Hosea 13
1 When Ephraim speaketh tremblingly, He hath been lifted up in Israel, When he becometh guilty in Baal he dieth.
Lapho u-Efrayimi ekhuluma, abantu bathuthumela; wabatshazwa ko-Israyeli. Kodwa waba lecala lokukhonza uBhali wasesifa.
2 And now do they add to sin, And make to them a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding — idols, A work of artisans — all of it, Of them they say, who [are] sacrificers among men, 'The calves let them kiss.'
Khathesi benza izono njalonjalo; bazenzela izithombe ngesiliva sabo, izifanekiso ezenziwe ngokuhlakanipha, zonke ziyimisebenzi yezingcitshi. Ngabantu laba kuthiwa, “Banikela imihlatshelo yabantu, bange izithombe zamathole.”
3 Therefore they are as a cloud of the morning, And as dew, rising early, going away, As chaff tossed about out of a floor, And as smoke out of a window.
Ngakho bazakuba njengenkungu yekuseni, njengamazolo ekuseni anyamalalayo, njengamakhoba asuka ezizeni, njengentuthu iphuma ewindini.
4 And I [am] Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, And a God besides Me thou dost not know, And a Saviour — there is none save Me.
“Kodwa mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, owalikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe. Kaliyikwamukela omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, hatshi omunye uMsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
5 I — I have known thee in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.
Ngalilondoloza enkangala, elizweni elilokutshisa okuvuthayo.
6 According to their feedings they are satiated, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,
Lapho ngibapha ukudla, basutha; sebesuthi, basuka bazigqaja; basebengikhohlwa.
7 And I am to them as a lion, As a leopard by the way I look out.
Ngizakwehlela phezu kwabo njengesilwane, ngizacathama ngasendleleni njengengwe.
8 I do meet them as a bereaved bear, And I rend the enclosure of their heart.
Njengebhele elithathelwe imidlwane yalo ngizabahlasela ngibaqhaqhe. Ngizabadla njengesilwane, inyamazana yeganga izabadabula.
9 And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field doth rend them.
Uchithiwe, wena Israyeli, ngoba umelane lami, umelane lomsizi wakho.
10 Thou hast destroyed thyself, O Israel, But in Me [is] thy help, Where [is] thy king now — And he doth save thee in all thy cities? And thy judges of whom thou didst say, 'Give to me a king and heads?'
Ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuba ikusize na? Bangaphi ababusi bakho kuwo wonke amadolobho akho, bona owathi ngabo, ‘Ngipha inkosi lababusi’?
11 I give to thee a king in Mine anger, And I take away in My wrath.
Ngakho ngakunika inkosi ngithukuthele, njalo ngolaka lwami ngayisusa.
12 Bound up [is] the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden [is] his sin,
Icala lika-Efrayimi ligciniwe, izono zakhe zigcinwe emibhalweni.
13 Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He [is] a son not wise, For he remaineth not the time for the breaking forth of sons.
Ufikelwa yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ehelelwa, kodwa ungumntwana ongelalwazi; lapho isikhathi sifika, kabuyi ekuvulekeni kwesizalo.
14 From the hand of Sheol I do ransom them, From death I redeem them, Where [is] thy plague, O death? Where thy destruction, O Sheol? Repentance is hid from Mine eyes. (Sheol h7585)
Ngizabahlenga emandleni engcwaba; ngizabasindisa ekufeni. Zingaphi, we kufa izifo zakho? Kungaphi, we ngcwaba, ukuchitha kwakho? Kangiyikuba lesihawu, (Sheol h7585)
15 Though he among brethren produceth fruit, Come in doth an east wind, a wind of Jehovah, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it drieth up his fountain, And become dry doth his spring, It — it spoileth a treasure — every desirable vessel.
lanxa ekhula phakathi kwabafowabo. Umoya wasempumalanga ovela kuThixo uzafika, uphephetha uvela enkangala; intwasa yakhe izakwehluleka, lemithombo yakhe itshe. Indlu yakhe yokugcinela izaphangwa yonke ingcebo yayo.
16 Become desolate doth Samaria, Because she hath rebelled against her God, By sword they do fall, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!
Abantu baseSamariya kuzamela balithwale icala labo, ngoba bamhlamukele uNkulunkulu wabo. Bazabulawa ngenkemba; insane zabo zizasakazelwa phansi, abesifazane babo abazithweleyo baqhaqhwe.”
