Hosea 4
1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD 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 leNkosi, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano labahlali belizwe; ngoba kakulaqiniso, njalo kakulamusa, njalo kakulalwazi lukaNkulunkulu elizweni.
2 By 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 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.
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, nor reprove another: for thy people [are] as they that strive with the priest.
Kodwa kakungabi khona umuntu ophikisayo, kangasoli omunye; ngoba abantu bakho banjengabaphikisana lompristi.
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.
Ngakho uzakhubeka emini, yebo, lomprofethi uzakhubeka kanye lawe ebusuku; njalo ngizamchitha unyoko.
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 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 increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore] will I change their glory into shame.
Njengokwanda kwabo ngokunjalo bonile kimi. Udumo lwabo ngizaluphendula lube lihlazo.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
Badla isono sabantu bami, baphakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
Kuzakuthi-ke njengabantu abe njalo umpristi; ngizajezisa izindlela zabo phezu kwabo, ngiphindisele izenzo zabo kubo.
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 the LORD.
Ngoba bazakudla, kodwa bangasuthi; bawule, kodwa bangandi; ngoba bayekele ukuqaphela iNkosi.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Ubuwule lewayini lewayini elitsha kususa inhliziyo.
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.
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 oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof [is] good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall 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 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.
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, [yet] let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
Loba wena Israyeli uwula, uJuda kangabi lacala. Lingangeni-ke eGiligali, lingenyukeli eBeti-Aveni, lingafungilithi: Kuphila kukaJehova.
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Ngoba uIsrayeli ujila njengejongosi eliyisiqholo; khathesi iNkosi izabelusa njengewundlu endaweni ebanzi.
17 Ephraim [is] joined to idols: let him alone.
UEfrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekele.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers [with] shame do love, Give ye.
Okunathwayo kwabo okulamandla kusukile, bazinikela ekuwuleni, ababavikelayo bathanda ngokuthanda ihlazo.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Umoya ubabophele empikweni zawo, njalo bazakuba lenhloni ngenxa yemihlatshelo yabo.
