Hosea 6
1 “Ũkai, rekei tũcookerere Jehova. Nĩatũtambuurangĩte, no nĩegũtũhonia; nĩatũtihangĩtie, no nĩegũtuoha ironda ciitũ.
[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].
2 Thuutha wa matukũ meerĩ, nĩagatwarahũra; mũthenya wa ĩtatũ nĩagatũcookereria nĩguo tũtũũre muoyo mbere yake.
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.
3 Nĩtũmenyei Jehova, na tũkĩrĩrĩrie kũmũmenya. Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa riũa rĩrathaga-rĩ, noguo o nake akooneka; agooka kũrĩ ithuĩ ta mbura ya hĩndĩ ya heho, kana ta mbura ya gũkũria irio ĩrĩa yuraga thĩ.”
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).”
4 “Wee Efiraimu-rĩ, ingĩgwĩka atĩa? Na wee Juda-rĩ, ngũgwĩka atĩa? Wendo waku ũhaana ta kĩbii kĩa rũciinĩ, ũkahaana ta ime rĩa rũciinĩ rĩrĩa rĩcookaga rĩgathira.
[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].
5 Nĩkĩo ndaagũtinangirie icunjĩ na tũnua twa anabii akwa, ngĩkũũraga na ciugo cia kanua gakwa; matuĩro makwa magĩkĩhenũka ta rũheni igũrũ rĩaku.
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.
6 Nĩgũkorwo nyendaga tha no ti igongona, na kũmenya Ngai gũkĩra maruta ma njino.
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].
7 O ta ũrĩa Adamu aathũkirie kĩrĩkanĩro gĩakwa, noguo maagire kwĩhokeka ũndũ-inĩ ũcio.
But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.
8 Gileadi nĩ itũũra inene rĩa andũ aaganu, rĩhakĩtwo imeni nĩ makinya marĩ na thakame.
Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].
9 O ta ũrĩa ikundi cia atunyani ciĩhithagĩra mũndũ, no taguo ikundi cia athĩnjĩri-Ngai ciĩkaga; moraganagĩra njĩra-inĩ ya gũthiĩ Shekemu, makagera ngero cia thoni.
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.
10 Niĩ nĩnyonete ũndũ mũũru mũno nyũmba-inĩ ya Isiraeli. Kũu nĩkuo Efiraimu eheanĩte ahũũre ũmaraya, nake Isiraeli nĩakanyiitwo nĩ thaahu.
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.
11 “O na kũrĩ we, wee Juda, nĩwathĩrĩirio ihinda rĩa magetha. “O hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndaacookeria andũ akwa maũndũ ma kũmaguna,
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,”
