UHoseya 6

1 “Wozani sibuyele kuThixo. Usesidabule saba yizicucu kodwa uzaselapha; usilimazile kodwa uzawabopha amanxeba ethu.

“Come, let us return to Yahweh. For he has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds.

2 Emva kwensuku ezimbili uzasivuselela; ngosuku lwesithathu uzasibuyisela ukuze sihlale lapho akhona.

After two days he will revive us; he will raise us up on the third day, and we will live before him.

3 Kasimamukeleni uThixo; kasiqiniseni ukumamukela. Ngoqotho njengoba ilanga liphuma, uzabonakala; uzakuza kithi njengezulu lebusika, lanjengezulu lentwasa elithambisa umhlaba.”

Let us know Yahweh; let us press on to know Yahweh. His coming out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the land.”

4 “Ngingenzani ngawe, Efrayimi na? Ngingenzani ngawe, Juda na? Uthando lwenu lunjengenkungu yekuseni, lunjengamazolo ekuseni anyamalalayo.

Ephraim, what will I do with you? Judah, what will I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.

5 Ngakho ngaliqumaquma ngabaphrofethi bami, ngalibulala ngamazwi omlomo wami; ukwahlulela kwami kwaphazima njengombane phezu kwenu.

So I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth. Your decrees are like the light that shines out.

6 Ngoba mina ngifuna isihawu, hatshi umhlatshelo, lokwamukela uNkulunkulu kuleminikelo yokutshiswa.

For I desire faithfulness and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 Njengo-Adamu, sebesephule isivumelwano babengathembekanga khonale.

Like Adam they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me.

8 IGiliyadi lidolobho labantu abaxhwalileyo. Lingcolile ngezinyathelo zegazi

Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints of blood.

9 Njengezigebenga zicathamela umuntu, zenzanjalo izigangi zabaphristi; zibulala abantu emgwaqweni oya eShekhemu zisenza izinto ezimbi.

As gangs of robbers wait for someone, so the priests band together to commit murder on the way to Shechem; they have committed shameful crimes.

10 Sengibone into etshaqisayo endlini ka-Israyeli. U-Efrayimi uwela khonapho, lo-Israyeli ungcolisiwe.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

11 Lakuwe futhi Juda, ukuvuna sekulungiselwe. Lapho ngingabuyisela inotho yabantu bami.

For you also, Judah, a harvest has been appointed, when I will restore the fortunes of my people.