UHoseya 10

1 U-Israyeli wayelivini eliqhelayo, wazizalela izithelo. Ngokwanda kwezithelo zakhe wakha ama-alithare amanengi; kwathi ngokuphumelela kwelizwe lakhe wahlobisa amatshe akhe akhonzwayo.

2 Inhliziyo zabo ziyakhohlisa, khathesi kufanele bathwale icala labo. UThixo uzawabhidliza ama-alithare abo, uwachithile lamatshe abo, akhonzwayo.

3 Ngakho bazakuthi, “Thina kasilankosi ngoba kasimhloniphanga uThixo. Kodwa loba sasingaba lenkosi, kuyini eyayingasenzela khona?”

4 Benza izithembiso ezinengi, bafunge izifungo zamanga, benze lezivumelwano; ngakho amacala ayanda njengokhula olubulalayo ensimini elinyiweyo.

5 Abantu abahlala eSamariya bayesaba ngenxa yesithombe sethole saseBhethi-Aveni. Abantu bakhona bazasililela benzenjalo labaphristi bakhona abakhonza izithombe, labo abathokozela ubuhle baso ngoba sithethwe kubo ekuthunjweni.

6 Sizathwalelwa e-Asiriya njengomthelo enkosini enkulu. U-Efrayimi uzayangeka; u-Israyeli uzakuba lenhloni ngezithombe zakhe zezigodo.

7 ISamariya lenkosi yakhona kuzabhujiswa kuzakhukhulwa kuhambe njengogatshanyana phezu kwamanzi.

8 Izindawo zokukhonzela zobuxhwali zizachithwa, kuyisono sika-Israyeli. Ameva lokhula kuzakhula kwembese ama-alithare abo. Lapho-ke bazakuthi ezintabeni, “Sembeseni!” Lakuwo amaqaqa bathi, “Welani phezu kwethu!”

9 “Kusukela ensukwini zaseGibhiya wenze isono, we Israyeli, njalo ulokhu usele khonapho. Kanje impi kayibaficanga yini abenza okubi eGibhiya?

10 Lapho sengifuna, ngizabajezisa; izizwe zizaqoqanela ukumelana labo ukuba zibabophele isono sabo esiphindiweyo.

11 U-Efrayimi ulithokazi elifundisiweyo elithanda ukubhula amabele; ngakho ngizagaxa ijogwe entanyeni yakhe enhle. U-Efrayimi ngizamtshayela, uJuda kumele alime uJakhobe kumele abulale amagade.

12 Zihlanyeleleni ukulunga, vunani isithelo sothando olungapheliyo, liqeqebule lomhlabathi wenu ongalinywanga; ngoba kuyisikhathi sokudinga uThixo, aze abuye athele ukulunga phezu kwenu.

13 Kodwa lina lihlanyele ukuxhwala, livune ububi, lidle isithelo senkohliso. Njengoba lithembe amandla enu lamabutho enu amanengi,

14 ukuhlokoma kwempi kuzakuba khona ebantwini bakini, ngakho zonke izinqaba zenu zizabhidlizwa njengalokhu uShalimani wabhidliza iBhethi-Abheli ngosuku lwempi, lapho onina basakazelwa phansi labantwababo.

15 Kuzakwenzakala kanjalo lakuwe, wena Bhetheli, ngoba ukuxhwala kwakho kukhulu. Lapho lolosuku lusisa, inkosi yako-Israyeli izachithwa okupheleleyo.”