Hosea 12
1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth after the east wind: all day long he multiplieth lies and desolation; and they make a covenant with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.
U-Efrayimi udla umoya; uxotshana lomoya wasempumalanga ilanga lonke andise amanga lodlakela. Wenza isivumelwano le-Asiriya, athumele amafutha e-oliva eGibhithe.
2 Jehovah hath also a controversy with Judah, and he will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him.
Kulecala uThixo azalethesa uJuda; uzajezisa uJakhobe mayelana lezindlela zakhe aphindisele kuye mayelana lezenzo zakhe.
3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he wrestled with God.
Esiswini wabamba isithende sikamfowabo; eseyindoda wabindana loNkulunkulu.
4 Yea, he wrestled with the Angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spoke with us,
Wabindana lengilosi wayehlula; wakhala wacela umusa kuyo. Wayifica eBhetheli wakhuluma layo khonapho,
5 — even Jehovah, the God of hosts, — Jehovah is his memorial.
uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla, uThixo yilo ibizo lakhe lodumo!
6 And thou, return unto thy God: keep loving-kindness and judgment, and wait on thy God continually.
Kodwa kumele ubuyele kuNkulunkulu wakho; ugcine uthando lokulunga, umlindele kokuphela uNkulunkulu wakho.
7 [He is] a merchant, balances of deceit are in his hand; he loveth to oppress.
Umthengisi usebenzisa izikali zenkohliso; uthanda ukuqilibezela.
8 And Ephraim saith, Nevertheless I am become rich, I have found me out substance; in all my labours they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin.
U-Efrayimi uyazincoma esithi, “Nginothe kakhulu; sengiyisipatsha. Ngenotho yami kabayikufumana ububi loba isono kimi.”
9 But I [that am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt will again make thee to dwell in tents, as in the days of the solemn feast.
“Mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu owalikhupha eGibhithe; ngizalenza lihlale emathenteni futhi, njengasezinsukwini zemikhosi yenu emisiweyo.
10 And I have spoken to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by means of the prophets have I used similitudes.
Ngakhuluma labaphrofethi, ngabatshengisa imibono eminengi ngakhuluma imizekeliso ngabo.”
11 If Gilead is iniquity, surely they are but vanity: they sacrifice bullocks in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the fields.
IGiliyadi ixhwalile na? Abantu bakhona bakhohlakele! EGiligali bayanikela umhlatshelo wenkunzi na? Ama-alithare abo azakuba njengezinqwaba zamatshe ensimini elinyiweyo.
12 And Jacob fled into the country of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [sheep].
UJakhobe wabalekela elizweni lase-Aramu; u-Israyeli wasebenzela ukuthola umfazi, njalo welusa izimvu ukuba amlobole.
13 And by a prophet Jehovah brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
UThixo wasebenzisa umphrofethi ekukhupheni u-Israyeli eGibhithe; wamlondoloza ngomphrofethi.
14 Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly; and his Lord shall leave his blood upon him, and recompense unto him his reproach.
Kodwa u-Efrayimi umthukuthelise kabuhlungu; UThixo wakhe uzaliyekela liphezu kwakhe icala lokuchitha kwakhe igazi njalo uzaphindisela kuye ukudelela kwakhe.
