< Hohea 14 >
1 Hoki mai, e Iharaira, ki a Ihowa, ki tou Atua: kua taka hoki koe i tou he.
O Israel, return unto Jehovah thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.
2 Tikina etahi kupu ma koutou, tahuri mai hoki ki a Ihowa: mea atu ki a ia, Whakakahoretia katoatia atu te he, kia manako mai ki te mea pai: a ka hoatu e matou ano he puru te whakahere, ara o matou ngutu.
Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good: so will we render [as] bullocks [the offering of] our lips.
3 E kore matou e ora i a Ahuru; e kore matou e eke hoiho, a heoi ano a matou kianga atu ki te mahi a o matou ringa, Ko koutou o matou atua: e arohaina ana hoki te pani e koe.
Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses; neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, [Ye are] our gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.
4 Ka rongoatia e ahau to ratou tahuri ke, ka aroha ahau ki a ratou, he mea utukore: no te mea kua tahuri toku riri i a ia.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him.
5 Ko taku ki a Iharaira ka rite ki te tomairangi; ka rite tona tupu ki to te rengarenga, te totoro o ona pakiaka ka rite ki to Repanona.
I will be as the dew unto Israel; he shall blossom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.
6 Ka tautoro ona manga, ka rite tona ataahua ki to te oriwa, tona kakara ki to Repanona.
His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
7 Ko te hunga e noho ana i raro i tona marumaru ka hoki mai: ka ora ake ratou, ka pera me te witi, ka rite to ratou tupu ki to te waina: ko tona kakara ka rite ki to te waina o Repanona.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive [as] the grain, and blossom as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
8 Tera a Eparaima e ki, Hei aha ake maku nga whakapakoko? kua rongo ahau ki a ia, kua kite i a ia; ko toku rite kei te kauri matomato. Ka kitea ki ahau he hua mou.
Ephraim [shall say], What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will regard him: I am like a green fir-tree; from me is thy fruit found.
9 Ko wai te mea whakaaro nui hei matau ki enei mea? ko wai te mea tupato e mohiotia ai? tika tonu hoki nga ara a Ihowa, a ka haere te hunga tika i reira, ka taka ia te hunga he i reira.
Who is wise, that he may understand these things? prudent, that he may know them? for the ways of Jehovah are right, and the just shall walk in them; but transgressors shall fall therein.