UHoseya 1

1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuHoseya indodana kaBeyeri ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda, lensukwini zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaJowasi inkosi yakoIsrayeli.

A word of YHWH that has been to Hosea, son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel:

2 Ukuqala kwelizwi leNkosi ngoHoseya. INkosi yasisithi kuHoseya: Hamba uzithathele umfazi wobuwule, labantwana bobuwule; ngoba ilizwe liyawula kakhulu ngokungayilandeli iNkosi.

The commencement of YHWH’s speaking by Hosea. And YHWH says to Hosea, “Go, take a woman of whoredoms for yourself, and children of whoredoms, for the land goes utterly whoring from after YHWH.”

3 Wasehamba wathatha uGomeri indodakazi kaDibilayimi; wasekhulelwa, wamzalela indodana.

And he goes and takes Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceives and bears a son to him;

4 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguJizereyeli, ngoba kuseseyisikhatshana ngizaphindisela icala legazi leJizereyeli phezu kwendlu kaJehu, ngiwuqede umbuso wendlu kaIsrayeli.

and YHWH says to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for yet a little, and I have charged the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and have caused the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease;

5 Kuzakuthi ngalolosuku ngephule idandili likaIsrayeli esigodini seJizereyeli.

and it has come to pass in that day that I have broken the bow of Israel in the Valley of Jezreel.”

6 Wasebuya ekhulelwa, wazala indodakazi. UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuye: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguLo-Ruhama, ngoba kangisayikubuya ngihawukele indlu kaIsrayeli, kodwa ngizabasusa lokubasusa.

And she conceives again, and bears a daughter, and He says to him, “Call her name Lo-Ruhamah [(Not Loved)], for I no longer pity the house of Israel, for I utterly take them away;

7 Kodwa ngizayihawukela indlu yakoJuda, ngibasindise ngeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo; njalo kangiyikubasindisa ngedandili, loba ngenkemba, loba ngempi, ngamabhiza, kumbe ngabagadi bamabhiza.

and I pity the house of Judah, and have saved them by their God YHWH, and do not save them by bow, and by sword, and by battle, by horses, and by horsemen.”

8 Esemlumulile uLo-Ruhama, wakhulelwa, wazala indodana.

And she weans Lo-Ruhamah, and conceives, and bears a son;

9 UNkulunkulu wasesithi: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguLo-Ami; ngoba kalisibo abantu bami, ngakho mina kangisuye owenu.

and He says, “Call his name Lo-Ammi [(Not My People)], for you [are] not My people, and I am not for you;

10 Kube kanti inani labantwana bakoIsrayeli lizakuba ngangetshebetshebe lolwandle elingeke lilinganiswe elingeke libalwe. Njalo kuzakuthi, endaweni yokuthi kuthiwe kubo: Kalisibo abantu bami; kuzakuthiwa kubo: Lingabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.

and the number of the sons of Israel has been as the sand of the sea that is not measured nor numbered, and it has come to pass in the place where it is said to them, You [are] not My people, it is said to them, Sons of the Living God;

11 Ngakho abantwana bakoJuda labantwana bakoIsrayeli bazabuthaniswa ndawonye, bazimisele inhloko eyodwa, benyuke baphume elizweni. Ngoba luzakuba lukhulu usuku lweJizereyeli.

and the sons of Judah and the sons of Israel have been gathered together, and they have appointed one head for themselves, and have gone up from the land, for great [is] the day of Jezreel.”