UHoseya 13
1 Lapho u-Efrayimi ekhuluma, abantu bathuthumela; wabatshazwa ko-Israyeli. Kodwa waba lecala lokukhonza uBhali wasesifa.
“When Ephraim speaks tremblingly, He has been lifted up in Israel, When he becomes guilty in Ba‘al he dies.
2 Khathesi benza izono njalonjalo; bazenzela izithombe ngesiliva sabo, izifanekiso ezenziwe ngokuhlakanipha, zonke ziyimisebenzi yezingcitshi. Ngabantu laba kuthiwa, “Banikela imihlatshelo yabantu, bange izithombe zamathole.”
And now they sin, And make for themselves 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.
3 Ngakho bazakuba njengenkungu yekuseni, njengamazolo ekuseni anyamalalayo, njengamakhoba asuka ezizeni, njengentuthu iphuma ewindini.
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.
4 “Kodwa mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, owalikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe. Kaliyikwamukela omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, hatshi omunye uMsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
And I [am] your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, And you do not know a God besides Me, And a Savior—there is none except Me.
5 Ngalilondoloza enkangala, elizweni elilokutshisa okuvuthayo.
I have known you in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.
6 Lapho ngibapha ukudla, basutha; sebesuthi, basuka bazigqaja; basebengikhohlwa.
They are satiated according to their feedings, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,
7 Ngizakwehlela phezu kwabo njengesilwane, ngizacathama ngasendleleni njengengwe.
And I am to them as a lion, I look out as a leopard by the way.
8 Njengebhele elithathelwe imidlwane yalo ngizabahlasela ngibaqhaqhe. Ngizabadla njengesilwane, inyamazana yeganga izabadabula.
I meet them as a bereaved bear, And I tear the enclosure of their heart, And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field tears them.
9 Uchithiwe, wena Israyeli, ngoba umelane lami, umelane lomsizi wakho.
You have destroyed yourself, O Israel, But in Me [is] your help;
10 Ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuba ikusize na? Bangaphi ababusi bakho kuwo wonke amadolobho akho, bona owathi ngabo, ‘Ngipha inkosi lababusi’?
Where [is] your king now—And he saves you in all your cities? And your judges of whom you said, Give a king and heads to me?
11 Ngakho ngakunika inkosi ngithukuthele, njalo ngolaka lwami ngayisusa.
I give to you a king in My anger, And I take away in My wrath.
12 Icala lika-Efrayimi ligciniwe, izono zakhe zigcinwe emibhalweni.
Bound up [is] the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden [is] his sin,
13 Ufikelwa yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ehelelwa, kodwa ungumntwana ongelalwazi; lapho isikhathi sifika, kabuyi ekuvulekeni kwesizalo.
Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He [is] not a wise son, For he does not remain [at] the time for the breaking forth of sons.
14 Ngizabahlenga emandleni engcwaba; ngizabasindisa ekufeni. Zingaphi, we kufa izifo zakho? Kungaphi, we ngcwaba, ukuchitha kwakho? Kangiyikuba lesihawu, (Sheol h7585)
Will I ransom them from the hand of Sheol? Will I redeem them from death? Where [is] your plague, O death? Where your destruction, O Sheol? Comfort is hid from My eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 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.
Though he produces fruit among brothers, An east wind comes in, a wind of YHWH, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it dries up his fountain, And his spring becomes dry, It—it spoils a treasure—every desirable vessel.
16 Abantu baseSamariya kuzamela balithwale icala labo, ngoba bamhlamukele uNkulunkulu wabo. Bazabulawa ngenkemba; insane zabo zizasakazelwa phansi, abesifazane babo abazithweleyo baqhaqhwe.”
Samaria becomes desolate, Because she has been rebellious against her God, They fall by sword, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!”
