< Hosea 7 >
1 When I heal Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim will be exposed, as well as the crimes of Samaria. For they practice deceit and thieves break in; bandits raid in the streets.
Lapho engizakwelapha khona u-Israyeli, izono zika-Efrayimi ziyadalulwa lobubi beSamariya buyembulwa. Benza inkohliso, amasela agqekeza izindlu, izigebenga ziyaphanga emigwaqweni
2 But they fail to consider in their hearts that I remember all their evil. Now their deeds are all around them; they are before My face.
kodwa kabananzeleli ukuthi mina ngiyazikhumbula zonke izenzo zabo ezimbi. Izono zabo ziyabaminza; zihlezi ziphambi kwami.
3 They delight the king with their evil, and the princes with their lies.
Bathokozisa inkosi ngobuxhwali babo, lababusi ngamanga abo.
4 They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by a baker who needs not stoke the fire from the kneading to the rising of the dough.
Bonke bayizifebe, batshisa njengeziko elimlilo walo akudingeki ukuba umpheki wezinkwa awukhwezele kusukela ekuvoxeni inhlama ize ikhukhumale.
5 The princes are inflamed with wine on the day of our king; so he joins hands with those who mock him.
Ngosuku lomkhosi wenkosi yethu ababusi bathukutheliswa liwayini, inkosi izihlanganise labaklolodayo.
6 For they prepare their heart like an oven while they lie in wait; all night their anger smolders; in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.
Inhliziyo zabo zinjengeziko, inkosi bayilanda ngamacebo ensitha. Ukufutheka kwabo kuyadeda ubusuku bonke; ekuseni kuyavutha njengomlilo obhebhayo.
7 All of them are hot as an oven, and they devour their rulers. All their kings fall; not one of them calls upon Me.
Bonke batshisa njengeziko; batshwabadele ababusi babo. Wonke amakhosi abo ayawa, kayikho ekhuleka kimi.
8 Ephraim mixes with the nations; Ephraim is an unturned cake.
U-Efrayimi uxubana lezizwe; u-Efrayimi ulikhekhe eliyisicecedu elingaphendulwanga.
9 Foreigners consume his strength, but he does not notice. Even his hair is streaked with gray, but he does not know.
Abezizweni bacikiza amandla akhe, kodwa yena kakunanzeleli. Inwele zakhe sezilezimvu kodwa yena kakunanzeleli.
10 Israel’s arrogance testifies against them, yet they do not return to the LORD their God; despite all this, they do not seek Him.
Ubuqholo buka-Israyeli bufakaza okubi ngaye, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu kabuyeli kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe loba amdinge.
11 So Ephraim has become like a silly, senseless dove— calling out to Egypt, then turning to Assyria.
U-Efrayimi unjengejuba, ukhohliseka lula kalangqondo ucela usizo eGibhithe, abuye alucele e-Asiriya.
12 As they go, I will spread My net over them; I will bring them down like birds of the air. I will chastise them when I hear them flocking together.
Lapho sebehamba, ngizaphosa umambule wami phezu kwabo; ngizabadonsela phansi njengezinyoni zasemoyeni. Ngizabezwa behamba bonke, ngizababamba.
13 Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.
Maye kubo ngoba bedukile kimi! Akube lencithakalo kubo ngoba bangihlamukele! Ngiyafisa ukubahlenga kodwa bona bakhuluma amanga ngami.
14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me.
Kabakhalazi kimi ngezinhliziyo zabo kodwa bakhalela emibhedeni yabo. Babuthanela amabele lewayini elitsha kodwa mina basuka bangidele.
15 Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they plot evil against Me.
Ngabafundisa ngabaqinisa, kodwa baceba okubi ngami.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a faulty bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword for the cursing of their tongue; for this they will be ridiculed in the land of Egypt.
Kabaphendukeli koPhezukonke banjengedandili elisolekayo. Abakhokheli babo bazabulawa ngenkemba ngenxa yamazwi abo okweyisa. Ngalokhu bazahlekwa elizweni laseGibhithe.”