Hosea 10
1 Israel a vine full of branches, the fruit is agreeable to it: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied altars, according to the plenty of his land he hath abounded with idols.
U-Israyeli wayelivini eliqhelayo, wazizalela izithelo. Ngokwanda kwezithelo zakhe wakha ama-alithare amanengi; kwathi ngokuphumelela kwelizwe lakhe wahlobisa amatshe akhe akhonzwayo.
2 Their heart is divided: now they shall perish: he shall break down their idols, he shall destroy their altars.
Inhliziyo zabo ziyakhohlisa, khathesi kufanele bathwale icala labo. UThixo uzawabhidliza ama-alithare abo, uwachithile lamatshe abo, akhonzwayo.
3 For now they shall say: We have no king: because we fear not the Lord: and what shall a king do to us?
Ngakho bazakuthi, “Thina kasilankosi ngoba kasimhloniphanga uThixo. Kodwa loba sasingaba lenkosi, kuyini eyayingasenzela khona?”
4 You speak words of an unprofitable vision, and you shall make a covenant: and judgment shall spring up as bitterness in the furrows of the field.
Benza izithembiso ezinengi, bafunge izifungo zamanga, benze lezivumelwano; ngakho amacala ayanda njengokhula olubulalayo ensimini elinyiweyo.
5 The inhabitants of Samaria have worshipped the king of Bethaven: for the people thereof have mourned over it, and the wardens of its temple that rejoiced over it in its glory because it is departed from it.
Abantu abahlala eSamariya bayesaba ngenxa yesithombe sethole saseBhethi-Aveni. Abantu bakhona bazasililela benzenjalo labaphristi bakhona abakhonza izithombe, labo abathokozela ubuhle baso ngoba sithethwe kubo ekuthunjweni.
6 For itself also is carried into Assyria, a present to the avenging king: shame shall fall upon Ephraim, and Israel shall be confounded in his own will.
Sizathwalelwa e-Asiriya njengomthelo enkosini enkulu. U-Efrayimi uzayangeka; u-Israyeli uzakuba lenhloni ngezithombe zakhe zezigodo.
7 Samaria hath made her king to pass as froth upon the face of the water.
ISamariya lenkosi yakhona kuzabhujiswa kuzakhukhulwa kuhambe njengogatshanyana phezu kwamanzi.
8 And the high places of the idol, the sin of Israel shall be destroyed: the bur and the thistle shall grow up over their altars: and they shall say to the mountains: Cover us; and to the hills: Fall upon us.
Izindawo zokukhonzela zobuxhwali zizachithwa, kuyisono sika-Israyeli. Ameva lokhula kuzakhula kwembese ama-alithare abo. Lapho-ke bazakuthi ezintabeni, “Sembeseni!” Lakuwo amaqaqa bathi, “Welani phezu kwethu!”
9 From the days of Gabaa, Israel hath sinned, there they stood: the battle in Gabaa against the children of iniquity shall not overtake them.
“Kusukela ensukwini zaseGibhiya wenze isono, we Israyeli, njalo ulokhu usele khonapho. Kanje impi kayibaficanga yini abenza okubi eGibhiya?
10 According to my desire I will chastise them: and the nations shall be gathered together against them, when they shall be chastised for their two iniquities.
Lapho sengifuna, ngizabajezisa; izizwe zizaqoqanela ukumelana labo ukuba zibabophele isono sabo esiphindiweyo.
11 Ephraim is a heifer taught to love to tread out corn, but I passed over upon the beauty of her neck: I will ride upon Ephraim, Juda shall plough, Jacob shall break the furrows for himself.
U-Efrayimi ulithokazi elifundisiweyo elithanda ukubhula amabele; ngakho ngizagaxa ijogwe entanyeni yakhe enhle. U-Efrayimi ngizamtshayela, uJuda kumele alime uJakhobe kumele abulale amagade.
12 Sow for yourselves in justice, and reap in the mouth of mercy, break up your fallow ground: but the time to seek the Lord is, when he shall come that shall teach you justice.
Zihlanyeleleni ukulunga, vunani isithelo sothando olungapheliyo, liqeqebule lomhlabathi wenu ongalinywanga; ngoba kuyisikhathi sokudinga uThixo, aze abuye athele ukulunga phezu kwenu.
13 You have ploughed wickedness, you have reaped iniquity, you have eaten the fruit of lying: because thou hast trusted in thy ways, in the multitude of thy strong ones.
Kodwa lina lihlanyele ukuxhwala, livune ububi, lidle isithelo senkohliso. Njengoba lithembe amandla enu lamabutho enu amanengi,
14 A tumult shall arise among thy people: and all thy fortresses shall be destroyed as Salmana was destroyed, by the house of him that judged Baal in the day of battle, the mother being dashed in pieces upon her children.
ukuhlokoma kwempi kuzakuba khona ebantwini bakini, ngakho zonke izinqaba zenu zizabhidlizwa njengalokhu uShalimani wabhidliza iBhethi-Abheli ngosuku lwempi, lapho onina basakazelwa phansi labantwababo.
15 So hath Bethel done to you, because of the evil of your iniquities.
Kuzakwenzakala kanjalo lakuwe, wena Bhetheli, ngoba ukuxhwala kwakho kukhulu. Lapho lolosuku lusisa, inkosi yako-Israyeli izachithwa okupheleleyo.”
