Hosea 3

1 The Lord told me, “Go again and love a woman who is loved by another and who is committing adultery, just as the Lord loves the children of Israel, even though they turn to other gods and love their sensual worship.”

UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Hamba, utshengisele uthando lwakho kumkakho futhi, lanxa nje ethandwa ngomunye njalo eyisifebekazi. Mthande njengoThixo ethanda abako-Israyeli, lanxa baphendukela kwabanye onkulunkulu njalo bethanda amakhekhe ezithelo ezonyisiweyo.”

2 So I bought her back for fifteen shekels of silver and one and half homer of barley.

Ngakho ngamthenga ngamashekeli esiliva alitshumi lanhlanu langokwakuphosa kube lihomeri leletheki lebhali.

3 I told her, “You must remain with me for many days and you shall stop your prostitution. You shall not be intimate with any man, and then I shall be yours.”

Ngasengisithi kuye, “Uzahlala lami insuku ezinengi; akumelanga ube yisifebe loba wembathe lenye indoda, lami ngizahlala lawe.”

4 For the people of Israel shall be without a king or a prince, without a sacrifice or a stone pillar or a pagan image or an idolatrous shrine for a long time.

Ngoba abako-Israyeli bazahlala insuku ezinengi bengelankosi kumbe inkosana, bengelamhlatshelo kumbe amatshe angcwele, bengelasembatho semahlombe kumbe isithombe.

5 After this, the people of Israel will return and dedicate themselves to the Lord their God and to the line of David their king. In the last days they will come with awe and reverence for the Lord and his goodness.

Muva abako-Israyeli bazaphenduka bamdinge uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo kanye loDavida inkosi yabo. Bazakuza kuThixo beqhaqhazela kanye lasezibusisweni zakhe ensukwini zokucina.