God’s Case against His People

1  שִׁמְע֥וּ (Hear) דְבַר־ (the word) יְהוָ֖ה (of YHWH),

בְּנֵ֣י (O sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (of Israel),

כִּ֣י (for) רִ֤יב (a case is) לַֽיהוָה֙ (unto YHWH)

עִם־ (against) יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י (the dwellers) הָאָ֔רֶץ (of the land),

כִּ֠י (For) אֵין־ (there is no) אֱמֶ֧ת (truth), וְֽאֵין־ (and there is no) חֶ֛סֶד (loving devotion),

וְאֵֽין־ (and there is no) דַּ֥עַת (knowledge) אֱלֹהִ֖ים (of God) בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ (in the land).

2  אָלֹ֣ה (Cursing), וְכַחֵ֔שׁ (and lying),

וְרָצֹ֥חַ (and killing), וְגָנֹ֖ב (and stealing),

וְנָאֹ֑ף (and committing adultery), פָּרָ֕צוּ (they break all restraint),

וְדָמִ֥ים (and bloodshed) בְּדָמִ֖ים (upon bloodshed) נָגָֽעוּ׃ (touches).

3  עַל־ (For) כֵּ֣ן׀ (thus) תֶּאֱבַ֣ל (mourns), הָאָ֗רֶץ (the land)

וְאֻמְלַל֙ (and languish), כָּל־ (all) יוֹשֵׁ֣ב (dwelling) בָּ֔הּ (in it)

בְּחַיַּ֥ת (with the beasts) הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה (of the field), וּבְע֣וֹף (and the birds) הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם (of the heavens);

וְגַם־ (and even) דְּגֵ֥י (the fish) הַיָּ֖ם (of the sea) יֵאָסֵֽפוּ׃ (they are gathered up).

4  אַ֥ךְ (Only) אִ֛ישׁ (man) אַל־ (not) יָרֵ֖ב (let contend),

וְאַל־ (and no) יוֹכַ֣ח (rebuke) אִ֑ישׁ (man);

וְעַמְּךָ֖ (and for your people are)

כִּמְרִיבֵ֥י (like those who contend with) כֹהֵֽן׃ (a priest).

5  וְכָשַׁלְתָּ֣ (Therefore you will stumble) הַיּ֔וֹם (by day),

וְכָשַׁ֧ל (and will stumble) גַּם־ (also) נָבִ֛יא (the prophet) עִמְּךָ֖ (with you) לָ֑יְלָה (by night),

וְדָמִ֖יתִי (and I will destroy) אִמֶּֽךָ׃ (your mother).

6  נִדְמ֥וּ (Are destroyed) עַמִּ֖י (My people)

מִבְּלִ֣י (for lack) הַדָּ֑עַת (of knowledge).

כִּֽי־ (Because) אַתָּ֞ה (you) הַדַּ֣עַת (knowledge) מָאַ֗סְתָּ (have rejected),

וְאֶמְאָֽסְאךָ֙ (and I will reject you) מִכַּהֵ֣ן (from being priest) לִ֔י (unto Me)

וַתִּשְׁכַּח֙ (and you have forgotten) תּוֹרַ֣ת (the law) אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ (of your God),

אֶשְׁכַּ֥ח (will forget) בָּנֶ֖יךָ (your children) גַּם־ (also) אָֽנִי׃ (I).

7  כְּרֻבָּ֖ם (According to their becoming numerous)

כֵּ֣ן (so) חָֽטְאוּ־ (they sinned) לִ֑י (against Me)

כְּבוֹדָ֖ם (their glory) בְּקָל֥וֹן (for shame)

אָמִֽיר׃ (I will exchange).

8  חַטַּ֥את (The sin) עַמִּ֖י (of My people), יֹאכֵ֑לוּ (they eat up)

וְאֶל־ (and toward) עֲוֺנָ֖ם (their iniquity) יִשְׂא֥וּ (they lift up) נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (their soul).

9  וְהָיָ֥ה (And it will be),

כָעָ֖ם (like people), כַּכֹּהֵ֑ן (like priest);

וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י (and I will visit punishment) עָלָיו֙ (on them) דְּרָכָ֔יו (for their ways),

וּמַעֲלָלָ֖יו (and their deeds) אָשִׁ֥יב (I will repay) לֽוֹ׃ (to them).

10  וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ (And for they will eat), וְלֹ֣א (not) יִשְׂבָּ֔עוּ (will they be satisfied);

הִזְנ֖וּ (they will engage in prostitution), וְלֹ֣א (and not) יִפְרֹ֑צוּ (increase),

כִּֽי־ (because) אֶת־ (-) יְהוָ֥ה (YHWH) עָזְב֖וּ (they have abandoned) לִשְׁמֹֽר׃ (to give heed to).

11  זְנ֛וּת (Prostitution) וְיַ֥יִן (and wine) וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ (and new wine)

יִֽקַּֽח־ (take) לֵֽב׃ (the heart).

12  עַמִּי֙ (My people) בְּעֵצ֣וֹ (with a piece of wood), יִשְׁאָ֔ל (consult)

וּמַקְל֖וֹ (and their staff) יַגִּ֣יד (declares it) ל֑וֹ (to them)

כִּ֣י (for) ר֤וּחַ (the spirit) זְנוּנִים֙ (of prositution) הִתְעָ֔ה (has led them astray),

וַיִּזְנ֖וּ (and they have prostituted themselves) מִתַּ֥חַת (from under) אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ (their God).

13  עַל־ (On) רָאשֵׁ֨י (the tops) הֶהָרִ֜ים (of the mountains), יְזַבֵּ֗חוּ (they sacrifice)

וְעַל־ (and on) הַגְּבָעוֹת֙ (the hills), יְקַטֵּ֔רוּ (they burn incense)

תַּ֣חַת (under) אַלּ֧וֹן (oak) וְלִבְנֶ֛ה (and poplar) וְאֵלָ֖ה (and terebinth),

כִּ֣י (because) ט֣וֹב (good is). צִלָּ֑הּ (Its shade)

עַל־ (In) כֵּ֗ן (this way) תִּזְנֶ֙ינָה֙ (prostitute themselves), בְּנ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ daughters)

וְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם (and your⁺ brides) תְּנָאַֽפְנָה׃ (commit adultery).

14  לֹֽא־ (Not) אֶפְק֨וֹד (will I visit punishment) עַל־ (on) בְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֜ם (your⁺ daughters)

כִּ֣י (when) תִזְנֶ֗ינָה (they prostitute themselves),

וְעַל־ (or on) כַּלּֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ (your⁺ brides)

כִּ֣י (when) תְנָאַ֔פְנָה (they commit adultery);

כִּי־ (for) הֵם֙ (they themselves) עִם־ (with) הַזֹּנ֣וֹת (the prostitutes), יְפָרֵ֔דוּ (go off)

וְעִם־ (and with) הַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹת (shrine prostitutes); יְזַבֵּ֑חוּ (offer sacrifices)

וְעָ֥ם (and a people) לֹֽא־ (without) יָבִ֖ין (understanding)

יִלָּבֵֽט׃ (will be thrown down).

15  אִם־ (Though) זֹנֶ֤ה (prostitute yourself), אַתָּה֙ (you), יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (O Israel),

אַל־ (do not) יֶאְשַׁ֖ם (let become guilty); יְהוּדָ֑ה (Judah)

וְאַל־ (and do not) תָּבֹ֣אוּ (come) הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל (to Gilgal),

וְאַֽל־ (and not) תַּעֲלוּ֙ (go up) בֵּ֣ית (to Beth-) אָ֔וֶן (Aven),

וְאַל־ (and not) תִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ (swear an oath),

חַי־ (As lives) יְהוָֽה׃ (YHWH).

16  כִּ֚י (For) כְּפָרָ֣ה (like a calf); סֹֽרֵרָ֔ה (being stubborn)

סָרַ֖ר (is stubborn) יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל (Israel)

עַתָּה֙ (now) יִרְעֵ֣ם (will let them graze) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH)

כְּכֶ֖בֶשׂ (like a lamb) בַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃ (in a broad pasture).

17  חֲב֧וּר (Is joined) עֲצַבִּ֛ים (to idols); אֶפְרָ֖יִם (Ephraim is)

הַֽנַּֽח־ (leave alone) לֽוֹ׃ (him).

18  סָ֖ר (Has turned aside), סָבְאָ֑ם (their liquor)

הַזְנֵ֣ה (prostituting) הִזְנ֔וּ (they engage in prostitution);

אָהֲב֥וּ (dearly love), הֵב֛וּ (do love) קָל֖וֹן (dishonor) מָגִנֶּֽיהָ׃ (her shields).

19  צָרַ֥ר (Has wrapped) ר֛וּחַ (the wind) אוֹתָ֖הּ (her) בִּכְנָפֶ֑יהָ (in its wings),

וְיֵבֹ֖שׁוּ (and they will be ashamed) מִזִּבְחוֹתָֽםס (of their sacrifices).