Hosea 6
1 [The Israeli people say, ] “Come, let’s return to Yahweh! He has caused [us] to be injured, but he will heal us. He has caused [us] to be wounded, but [it is as though] he will put bandages on our wounds [MET].
“Njooni, tumrudie Bwana. Ameturarua vipande vipande lakini atatuponya; ametujeruhi lakini atatufunga majeraha yetu.
2 After a very short time he will revive us; in less than three days he will restore us in order that we may live in his presence.
Baada ya siku mbili atatufufua; katika siku ya tatu atatuinua, ili tuweze kuishi mbele zake.
3 We must try to know Yahweh; [if we do that, ] he will come [and help] us, as surely as the sun rises [every morning], as surely as rain falls every winter/cold season, and as surely as the rain falls again (in the springtime/at the end of the cold season).”
Tumkubali Bwana, tukaze kumkubali yeye. Kutokea kwake ni hakika kama vile kuchomoza kwa jua; atatujia kama mvua za masika, kama vile mvua za vuli ziinyweshavyo nchi.”
4 [But Yahweh knows they are insincere; ] [so he says to them, ] “You [people of] Israel, and you [people of] Judah, [I do not know] [RHQ] what I should do to you. Your being faithful [to me will disappear as quickly] as [SIM] the morning mist [disappears], like [SIM] the dew [on the ground] that disappears quickly [when the sun shines].
“Nifanye nini nawe, Efraimu? Nifanye nini nawe, Yuda? Upendo wako ni kama ukungu wa asubuhi, kama umande wa alfajiri utowekao.
5 I warned [HYP] you by [the messages that I gave to] the prophets, [but you did not pay attention to my messages]. Therefore I will completely destroy you; the punishment that I give you will strike you like lightning.
Kwa hiyo ninawakata ninyi vipande vipande kwa kutumia manabii wangu; nimewaua ninyi kwa maneno ya kinywa changu, hukumu zangu zinawaka kama umeme juu yenu.
6 I want [my people] to faithfully love [me] more than [I want them to offer] sacrifices [to me]; [I want them] to know me more than [I want them to] completely burn sacrifices [on the altar].
Kwa maana nataka rehema, wala si dhabihu, kumkubali Mungu zaidi kuliko sadaka za kuteketezwa.
7 But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.
Wamevunja Agano kama Adamu: huko hawakuwa waaminifu kwangu.
8 Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].
Gileadi ni mji wenye watu waovu, umetiwa madoa kwa nyayo za damu.
9 The priests are like [SIM] bandits who wait (in ambushes/along the road) to attack people; they murder [people who are walking] on the road to Shechem, and they commit other disgraceful crimes.
Kama wanyangʼanyi wamviziavyo mtu, ndivyo magenge ya makuhani wafanyavyo; wanaulia watu kwenye njia iendayo Shekemu, wakifanya uhalifu wa aibu.
10 I have seen horrible things [being done] in Israel [MTY]. The people have abandoned me [like prostitutes who have abandoned their husbands] [MET]; [so the people of] Israel have become unacceptable to me.
Nimeona jambo la kutisha katika nyumba ya Israeli. Huko Efraimu amejitolea kwa ukahaba na Israeli amenajisika.
11 And you [people of] Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish [MET] you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,”
“Pia kwa ajili yako, Yuda, mavuno yameamriwa. “Wakati wowote ningerejesha neema ya watu wangu,
