Hosea 12
1 Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
U-Efrayimi udla umoya; uxotshana lomoya wasempumalanga ilanga lonke andise amanga lodlakela. Wenza isivumelwano le-Asiriya, athumele amafutha e-oliva eGibhithe.
2 The LORD also brings a charge against Judah. He will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.
Kulecala uThixo azalethesa uJuda; uzajezisa uJakhobe mayelana lezindlela zakhe aphindisele kuye mayelana lezenzo zakhe.
3 In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
Esiswini wabamba isithende sikamfowabo; eseyindoda wabindana loNkulunkulu.
4 Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there —
Wabindana lengilosi wayehlula; wakhala wacela umusa kuyo. Wayifica eBhetheli wakhuluma layo khonapho,
5 the LORD is the God of Hosts— the LORD is His name of renown.
uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uThixo yilo ibizo lakhe lodumo!
6 But you must return to your God, maintaining love and justice, and always waiting on your God.
Kodwa kumele ubuyele kuNkulunkulu wakho; ugcine uthando lokulunga, umlindele kokuphela uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.
Umthengisi usebenzisa izikali zenkohliso; uthanda ukuqilibezela.
8 And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.”
U-Efrayimi uyazincoma esithi, “Nginothe kakhulu; sengiyisipatsha. Ngenotho yami kabayikufumana ububi loba isono kimi.”
9 But I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.
“Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu owalikhupha eGibhithe; ngizalenza lihlale emathenteni futhi, njengasezinsukwini zemikhosi yenu emisiweyo.
10 I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets.
Ngakhuluma labaphrofethi, ngabatshengisa imibono eminengi ngakhuluma imizekeliso ngabo.”
11 Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.
IGiliyadi ixhwalile na? Abantu bakhona bakhohlakele! EGiligali bayanikela umhlatshelo wenkunzi na? Ama-alithare abo azakuba njengezinqwaba zamatshe ensimini elinyiweyo.
12 Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife— for a wife he tended sheep.
UJakhobe wabalekela elizweni lase-Aramu; u-Israyeli wasebenzela ukuthola umfazi, njalo welusa izimvu ukuba amlobole.
13 But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.
UThixo wasebenzisa umphrofethi ekukhupheni u-Israyeli eGibhithe; wamlondoloza ngomphrofethi.
14 Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him and repay him for his contempt.
Kodwa u-Efrayimi umthukuthelise kabuhlungu; UThixo wakhe uzaliyekela liphezu kwakhe icala lokuchitha kwakhe igazi njalo uzaphindisela kuye ukudelela kwakhe.
