Oséias 4
Hør Isralitter, Herrens ord, thi Herren går i rette med Landets Folk. Thi ej er der Troskab, ej Godhed, ej kender man Gud i Landet.
Man sværger og lyver, myrder og stjæler, horer, gør Indbrud, og Blodskyld følger på Blodskyld.
Derfor sørger Landet, og alt, hvad der bor der, sygner, Markens Dyr og Himlens Fugle; selv Havets Fisk svinder bort.
Dog skænde man ej, dog revse man ej, når mit Folk kun er som dets Præster.
Du skal styrte ved Dag, og med dig Profeten ved Nat.
Mit Folk skal gå til Grunde, fordi det er uden Kundskab. Da du har vraget Kundskab, vrager jeg dig som Præst; du glemte din Guds Åbenbaring, så glemmer og jeg dine Sønner.
Jo fler, des mere de synded, ombytted deres Ære med Skændsel;
mit Folks Synd lever de af, dets Brøde hungrer de efter.
Men Præst skal det gå som Folk: jeg hjemsøger ham for hans Færd, hans Id gengælder jeg ham.
De skal spise, men ikke mættes bole, men ej blive fler; thi de har sveget HERREN og holder fast ved Hor.
Vin og Most tager Forstanden.
Mit Folk rådspørger sit Træ, og Svaret giver dets Stok; thi Horeånd ledte dem vild, de boler sig bort fra deres Gud.
De ofrer på Bjergenes Tinder, på Højene brænder de Ofre under en Eg, en Poppel, en Terebinte, thi Skyggen er god. Så horer jo og eders Døtre, så boler jo og eders Kvinder;
jeg straffer ej Døtrenes Hor, ej Kvinderne for deres Bolen; thi selv går de bort med Horer ofrer sammen med Skøger; og det uvise Folk drages ned.
Thi som en uvan Ko er Israel uvan, skal HERREN så lade dem græsse i Frihed som Lam?
Efraim er bundet til Afgudsbilleder; lad ham fare!
Deres Drikken er skejet ud. Hor har de bedrevet; højt har deres Skjolde elsket Skændsel.
Et Vejr har omspændt dem med sine Vinger, og de skal blive til Skamme for deres Ofre.
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.
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. {blood: Heb. bloods}
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.
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people {are} as they that strive with the priest.
Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. {destroy: Heb. cut off}
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. {destroyed: Heb. cut off}
As they were increased, so they sinned against me: {therefore} will I change their glory into shame.
They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. {set...: Heb. lift up their soul to}
And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. {punish: Heb. visit upon} {reward: Heb. cause to return}
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.
Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
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 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.
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: or, Shall I not} {fall: or, be punished}
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, {yet} let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Ephraim {is} joined to idols: let him alone.
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers {with} shame do love, Give ye. {sour: Heb. gone} {rulers: Heb. shields}
The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.