UHoseya 3

1 UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Hamba, utshengisele uthando lwakho kumkakho futhi, lanxa nje ethandwa ngomunye njalo eyisifebekazi. Mthande njengoThixo ethanda abako-Israyeli, lanxa baphendukela kwabanye onkulunkulu njalo bethanda amakhekhe ezithelo ezonyisiweyo.”

And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of Israel, and they look to strange gods, and love the husks of the grapes.

2 Ngakho ngamthenga ngamashekeli esiliva alitshumi lanhlanu langokwakuphosa kube lihomeri leletheki lebhali.

And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core of barley, and for half a core of barley.

3 Ngasengisithi kuye, “Uzahlala lami insuku ezinengi; akumelanga ube yisifebe loba wembathe lenye indoda, lami ngizahlala lawe.”

And I said to her: Thou shalt wait for me many days: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be no man’s, and I also will wait for thee.

4 Ngoba abako-Israyeli bazahlala insuku ezinengi bengelankosi kumbe inkosana, bengelamhlatshelo kumbe amatshe angcwele, bengelasembatho semahlombe kumbe isithombe.

For the children of Israel shall sit many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without ephod, and without theraphim.

5 Muva abako-Israyeli bazaphenduka bamdinge uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo kanye loDavida inkosi yabo. Bazakuza kuThixo beqhaqhazela kanye lasezibusisweni zakhe ensukwini zokucina.

And after this the children of Israel shall return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king: and they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness in the last days.