Hosea 4
1 Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano labahlali belizwe; ngoba kakulaqiniso, njalo kakulamusa, njalo kakulalwazi lukaNkulunkulu elizweni.
2 Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, — they break out; and blood toucheth blood.
Kulokufunga, lokuqamba amanga, lokubulala, lokweba, lokufeba; bayafohla, lamacala egazi athinta amacala egazi.
3 For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
Ngenxa yalokho ilizwe lizalila, laye wonke ohlala kilo udangele, kanye lenyamazana zeganga, njalo kanye lenyoni zamazulu; yebo lenhlanzi zolwandle zizasuswa.
4 Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
Kodwa kakungabi khona umuntu ophikisayo, kangasoli omunye; ngoba abantu bakho banjengabaphikisana lompristi.
5 And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother.
Ngakho uzakhubeka emini, yebo, lomprofethi uzakhubeka kanye lawe ebusuku; njalo ngizamchitha unyoko.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
Abantu bami babhujisiwe ngokuswela ulwazi; ngoba wena ulwalile ulwazi, lami ngizakwala, ukuze ungangisebenzeli njengompristi. Lokhu usuwukhohliwe umlayo kaNkulunkulu wakho, lami ngizakhohlwa abantwana bakho.
7 As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
Njengokwanda kwabo ngokunjalo bonile kimi. Udumo lwabo ngizaluphendula lube lihlazo.
8 They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity.
Badla isono sabantu bami, baphakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.
9 And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;
Kuzakuthi-ke njengabantu abe njalo umpristi; ngizajezisa izindlela zabo phezu kwabo, ngiphindisele izenzo zabo kubo.
10 and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
Ngoba bazakudla, kodwa bangasuthi; bawule, kodwa bangandi; ngoba bayekele ukuqaphela iNkosi.
11 Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.
Ubuwule lewayini lewayini elitsha kususa inhliziyo.
12 My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:
Abantu bami babuza esigodweni sabo, lentonga yabo izabatshela. Ngoba umoya wokuwula ubaduhisile, ukuze bawule besuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo.
13 they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
Benza imihlatshelo engqongeni zezintaba, batshisa impepha phezu kwamaqaqa, ngaphansi kwesihlahla se-okhi, lephophula, lesihlahla esikhulu, ngoba umthunzi waso muhle. Ngenxa yalokho amadodakazi enu azawula, labomakoti benu bazafeba.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.
Kangiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu lapho ewula, labomakoti benu lapho befeba; ngoba bona ngokwabo bazehlukanisa lamawule, basebesenza imihlatshelo kanye lezifebe zethempeli; ngakho abantu abangelakuqedisisa bazawiselwa phansi.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!
Loba wena Israyeli uwula, uJuda kangabi lacala. Lingangeni-ke eGiligali, lingenyukeli eBeti-Aveni, lingafungilithi: Kuphila kukaJehova.
16 For Israel is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide [pasture].
Ngoba uIsrayeli ujila njengejongosi eliyisiqholo; khathesi iNkosi izabelusa njengewundlu endaweni ebanzi.
17 — Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.
UEfrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekele.
18 Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.
Okunathwayo kwabo okulamandla kusukile, bazinikela ekuwuleni, ababavikelayo bathanda ngokuthanda ihlazo.
19 The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Umoya ubabophele empikweni zawo, njalo bazakuba lenhloni ngenxa yemihlatshelo yabo.
