UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, we Israyeli, kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho. Izono zakho yizo ezikuwisileyo!
Return, O Israel, to Jehovah thy God; For thou hast fallen by thine 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 Jehovah, saying, “Forgive all our iniquity, and receive us graciously, And we will render to thee the sacrifices 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 help us; We will not ride on horses; And no more will we say to the work of our hands, Ye are our Gods! For from thee the fatherless obtaineth mercy.”
4 “Ngizakwelapha ubuphakaphaka babo ngibathande ngokukhululeka, ngoba ukuthukuthela kwami sekusukile kubo.
“I will heal their rebellion; I will love them freely; For my anger is turned away from them.
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo ku-Israyeli; uzaqhakaza njengeluba. Uzatshonisa impande zakhe phansi njengomsedari waseLebhanoni;
I will be as the dew to Israel; He shall blossom as the lily, And strike his roots like Lebanon.
6 amahlumela akhe amatsha azakhula. Ubuhle bakhe buzakuba njengesihlahla se-oliva, iphunga lakhe libe njengomsedari waseLebhanoni.
His sprouts shall spread forth, And his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, And his fragrance as Lebanon.
7 Abantu bazahlala njalo emthunzini wakhe. Uzakhula kuhle njengamabele. Uzaqhakaza njengevini, lodumo lwakhe luzakuba njengolwewayini laseLebhanoni.
They that dwell under his shadow Shall revive as the corn; They shall shoot forth as the vine; Their name shall be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 Awu Efrayimi, kuyini futhi engingakwenza ngezithombe? Ngizamphendula ngimlondoloze. Mina nginjengesihlahla sephayini esiluhlaza, ukuthela kwakho izithelo kuvela kimi.”
Ephraim shall say, What have I more to do with idols? I will hear him; I will care for him; I will be like a green cypress-tree; From me shall thy fruit be found.”
9 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo? Uzazibona lezizinto. Ngubani oqedisisayo? Uzazizwisisisa. Izindlela zikaThixo zilungile abalungileyo bahamba kuzo, kodwa abahlamuki bayakhubeka kuzo.
Who is wise, that he may understand these things, Prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of Jehovah are right, And the righteous walk in them; But in them transgressors stumble.
