< Hosea 11 >

1 “Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.
“Mgbe Izrel bụ nwantakịrị, ahụrụ m ya nʼanya, ọ bụkwa site nʼIjipt ka m kpọpụtara nwa m.
2 But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.
Ma dịka m na-akpọ ha, otu a ka ha na-aga nʼebe dị anya site nʼebe m nọ. Ha chụrụ Baal aja, surekwa aja ihe nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ nye arụsị dị iche iche.
3 [The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.
Ọ bụ mụ onwe m kuziiri Ifrem otu e si aga ije, ejidere m ha nʼaka m abụọ, ma ha amaghị na ọ bụ mụ onwe m gwọrọ ya.
4 [It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
Eji m ụdọ nke mmadụ bụ ebere, na ịhụnanya duo ya. Adịrị m ha dịka onye nʼebuli ibu arọ site nʼolu ha, ehulatakwara m ala, were aka m tinye ha nri nʼọnụ.
5 But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.
“Ọ bụ na ha agaghị alaghachi azụ nʼIjipt, Asịrịa ọ gaghị abụ eze ha, nʼihi na ha ajụla ịlọghachikwute m?
6 [Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.
Mma agha ga-efegharị nʼobodo ha niile, ọ ga-eripịa ndị nchụaja na-agba afa, ọ ga-eripịakwa nzube ọjọọ ha niile.
7 My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.
Ndị m ekpebiela nʼobi ha ịhapụ m. Nʼagbanyeghị na ha na-akpọ m Chineke nke kachasị ihe niile elu, ma mụ onwe m agaghị ebuli ha elu nʼụzọ ọbụla.
8 [You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.
“M ga-esi aṅaa rara gị nye, gị Ifrem? M ga-esi aṅaa rara gị nye, gị Izrel? M ga-esi aṅaa mee gị ka ịdị ka Adma? M ga-esi aṅaa meso gị dịka Zeboiim? Obi m na-akwasị akwa ike nʼime m; ọ na-agụsị m agụụ ike inyere unu aka.
9 Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].
Agaghị m emezu iwe ọkụ m maọbụ bibiekwa Ifrem ọzọ. Nʼihi na abụ m Chineke, abụghị m mmadụ. Abụ m Onye Nsọ na-ebi nʼetiti unu. Agaghị m emegidekwa obodo ha.
10 You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.
Nʼihi na ha ga-agbaso Onyenwe anyị. Ọ ga-agbọkwa ụja dịka ọdụm. Mgbe ọ gbọrọ ụja, ụmụ ya ga-eji ịma jijiji site nʼakụkụ ọdịda anyanwụ bịakwute ya.
11 [Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
Dịka igwe nnụnụ ka ha ga-ama jijiji bịa site nʼIjipt, dịka nduru ka ha ga-efelata site nʼAsịrịa. Aga m eme ka ha biri nʼụlọ ha ọzọ,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
12 [Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”
Ifrem e jirila okwu ụgha gbaa m gburugburu, ezinaụlọ Izrel e jirila aghụghọ na-emeso m omume, ma Juda nọsịrị ike nʼekweghị nchịkọta nʼebe Chineke nọ, ọbụladị megide Onye Nsọ ahụ nke kwesiri ntụkwasị obi.

< Hosea 11 >