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.”

Then Yahweh said to me, “Go and show to your wife that you still love her, even though she has been committing adultery with another man who loves her. [That will show that] I still love the people of Israel, even though they worship other gods/idols and eat raisin cakes [in feasts that honor those gods].”

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

[My wife had become a slave, ] but I bought her for (6 ounces/179 grams) of silver and ten bushels of barley.

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

Then I said to her, “You must wait for many days [before we sleep together] [EUP]. During that time, you must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sex with any other man; but I will live with you.”

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

[Our doing that will show that] in the same way, the people of Israel will not have a king and [other] leaders for many years. They will not offer sacrifices or [have sacred stone] pillars, no sacred vest [for the Supreme Priest], and no idols!

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

But later, the people of Israel will return to Yahweh their God and [be guided by him and] by a king who is a descendant of [King] David. In the last/future days they will come to Yahweh, revering him and trembling [in his presence], and he will bless them.