Hosea 14
1 Israel, return to Yahweh your God; for you have fallen because of your sin.
Buyela, we Israyeli, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho. Izono zakho yizo ezikuwisileyo!
2 Take words with you, and return to Yahweh. Tell him, “Forgive all our sins, and accept that which is good; so we offer bulls as we vowed of our lips.
Thatha amazwi ubuyele kuThixo. Uthi kuye, “Sithethelele zonke izono zethu njalo usamukele ngomusa ukuba sinikele isithelo sezindebe zethu.
3 Assyria can’t save us. We won’t ride on horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ‘Our gods!’ for in you the fatherless finds mercy.”
I-Asiriya ayingeke isikhulule; kasiyikugada amabhiza empi. Kasisoze siphinde sithi, ‘Onkulunkulu bethu’ kulokho okwenziwa yizandla zethu, ngoba abazintandane bathola isihawu kuwe.”
4 “I will heal their waywardness. I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.
“Ngizakwelapha ubuphakaphaka babo ngibathande ngokukhululeka, ngoba ukuthukuthela kwami sekusukile kubo.
5 I will be like the dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, and send down his roots like Lebanon.
Ngizakuba njengamazolo ku-Israyeli; uzaqhakaza njengeluba. Uzatshonisa impande zakhe phansi njengomsedari waseLebhanoni;
6 His branches will spread, and his beauty will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance like Lebanon.
amahlumela akhe amatsha azakhula. Ubuhle bakhe buzakuba njengesihlahla se-oliva, iphunga lakhe libe njengomsedari waseLebhanoni.
7 Men will dwell in his shade. They will revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine. Their fragrance will be like the wine of Lebanon.
Abantu bazahlala njalo emthunzini wakhe. Uzakhula kuhle njengamabele. Uzaqhakaza njengevini, lodumo lwakhe luzakuba njengolwewayini laseLebhanoni.
8 Ephraim, what have I to do any more with idols? I answer, and will take care of him. I am like a green cypress tree; from me your fruit is found.”
Awu Efrayimi, kuyini futhi engingakwenza ngezithombe? Ngizamphendula ngimlondoloze. Mina nginjengesihlahla sephayini esiluhlaza, ukuthela kwakho izithelo kuvela kimi.”
9 Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo? Uzazibona lezizinto. Ngubani oqedisisayo? Uzazizwisisisa. Izindlela zikaThixo zilungile abalungileyo bahamba kuzo, kodwa abahlamuki bayakhubeka kuzo.
