1 Hear 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.

2 There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery;

they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.

3 Therefore 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.

5 You will stumble in the day,

and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night;

and I will destroy your mother.

6 My 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.

7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me.

I will change their glory into shame.

8 They feed on the sin of my people,

and set their heart on their iniquity.

9 It will be like people, like priest;

and I will punish them for their ways,

and will repay them for their deeds.

10 They will eat, and not have enough.

They will play the prostitute, and will not increase;

because they have abandoned listening to Yahweh.

11 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.

12 My 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.

13 They 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.

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.

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.’

16 For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer.

Then how will Yahweh feed them like a lamb in a meadow?

17 Ephraim is joined to idols.

Leave him alone!

18 Their drink has become sour.

They play the prostitute continually.

Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.

19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings;

and they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.

1 Hoor die woord van die HERE, o kinders van Israel! Want die HERE het 'n regsaak met die inwoners van die land, omdat daar geen trou en geen liefde en geen kennis van God in die land is nie.

2 Hulle sweer en lieg en moor en steel en pleeg owerspel; hulle breek in, sodat bloedbad aan bloedbad raak.

3 Daarom treur die land, en alles wat daarop woon, kwyn weg: die wilde diere van die veld en die voëls van die hemel, ja, ook die visse van die see kom om.

4 Laat net niemand met ons twis of ons berispe nie! Nogtans is jou volk soos die wat met die priester twis!

5 Daarom sal jy struikel bedags, en ook die profeet saam met jou struikel in die nag, en Ek sal jou moeder te gronde laat gaan.

6 My volk gaan te gronde weens gebrek aan kennis; omdat jy die kennis verwerp het, sal Ek jou verwerp, sodat jy vir My die priesteramp nie sal bedien nie; omdat jy die wet van jou God vergeet het, sal Ek ook jou kinders vergeet.

7 Hoe meer hulle vermenigvuldig het, des te meer het hulle teen My gesondig. Ek sal hulle heerlikheid in skande verander.

8 Hulle lewe van die sondoffer van my volk, en na die se ongeregtigheid verlang hulle siel.

9 Daarom sal dit met die priester gaan soos met die volk -- Ek sal by hom besoeking doen oor sy weë en hom vergeld na sy dade.

10 Dan sal hulle eet, maar nie versadig word nie; hulle sal hoereer, maar nie uitbreek in menigte nie; want hulle het nagelaat om die HERE te vereer.

11 Hoerery en wyn en mos neem die hart weg.

12 My volk raadpleeg sy hout, en sy staf moet hom die inligting gee; want 'n gees van hoerery het hulle verlei, en deur hulle hoerery het hulle van hul God afvallig geword.

13 Hulle offer op die bergtoppe en laat rook opgaan op die heuwels, onder die eike en populiere en terpentynbome, omdat die skaduwee daar goed is. Daarom pleeg julle dogters hoerery, en julle skoondogters bedryf owerspel.

14 Ek sal oor julle dogters geen besoeking doen omdat hulle hoereer nie, en ook nie oor julle skoondogters omdat hulle owerspel bedryf nie; want die manne sonder hulleself af met die hoere en offer met die tempelhoere. So kom dan die volk wat geen verstand het nie, tot 'n val.

15 As jy hoereer, o Israel, laat Juda hom tog nie skuldig maak nie! Kom dan nie na Gilgal nie, en gaan nie op na Bet-Awen nie, en sweer nie: So waar as die HERE leef!

16 Want Israel is wederstrewig soos 'n wederstrewige koei; nou sal die HERE hulle laat wei soos 'n lam in die oop veld.

17 Efraim is gekoppel aan die afgode: laat hom staan!

18 As hulle drinkery verby is, dan hoereer hulle te meer. Hulle vorste is versot op skande.

19 Die wind bind hulle in sy vleuels, sodat hulle oor hul offers beskaamd sal staan.