UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, we Israyeli, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho. Izono zakho yizo ezikuwisileyo!
Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen down by thy iniquity.
2 Thatha amazwi ubuyele kuThixo. Uthi kuye, “Sithethelele zonke izono zethu njalo usamukele ngomusa ukuba sinikele isithelo sezindebe zethu.
Take with you words, and return to the Lord, and say to him: Take away all iniquity, and receive the good: and we will render the calves 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.”
Assyria shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more: The works of our hands are our gods, for thou wilt have mercy on the fatherless that is in thee.
4 “Ngizakwelapha ubuphakaphaka babo ngibathande ngokukhululeka, ngoba ukuthukuthela kwami sekusukile kubo.
I will heal their breaches, I will love them freely: for my wrath is turned away from them.
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo ku-Israyeli; uzaqhakaza njengeluba. Uzatshonisa impande zakhe phansi njengomsedari waseLebhanoni;
I will be as the dew, Israel shall spring as the lily, and his root shall shoot forth as that of Libanus.
6 amahlumela akhe amatsha azakhula. Ubuhle bakhe buzakuba njengesihlahla se-oliva, iphunga lakhe libe njengomsedari waseLebhanoni.
His branches shall spread, and his glory shall be as the olive tree: and his smell as that of Libanus.
7 Abantu bazahlala njalo emthunzini wakhe. Uzakhula kuhle njengamabele. Uzaqhakaza njengevini, lodumo lwakhe luzakuba njengolwewayini laseLebhanoni.
They shall be converted that sit under his shadow: they shall live upon wheat, and they shall blossom as a vine: his memorial shall be as the wine of Libanus.
8 Awu Efrayimi, kuyini futhi engingakwenza ngezithombe? Ngizamphendula ngimlondoloze. Mina nginjengesihlahla sephayini esiluhlaza, ukuthela kwakho izithelo kuvela kimi.”
Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I will hear him, and I will make him flourish like a green fir tree: from me is thy fruit found.
9 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo? Uzazibona lezizinto. Ngubani oqedisisayo? Uzazizwisisisa. Izindlela zikaThixo zilungile abalungileyo bahamba kuzo, kodwa abahlamuki bayakhubeka kuzo.
Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know these things? for the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall in them.
