< Hosea 4 >
1 Hear the word of Yhwh, ye children of Israel: for Yhwh hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina bako-Israyeli ngoba kulecala uThixo alethesa lina elihlala elizweni: “Akulakwethembeka, akulathando, akukho ukumamukela uNkulunkulu elizweni.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
Kulokuthuka kuphela, lokuqamba amanga lokubulala, lokuntshontsha kanye lobufebe; benza ububi bonke, njalo ukuchithwa kwegazi kulandela ukuchithwa kwegazi.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
Ilizwe liyalila ngenxa yalokhu, njalo bonke abahlala kulo bayacikizeka; izinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle kuyafa.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
Kodwa akungabi lamuntu omangalayo, akungabi lomuntu owethesa omunye icala ngoba abantu bakho bafana lalabo abamangalela umphristi.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
Liyakhubeka emini lebusuku, labaphrofethi bakhubeka kanye lani. Ngakho unyoko ngizamchitha,
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
abantu bami bachithwa yikungabi lolwazi. Njengoba likwalile ukwazi, lami ngiyalala njengabaphristi bami; ngoba kaliwunakanga umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu, lami angiyikubanaka abantwana benu.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
Ngokwanda kwabaphristi, kwanda kanjalo lokona kwabo kimi, benanisa uDumo lwabo ngento elihlazo.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
Badla izono zabantu bami bajabuliswe yikuxhwala kwabo.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
Njalo kuzakuba kanje: Njengabantu, njengabaphristi. Bonke ngizabajezisela izindlela zabo, ngiphindisele kubo lezenzo zabo.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to Yhwh.
Bazakudla kodwa bangasuthi; bazakwenza ubufebe kodwa bangandi, ngoba bamdelile uThixo ukuba bazinikele
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
ebufebeni, lewayini elidala kanye lelitsha elisusa ukuqedisisa kwabantu bami.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Badinga izeluleko esithombeni sesigodo baphendulwe yiluthi lwesigodo. Umoya wobufebe uyabedukisa; kabathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wabo.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
Banikela imihlatshelo ezingqongweni zezintaba batshise iminikelo phezu kwamaqaqa, ngaphansi komʼokhi, lomphophila kanye lomtherebhinti, lapho okulomthunzi omnandi. Ngakho amadodakazi enu enza ubuwule, labomalukazana benu benze ubufebe.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
Angiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu lapho esenza ubuwule loba omalukazana benu lapho besenza ubufebe, ngoba amadoda uqobo azwana lezifebe anikele imihlatshelo lezifebe ezisezindaweni zokukhonzela abantu abangelakuqedisisa bazabhubha.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth–aven, nor swear, Yhwh liveth.
Lanxa ufeba, we Israyeli, uJuda kangabi lecala. Lingayi eGiligali; lingayi eBhethi-Aveni. Njalo lingafungi lisithi, ‘Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona!’
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: Now Yhwh will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Abako-Israyeli bayiziqholo, njengethokazi eliyisiqholo. Pho uThixo angabelusela njani emadlelweni njengezimvu na?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
U-Efrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekeleni enjalo!
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
Lalapho okunathwayo kwabo sekuphelile, bayaqhubeka ngobufebe babo; ababusi babo bazithanda kakhulu izindlela ezilihlazo.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Isavunguzane sizabakhukhula, lemihlatshelo yabo izabalethela ihlazo.”