehová pleitea con los moradores de la tierra; porque no hay verdad, ni misericordia, ni conocimiento de Dios en la tierra.
2Perjurar, y mentir, y matar, y hurtar y adulterar prevalecieron, y sangres se tocaron con sangres.
3Por lo cual, se enlutará la tierra, y extenuaráse todo morador de ella, con las bestias del campo, y las aves del cielo: y aun los peces de la mar fallecerán.
4Ciertamente hombre no contienda ni reprenda á hombre, porque tu pueblo es como los que resisten al sacerdote.
5Caerás por tanto en el día, y caerá también contigo el profeta de noche; y á tu madre talaré.
6Mi pueblo fué talado, porque le faltó sabiduría. Porque tú desechaste la sabiduría, yo te echaré del sacerdocio: y pues que olvidaste la ley de tu Dios, también yo me olvidaré de tus hijos.
7Conforme á su grandeza así pecaron contra mí: trocaré su honra en afrenta.
8Comen del pecado de mi pueblo, y en su maldad levantan su alma.
9Tal será el pueblo como el sacerdote: y visitaré sobre él sus caminos, y pagaréle conforme á sus obras.
10Y comerán, mas no se hartarán; fornicarán, mas no se aumentarán: porque dejaron de atender á Jehová.
11Fornicación, y vino, y mosto quitan el corazón.
12Mi pueblo á su madero pregunta, y su palo le responde: porque espíritu de fornicaciones lo engañó, y fornicaron debajo de sus dioses.
13Sobre las cabezas de los montes sacrificaron, é incensaron sobre los collados, debajo de encinas, y álamos, y olmos que tuviesen buena sombra: por tanto, vuestras hijas fornicarán, y adulterarán vuestras nueras.
14No visitaré sobre vuestras hijas cuando fornicaren, ni sobre vuestras nueras cuando adulteraren: porque ellos ofrecen con las rameras, y con las malas mujeres sacrifican: por tanto, el pueblo sin entendimiento caerá.
15Si fornicares tú, Israel, á lo menos no peque Judá: y no entréis en Gilgal, ni subáis á Beth-aven; ni juréis, Vive Jehová.
16Porque como becerra cerrera se apartó Israel: ¿apacentarálos ahora Jehová como á carneros en anchura?
17Ephraim es dado á ídolos; déjalo.
18Su bebida se corrompió; fornicaron pertinazmente: sus príncipes amaron las dádivas, afrenta de ellos.
19Atóla el viento en sus alas, y de sus sacrificios serán avergonzados.
King James Version
1Hear 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.
2By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3Therefore 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.
4Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6My 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.
7As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10For 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.
11Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12My 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.
13They 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.
14I 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.
15Though 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.
16For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
World English Bible
1Hear the LORD’s word, you children of Israel, for the LORD has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “Indeed there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.
3Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells in it will waste away, with 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.
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.
5You will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.
6My 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.
7As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.
8They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
9It will be like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.
10They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned listening to the LORD.
11Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
12My 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.
13They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides commit adultery.
14I 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.
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 the LORD lives.’
16For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will the LORD feed them like a lamb in a meadow?
17Ephraim is joined to idols. Leave him alone!
18Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
19The wind has wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.