UHoseya 9
1 Ungathokozi, we Israyeli; ungajabuli njengezinye izizwe. Ngoba ube ungathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wakho; uthanda umholo wesifebe ezizeni zonke zokubhulela.
Don’t rejoice, Israel, to jubilation like the nations; for you were unfaithful to your God. You love the wages of a prostitute at every grain threshing floor.
2 Iziza lezikhamelo zewayini kakuyikunika abantu ukudla; iwayini elitsha lizabehlulekisa.
The threshing floor and the wine press won’t feed them, and the new wine will fail her.
3 Kabayikuhlala elizweni likaThixo; u-Efrayimi uzabuyela eGibhithe adle ukudla okungcolileyo e-Asiriya.
They won’t dwell in the LORD’s land; but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 Kabayikuthululela iminikelo yewayini kuThixo, lemihlatshelo yabo kayiyikumthokozisa. Imihlatshelo enje kubo izakuba njengesinkwa sabalilayo; bonke abayidlayo bazangcola. Ukudla lokhu kuzakuba ngokwabo; akuyikufika ethempelini likaThixo.
They won’t pour out wine offerings to the LORD, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like the bread of mourners; all who eat of it will be polluted; for their bread will be for their appetite. It will not come into the LORD’s house.
5 Lizakwenzani ngosuku lwemikhosi yenu emisiweyo, ngensuku zamadili kaThixo na?
What will you do in the day of solemn assembly, and in the day of the feast of the LORD?
6 Lanxa bengaphunyuka ekubhujisweni, iGibhithe izababutha, njalo iMemfisi izabangcwaba. Ingcebo yabo yesiliva izathathwa yimbabazane, njalo ameva azagcwala emathenteni abo.
For, behold, when they flee destruction, Egypt will gather them up. Memphis will bury them. Nettles will possess their pleasant things of silver. Thorns will be in their tents.
7 Insuku zokujeziswa ziyeza, insuku zokwahlulelwa sezifikile. U-Israyeli kumele akwazi lokhu. Ngoba izono zenu zinengi kakhulu lenzondo yenu inkulu kakhulu, umphrofethi ubalwa njengesiwula umuntu oholwa ngomoya enziwe njengohlanya.
The days of visitation have come. The days of reckoning have come. Israel will consider the prophet to be a fool, and the man who is inspired to be insane, because of the abundance of your sins, and because your hostility is great.
8 Umphrofethi, ekanye loNkulunkulu wami, ungumuntu olinda u-Efrayimi, kodwa imijibila imlindele kuzozonke izindlela zakhe, kanye lenzondo endlini kaNkulunkulu.
A prophet watches over Ephraim with my God. A fowler’s snare is on all of his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.
9 Batshone baphelela ekonakaleni, njengasezinsukwini zaseGibhiya. UNkulunkulu uzakukhumbula ukuxhwala kwabo abajezisele izono zabo.
They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity. He will punish them for their sins.
10 “Ekufumaneni kwami u-Israyeli kwakunjengokuthola amagrebisi enkangala; ekuboneni kwami okhokho benu, kwakunjengokubona izithelo zakuqala zomkhiwa. Kodwa ekufikeni kwabo kuBhali-Pheyori, bazinikela kulesosithombe esihlazisayo benyanyeka njengaleyonto ababeyithanda.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; but they came to Baal Peor, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, and became abominable like that which they loved.
11 Udumo luka-Efrayimi luzaphapha luhambe njengenyoni, akuyikuba lokuzala, lokukhulelwa, lokuthatha izisu.
As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no one with child, and no conception.
12 Loba bangaze bondle abantwana, ngizabemuka bonke. Maye kubo, lapho sengibadelile!
Though they bring up their children, yet I will bereave them, so that not a man shall be left. Indeed, woe also to them when I depart from them!
13 Ngimbonile u-Efrayimi, njengeThire, ebekwe endaweni enhle. Kodwa u-Efrayimi uzakhuphela abantwana bakhe phandle kobulalayo.”
I have seen Ephraim, like Tyre, planted in a pleasant place; but Ephraim will bring out his children to the murderer.
14 Baphe, Oh Thixo uzabaphani na? Baphe izibeletho eziphunzayo lamabele angelalutho.
Give them—LORD what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.
15 “Ngenxa yokuxhwala kwabo konke eGiligali, ngabazonda khonale. Ngenxa yezenzo zabo eziyizono, ngizabaxotsha endlini yami. Kangisayikubathanda futhi; bonke abakhokheli babo bangabahlamuki.
“All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I hated them. Because of the wickedness of their deeds, I will drive them out of my house! I will love them no more. All their princes are rebels.
16 U-Efrayimi udlekile, impande zabo zomile, kabatheli zithelo. Loba bengazala abantwana, ngizayibulala inzalo yabo abayithandayo.”
Ephraim is struck. Their root has dried up. They will bear no fruit. Even though they give birth, yet I will kill the beloved ones of their womb.”
17 UNkulunkulu wami ubalile ngoba kabamlalelanga; bazakuba zinzulane phakathi kwezizwe.
My God will cast them away, because they didn’t listen to him; and they will be wanderers amongst the nations.
