< Hosea 1 >

1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
Ilizwi likaThixo lafika kuHosiya indodana kaBheri ngezinsuku zemibuso yabo-Uziya, loJothamu, lo-Ahazi loHezekhiya amakhosi akoJuda, kanye lasezinsukwini zokubusa kukaJerobhowamu indodana kaJowashi inkosi yako-Israyeli.
2 The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go take to thee a wife addicted to lewdness and children of lewdness; for the land hath committed great lewdness, [departing] from the LORD.
Kwathi uThixo eseqalise ukukhuluma ngoHosiya, uThixo wathi kuye, “Hamba uyethatha umfazi oyisifebe ubelabantwana bobufebe, ngoba ilizwe lilecala lobufebe obubi kakhulu ngokweduka kuThixo.”
3 So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; who conceived, and bore him a son.
Ngakho wathatha uGomeri indodakazi kaDibilayimi, njalo wathatha isisu wamzalela indodana.
4 And the LORD said to him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little [while], and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.
UThixo wasesithi kuHoseya, “Methe ibizo uthi nguJezerili, ngoba masinyane nje ngizayijezisa indlu kaJehu ngenxa yesihluku sokubulala abantu abanengi eJezerili, njalo ngizawuqeda umbuso wako-Israyeli.
5 And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.
Ngalolosuku ngizakwephula idandili lika-Israyeli eSigodini saseJezerili.”
6 And she conceived again, and bore a daughter. And [God] said to him, Call her name Lo-ruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.
UGomeri wathatha isisu futhi, wazala indodakazi. UThixo wasesithi, “Muphe ibizo uthi nguLo-Ruhama, ngoba kangisoze ngibe lothando futhi endlini ka-Israyeli, ukuba ngibathethelele.
7 But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.
Kodwa ngizakuba lothando endlini kaJuda, njalo ngizabakhulula, kungayisikho ngedandili, inkemba kumbe impi, loba ngamabhiza langabagadi bamabhiza, kodwa ngoThixo uNkulunkulu wabo.”
8 Now when she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son.
UGomeri eselumule uLo-Ruhama ebeleni, waba lenye indodana.
9 Then said [God], Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye [are] not my people, and I will not be your [God].
UThixo wasesithi, “Muphe ibizo lokuthi nguLo-Ami, ngoba lina kalisibo bantu bami, lami kangisuye uNkulunkulu wenu.
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, [that] in the place where it was said to them, Ye [are] not my people, [there] it shall be said to them, [Ye are] the sons of the living God.
Kodwa abako-Israyeli bazakuba njengetshebetshebe ekhunjini lolwandle elingeke lilinganiswe kumbe libalwe. Endaweni lapho okwakuthiwe khona kubo, ‘Kalisibo bantu bami,’ bazabizwa ngokuthi, ‘bantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.’
11 Then shall the children of Judah and the children of Israel be assembled, and appoint themselves one head, and they shall come up from the land: for great [shall be] the day of Jezreel.
Abantu bakoJuda labantu bako-Israyeli bazamanyana, njalo bazakhetha umkhokheli oyedwa baphume elizweni, ngoba luzakuba lukhulu usuku lukaJezerili.”

< Hosea 1 >