Hosea 14
1 O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
Buyela, we Israyeli, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho. Izono zakho yizo ezikuwisileyo!
2 Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render [as] bullocks [the offering of] our lips.
Thatha amazwi ubuyele kuThixo. Uthi kuye, “Sithethelele zonke izono zethu njalo usamukele ngomusa ukuba sinikele isithelo sezindebe zethu.
3 Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Ye are] our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
I-Asiriya ayingeke isikhulule; kasiyikugada amabhiza empi. Kasisoze siphinde sithi, ‘Onkulunkulu bethu’ kulokho okwenziwa yizandla zethu, ngoba abazintandane bathola isihawu kuwe.”
4 I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.
“Ngizakwelapha ubuphakaphaka babo ngibathande ngokukhululeka, ngoba ukuthukuthela kwami sekusukile kubo.
5 I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
Ngizakuba njengamazolo ku-Israyeli; uzaqhakaza njengeluba. Uzatshonisa impande zakhe phansi njengomsedari waseLebhanoni;
6 His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
amahlumela akhe amatsha azakhula. Ubuhle bakhe buzakuba njengesihlahla se-oliva, iphunga lakhe libe njengomsedari waseLebhanoni.
7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive [as] the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Abantu bazahlala njalo emthunzini wakhe. Uzakhula kuhle njengamabele. Uzaqhakaza njengevini, lodumo lwakhe luzakuba njengolwewayini laseLebhanoni.
8 Ephraim [shall say], What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.
Awu Efrayimi, kuyini futhi engingakwenza ngezithombe? Ngizamphendula ngimlondoloze. Mina nginjengesihlahla sephayini esiluhlaza, ukuthela kwakho izithelo kuvela kimi.”
9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.
Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo? Uzazibona lezizinto. Ngubani oqedisisayo? Uzazizwisisisa. Izindlela zikaThixo zilungile abalungileyo bahamba kuzo, kodwa abahlamuki bayakhubeka kuzo.
