Hosea 4

4 ¹Hear di word of our Papa, una pikin of Israel, because e get case against di people wey dey live for di land: no faithfulness dey, no Covenant love dey, and dem no sabi am for di land. ^a a v1 Our Papa dey bring Covenant case against im people — no be as one judge wey dey far, but as Papa wey dem wound, wey dey call di name of di faithfulness, love, and sabi of am wey dem don lost. ²Na only swearing and lie dey, killing and tiefing and adultery; dem dey break all boundary, and blood dey follow blood. ³Na im make di land dey cry, and everybody wey dey live inside am dey waste away, together with di wild animal dem and di bird for di sky; even di fish for di sea, dem carry dem comot.

⁴But make nobody accuse, make nobody put blame, because una people be like people wey dey quarrel with di priest. ^b b v4 To quarrel with di priest mean say dem reject di one wey dem appoint to stand for di people before God — na di highest kind stubbornness be dat. ⁵You dey stumble for daytime, and di prophet dey stumble with you for nighttime; and I go destroy your mama. ⁶My people dey perish because dem no get knowledge. Because you don reject knowledge, I go reject you as my priest; because you don forget di law of your Papa, I too go forget your pikin dem. ⁷As dem dey increase, na so dem dey sin against me; I go turn dia glory

⁸Dem dey chop from di sin of my people and set dia heart on dia bad-bad way. ⁹So e go be: as di people be, na so di priest be. I go punish dem for dia way and pay dem back for dia doings. ¹⁰Dem go chop but dem no go belleful; dem go give demself to prostitution but dem no go multiply, because dem don forsake our Papa and comot from im ways. ¹¹Prostitution, wine, and new wine dey carry sense comot.

¹²My people dey ask piece of wood for advice, and dia stick dey give dem answer; because spirit of prostitution don lead dem astray, and dem don do prostitute, dem don forsake dia Papa. ¹³Dem dey sacrifice for on top mountain and dey burn offering for di hill, under oak, poplar, and terebinth tree, because dia shade sweet. Na im make una daughter dem dey turn to prostitution and una bride dem to adultery. ¹⁴I no go punish una daughter dem wen dem turn to prostitution, or una bride dem wen dem commit adultery; because di men demself dey go with prostitute and dey offer sacrifice with di temple prostitute dem—people wey no get understanding dey fall enter ruin.

¹⁵Even doe you, Israel, dey do prostitute, make Judah no become guilty. No go Gilgal; no go up to Beth-aven; and no swear say, ‘As sure as our Papa dey alive.’ ^c c v15 Beth-aven ('house of wickedness') na di mocking name wey Hosea dey call Bethel, di main shrine of di northern kingdom. ¹⁶Israel dey stubborn, like stubborn heifer. Our Papa fit now dey feed dem like lamb for open field? ¹⁷Ephraim don join imself to idol; leave am alone. ¹⁸Wen dia drink don finish, dem dey give demself to prostitution; dia rulers dey really love disgrace. ¹⁹Wind don wrap dem inside im wings, and dem go shame because of dia altar dem.