< Hosea 7 >

1 WHEN I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief cometh in, and the troop of robbers spoileth without.
Lapho engizakwelapha khona u-Israyeli, izono zika-Efrayimi ziyadalulwa lobubi beSamariya buyembulwa. Benza inkohliso, amasela agqekeza izindlu, izigebenga ziyaphanga emigwaqweni
2 And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
kodwa kabananzeleli ukuthi mina ngiyazikhumbula zonke izenzo zabo ezimbi. Izono zabo ziyabaminza; zihlezi ziphambi kwami.
3 They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
Bathokozisa inkosi ngobuxhwali babo, lababusi ngamanga abo.
4 They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceaseth from raising after he hath kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
Bonke bayizifebe, batshisa njengeziko elimlilo walo akudingeki ukuba umpheki wezinkwa awukhwezele kusukela ekuvoxeni inhlama ize ikhukhumale.
5 In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
Ngosuku lomkhosi wenkosi yethu ababusi bathukutheliswa liwayini, inkosi izihlanganise labaklolodayo.
6 For they have made ready their heart like an oven, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night; in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.
Inhliziyo zabo zinjengeziko, inkosi bayilanda ngamacebo ensitha. Ukufutheka kwabo kuyadeda ubusuku bonke; ekuseni kuyavutha njengomlilo obhebhayo.
7 They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calleth unto me.
Bonke batshisa njengeziko; batshwabadele ababusi babo. Wonke amakhosi abo ayawa, kayikho ekhuleka kimi.
8 Ephraim, he hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
U-Efrayimi uxubana lezizwe; u-Efrayimi ulikhekhe eliyisicecedu elingaphendulwanga.
9 Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth not.
Abezizweni bacikiza amandla akhe, kodwa yena kakunanzeleli. Inwele zakhe sezilezimvu kodwa yena kakunanzeleli.
10 And the pride of Israel testifieth to his face: and they do not return to the Lord their God, nor seek him for all this.
Ubuqholo buka-Israyeli bufakaza okubi ngaye, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu kabuyeli kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe loba amdinge.
11 Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
U-Efrayimi unjengejuba, ukhohliseka lula kalangqondo ucela usizo eGibhithe, abuye alucele e-Asiriya.
12 When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation hath heard.
Lapho sebehamba, ngizaphosa umambule wami phezu kwabo; ngizabadonsela phansi njengezinyoni zasemoyeni. Ngizabezwa behamba bonke, ngizababamba.
13 Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
Maye kubo ngoba bedukile kimi! Akube lencithakalo kubo ngoba bangihlamukele! Ngiyafisa ukubahlenga kodwa bona bakhuluma amanga ngami.
14 And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
Kabakhalazi kimi ngezinhliziyo zabo kodwa bakhalela emibhedeni yabo. Babuthanela amabele lewayini elitsha kodwa mina basuka bangidele.
15 Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
Ngabafundisa ngabaqinisa, kodwa baceba okubi ngami.
16 They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
Kabaphendukeli koPhezukonke banjengedandili elisolekayo. Abakhokheli babo bazabulawa ngenkemba ngenxa yamazwi abo okweyisa. Ngalokhu bazahlekwa elizweni laseGibhithe.”

< Hosea 7 >