UHoseya 1

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

[I am] Hosea, the son of Beeri. Yahweh gave me these messages [at various times] during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah, and Jeroboam the son of Jehoash was the King of Israel.

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

When Yahweh first [began to] give messages to me [to tell to the people of Israel], he said to me, “Go and marry a prostitute. But [some of] her children will be born as a result of her having sex with men to whom she is not married. That will illustrate how the people of Israel have turned away from me and worship (idols/other gods).”

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

So I married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. She became pregnant and gave birth to my son.

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

Yahweh said to me, “Give him the name Jezreel, [which means ‘God scatters’], because I will soon punish the descendants [MTY] of [King] Jehu [by scattering them], because he killed many of my people at Jezreel [town]. [Some day] I will end the kingdom of Israel,

5 Kuzakuthi ngalolosuku ngephule idandili likaIsrayeli esigodini seJizereyeli.

by destroying the power [MTY] of [the army of] Israel in Jezreel Valley.”

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

[Later] Gomer became pregnant [again], and she gave birth to a daughter. Yahweh said to me “Give her the name Lo-ruhamah, [which means ‘not loved],’ because I will no longer [show that I] love the people [MET] of Israel, and I will not forgive them [for the sins that they have committed].

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

But I will [show that I] love the people [MTY] of Judah [by saving them from their enemies]. However, it will not be by weapons and armies or horses and chariots that I will save them. Instead, it will be by [the power that I], Yahweh their God, [have].”

8 Esemlumulile uLo-Ruhama, wakhulelwa, wazala indodana.

After Gomer had (weaned/stopped breast-feeding) Lo-ruhamah, she became pregnant again, and she gave birth to another son.

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

Yahweh said “Give him the name Lo-ammi, [which means 'not my people', ] because the people of Israel are no [longer my people], and I am not their God.

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.

But [some day] the people of Israel will be [as numerous] as [SIM] the [grains of] sand on the seashore; no one will be able to count them. Now [I] am saying to them, ‘You are not my people,’ but then people will say to them, ‘[You are the] children of God who is all-powerful.’

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

[At that time], the people of Judah and the people of Israel will unite. They will appoint one leader for all of them, and they will return from the countries [to which they have been (exiled/forced to go)]. That will be a great time; Jezreel [also means ‘God plants’, and it will be as though God will plant them in this country again].”