4:1 Hear the word of Yahweh, you+ sons of Israel; for Yahweh has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
4:2 Swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and committing adultery are rampant; and blood is everywhere.
4:3 Therefore the land will mourn, and everyone who dwells in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the heavens; yes, the fish of the sea also will be taken away.
4:4 Yet let no man strive, neither let any man reprove; for your people are as those who strive with the priest.
4:5 And you will stumble in the day, and the prophet also will stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.
4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of the knowledge [of God]: because you have rejected the knowledge [of God], I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to me: seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your sons.
4:7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
4:8 They feed on the sin of my people, and set their soul on their iniquity.
4:9 And it will be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them their doings.
4:10 And they will eat, and not have enough; they will cause prostitution, and will not increase; because they have left off taking heed to Yahweh.
4:11 Prostitution and wine and new wine take away the understanding.
4:12 My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them; for the spirit of prostitution has caused them to err, and they have prostituted, [departing] from under their God.
4:13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and terebinths, because their shadow is good: therefore your+ daughters commit prostitution, and your+ brides commit adultery.
4:14 I will not punish your+ daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your+ brides when they commit adultery; for [the men] themselves go apart with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with prostitutes; and the people that does not understand will be overthrown.
4:15 Though you, Israel, are prostituting, yet don't let Judah offend; and don't come+ to Gilgal, neither go+ up to Beth-aven, nor swear, As Yahweh lives.
4:16 For Israel has behaved himself stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer: now Yahweh will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
4:17 Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone.
4:18 Their drink has become sour; they prostitute continually; her rulers dearly love shame.
4:19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings; and they will be put to shame because of their altars.