UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, we Israyeli, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho. Izono zakho yizo ezikuwisileyo!
Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God; for the people have fallen through your iniquities.
2 Thatha amazwi ubuyele kuThixo. Uthi kuye, “Sithethelele zonke izono zethu njalo usamukele ngomusa ukuba sinikele isithelo sezindebe zethu.
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that you may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that you may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.
3 I-Asiriya ayingeke isikhulule; kasiyikugada amabhiza empi. Kasisoze siphinde sithi, ‘Onkulunkulu bethu’ kulokho okwenziwa yizandla zethu, ngoba abazintandane bathola isihawu kuwe.”
Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in you shall pity the orphan.
4 “Ngizakwelapha ubuphakaphaka babo ngibathande ngokukhululeka, ngoba ukuthukuthela kwami sekusukile kubo.
I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo ku-Israyeli; uzaqhakaza njengeluba. Uzatshonisa impande zakhe phansi njengomsedari waseLebhanoni;
I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.
6 amahlumela akhe amatsha azakhula. Ubuhle bakhe buzakuba njengesihlahla se-oliva, iphunga lakhe libe njengomsedari waseLebhanoni.
His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.
7 Abantu bazahlala njalo emthunzini wakhe. Uzakhula kuhle njengamabele. Uzaqhakaza njengevini, lodumo lwakhe luzakuba njengolwewayini laseLebhanoni.
They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.
8 Awu Efrayimi, kuyini futhi engingakwenza ngezithombe? Ngizamphendula ngimlondoloze. Mina nginjengesihlahla sephayini esiluhlaza, ukuthela kwakho izithelo kuvela kimi.”
What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is your fruit found.
9 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo? Uzazibona lezizinto. Ngubani oqedisisayo? Uzazizwisisisa. Izindlela zikaThixo zilungile abalungileyo bahamba kuzo, kodwa abahlamuki bayakhubeka kuzo.
Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.
