Hohea 6

1 Haere mai, tatou ka hoki ki a Ihowa: nana hoki i haehae, a mana tatou e rongoa; nana i patu, mana ano tatou e takai.

[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 Kia rua nga ra ka whakaorangia tatou e ia; i te toru o nga ra ka whakaarahia tatou e ia, a ka ora tatou ki tona aroaro.

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 Na kia mohio tatou, kia whai atu tatou kia mohio ai ki a Ihowa; ko tona putanga tuturu tonu, koia ano kei to te ata, ko tona taenga mai ki a tatou rite tonu ki to te ua, ka rite ki to muri ua e makuku ai te whenua.

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 Me pehea koe e ahau, e Eparaima? Me pehea koe e ahau, e Hura? rite tonu hoki to koutou pai ki te kapua o te ata, ki te tomairangi o te atatu, e riro wawe atu ana.

[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 Na reira taku hahau i a ratou ki nga poropiti; tukitukia ana ratou e ahau ki nga kupu a toku mangai: rite tonu ano au whakaritenga ki te putanga ake o te marama.

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 Ko taku hoki i pai ai ko te tohu tangata, haunga te patunga tapu: ko te matau ki te Atua, pai ake i nga tahunga tinana.

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 Otiia kua pera ta ratou i ta Arama, kua whakataka e ratou te kawenata: kua tinihanga ratou ki ahau i reira.

But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.

8 He pa a Kireara no nga kaimahi i te he, poke tonu i te toto.

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 Rite tonu hoki ki ta nga taua pahua e whanga ana ki te tangata, ta te ropu o nga tohunga kohuru i te ara ki Hekeme; ae ra, kua mahi ratou i te he.

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 He hanga whakawehi taku i kite ai ki te whare o Iharaira: he puremu e kitea ana ki Eparaima, kua poke a Iharaira.

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 Kua rite hoki he kotinga mau, e Hura, ina whakahokia mai e ahau taku iwi i te whakarau.

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,”