UHoseya 4
1 Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina bako-Israyeli ngoba kulecala uThixo alethesa lina elihlala elizweni: “Akulakwethembeka, akulathando, akukho ukumamukela uNkulunkulu elizweni.
Hear the word of Yahweh, ye sons of Israel, —that, a controversy, hath Yahweh with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness, nor lovingkindness, nor knowledge of God, in the land:
2 Kulokuthuka kuphela, lokuqamba amanga lokubulala, lokuntshontsha kanye lobufebe; benza ububi bonke, njalo ukuchithwa kwegazi kulandela ukuchithwa kwegazi.
Cursing and lying, and killing and stealing, and committing adultery, have broken forth, and, blood-shedding, unto blood-shedding, doth extend.
3 Ilizwe liyalila ngenxa yalokhu, njalo bonke abahlala kulo bayacikizeka; izinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle kuyafa.
For this cause, shall the land mourn, and everyone who dwelleth therein shall languish, with the wild beast of the field and with the bird of the heavens, —moreover also, the fishes of the sea, shall be withdrawn.
4 Kodwa akungabi lamuntu omangalayo, akungabi lomuntu owethesa omunye icala ngoba abantu bakho bafana lalabo abamangalela umphristi.
Howbeit let, no man, contend, nor let him rebuke another, —since, thy people, are as they who contend against a priest:
5 Liyakhubeka emini lebusuku, labaphrofethi bakhubeka kanye lani. Ngakho unyoko ngizamchitha,
So shouldst thou stumble in the daytime, and even the prophet stumble with thee, in the night, —and I should destroy thine own mother.
6 abantu bami bachithwa yikungabi lolwazi. Njengoba likwalile ukwazi, lami ngiyalala njengabaphristi bami; ngoba kaliwunakanga umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu, lami angiyikubanaka abantwana benu.
My people, are destroyed, for lack of knowledge, —Because, thou, hast rejected knowledge, therefore will I reject thee from ministering as priest unto me, and, because thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also, will forget thy children.
7 Ngokwanda kwabaphristi, kwanda kanjalo lokona kwabo kimi, benanisa uDumo lwabo ngento elihlazo.
As they were magnified, so, they sinned against me, —My glory—for what was contemptible, did they exchange.
8 Badla izono zabantu bami bajabuliswe yikuxhwala kwabo.
The sin of my people, they do eat, —and. unto their iniquity, lift they up every man his desire.
9 Njalo kuzakuba kanje: Njengabantu, njengabaphristi. Bonke ngizabajezisela izindlela zabo, ngiphindisele kubo lezenzo zabo.
So doth it come to be—like people, like priest, —therefore will I visit upon him his ways, and, his doings, will I bring back to him;
10 Bazakudla kodwa bangasuthi; bazakwenza ubufebe kodwa bangandi, ngoba bamdelile uThixo ukuba bazinikele
And they shall eat, and not be satisfied, they have encouraged unchastity, yet have not been making increase, —for unto, Yahweh, have they left off giving heed: —
11 ebufebeni, lewayini elidala kanye lelitsha elisusa ukuqedisisa kwabantu bami.
Unchastity, and wine, and new wine, take away the heart.
12 Badinga izeluleko esithombeni sesigodo baphendulwe yiluthi lwesigodo. Umoya wobufebe uyabedukisa; kabathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wabo.
My people, of their Wood, do ask, —Let, their Staff, then tell them, —for, the spirit of unchastity, hath led them astray, and they have unchastely departed from under their God.
13 Banikela imihlatshelo ezingqongweni zezintaba batshise iminikelo phezu kwamaqaqa, ngaphansi komʼokhi, lomphophila kanye lomtherebhinti, lapho okulomthunzi omnandi. Ngakho amadodakazi enu enza ubuwule, labomalukazana benu benze ubufebe.
On the headlands of the mountains, they sacrifice, and, on the hills, burn they incense, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because, pleasant, is the shade thereof: For this cause, do your daughters, become unchaste, and, your brides, commit adultery.
14 Angiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu lapho esenza ubuwule loba omalukazana benu lapho besenza ubufebe, ngoba amadoda uqobo azwana lezifebe anikele imihlatshelo lezifebe ezisezindaweni zokukhonzela abantu abangelakuqedisisa bazabhubha.
I do not bring punishment upon your daughters when they become unchaste, nor upon your brides, when they commit adultery, for, the men themselves, with unchaste women, do seclude themselves, and, with the common women of the shrine, do offer sacrifice, —and, a people who will not discern, must be ruined.
15 Lanxa ufeba, we Israyeli, uJuda kangabi lecala. Lingayi eGiligali; lingayi eBhethi-Aveni. Njalo lingafungi lisithi, ‘Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona!’
Though unchaste art thou, O Israel, let not Judah, become guilty, neither let them enter Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-aven, and [then] swear, By the life of Yahweh!
16 Abako-Israyeli bayiziqholo, njengethokazi eliyisiqholo. Pho uThixo angabelusela njani emadlelweni njengezimvu na?
For, as a heifer that is stubborn, hath Israel, been stubborn, —Now, can Yahweh, turn them out to pasture, like a young ram in a wide place?
17 U-Efrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekeleni enjalo!
Mated with idols, is Ephraim, let him alone.
18 Lalapho okunathwayo kwabo sekuphelile, bayaqhubeka ngobufebe babo; ababusi babo bazithanda kakhulu izindlela ezilihlazo.
Their drinking-bout, having passed, —they became, unchaste, they loved wildly, a contempt, became her great men.
19 Isavunguzane sizabakhukhula, lemihlatshelo yabo izabalethela ihlazo.”
The wind hath bound her up in its wings, —that they may be ashamed, because of their sacrifices.
