Hosea 4
1 Hear the word of YHWH, you children of Israel; for YHWH has a charge against the inhabitants of the land: "Indeed there is no truth, nor goodness, 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 There is cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break boundaries, and bloodshed causes bloodshed.
Kulokuthuka kuphela, lokuqamba amanga lokubulala, lokuntshontsha kanye lobufebe; benza ububi bonke, njalo ukuchithwa kwegazi kulandela ukuchithwa kwegazi.
3 Therefore the land mourns, and all those who dwell in it will waste away, along with the animals of the field and the crawling creatures of the earth and the birds of the sky, and even the fish of the sea will 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 bring a charge, neither let any man accuse; For your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.
Kodwa akungabi lamuntu omangalayo, akungabi lomuntu owethesa omunye icala ngoba abantu bakho bafana lalabo abamangalela umphristi.
5 You will stumble in the day, and the prophet will also stumble with you in the night; and I will destroy your mother.
Liyakhubeka emini lebusuku, labaphrofethi bakhubeka kanye lani. Ngakho unyoko ngizamchitha,
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you may be no priest to me. Because you have forgotten your God's law, I will also forget your 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 multiplied, so they sinned against me. They have exchanged their glory into shame.
Ngokwanda kwabaphristi, kwanda kanjalo lokona kwabo kimi, benanisa uDumo lwabo ngento elihlazo.
8 They feed on the sin of my people, and set their heart on their iniquity.
Badla izono zabantu bami bajabuliswe yikuxhwala kwabo.
9 It will be, like people, like priest; and I will punish them for their ways, and will repay them for their deeds.
Njalo kuzakuba kanje: Njengabantu, njengabaphristi. Bonke ngizabajezisela izindlela zabo, ngiphindisele kubo lezenzo zabo.
10 They will eat, and not have enough. They will play the prostitute, and will not increase; because they have abandoned giving to YHWH.
Bazakudla kodwa bangasuthi; bazakwenza ubufebe kodwa bangandi, ngoba bamdelile uThixo ukuba bazinikele
11 Prostitution, wine, and new wine take away understanding.
ebufebeni, lewayini elidala kanye lelitsha elisusa ukuqedisisa kwabantu bami.
12 My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.
Badinga izeluleko esithombeni sesigodo baphendulwe yiluthi lwesigodo. Umoya wobufebe uyabedukisa; kabathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wabo.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains, and burn incense on the hills, under oaks and poplars and shady terebinths, because its shade is good. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, and your brides 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 play the prostitute, nor your brides when they commit adultery; because the men consort with prostitutes, and they sacrifice with the shrine prostitutes; so the people without understanding will come to ruin.
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 you, Israel, play the prostitute, yet do not let Judah offend; and do not come to Gilgal, neither go up to Beth Aven, nor swear, 'As YHWH lives.'
Lanxa ufeba, we Israyeli, uJuda kangabi lecala. Lingayi eGiligali; lingayi eBhethi-Aveni. Njalo lingafungi lisithi, ‘Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona!’
16 For Israel has behaved extremely stubbornly, like a stubborn heifer. Then how will YHWH feed them like a lamb in a meadow.
Abako-Israyeli bayiziqholo, njengethokazi eliyisiqholo. Pho uThixo angabelusela njani emadlelweni njengezimvu na?
17 Ephraim, joined to idols, has placed stumbling blocks against himself.
U-Efrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekeleni enjalo!
18 Their drink has become sour. They play the prostitute continually. Her rulers dearly love their shameful way.
Lalapho okunathwayo kwabo sekuphelile, bayaqhubeka ngobufebe babo; ababusi babo bazithanda kakhulu izindlela ezilihlazo.
19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings; and they shall be disappointed because of their sacrifices.
Isavunguzane sizabakhukhula, lemihlatshelo yabo izabalethela ihlazo.”
