UHoseya 10
1 UIsrayeli ulivini elithululwayo, lizenzela izithelo; njengobunengi bezithelo zakhe wandisa amalathi akhe; ngobuhle belizwe lakhe wenza insika zakhe eziyizithombe zibe zinhle.
An emptied vine is Israel; how should he bring forth fruit for himself? the more numerous was his fruit the more he increased the altars; the more prosperous was his land, the more they made goodly statues.
2 Iyehlukanisile inhliziyo yabo; khathesi bazakuba lecala; yona izabhidliza amalathi abo, ichithe insika zabo eziyizithombe.
Their heart is divided; now shall they bear their guilt: this will break down their altars, will devastate their statues.
3 Ngoba khathesi bazakuthi: Kasilankosi; ngoba kasimesabanga uJehova; pho, inkosi izakwenzani kithi?
For now will they say, We have no king; because we fear not the Lord: and the king—what can he do for us?
4 Bakhulume amazwi, befunga amanga besenza isivumelwano; ngakho isahlulelo sizahluma njengokhula oluyitshefu emifolweni yensimu.
They have spoken [vain] words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: therefore springeth up the punishment as poison in the furrows of the field.
5 Abahlali beSamariya bazakwesaba ngenxa yethole leBeti-Aveni; ngoba abantu bayo bazalililela, labapristi balo ababethokoza ngalo, ngodumo lwalo, ngoba lusukile kulo.
For the calves of Beth-aven are terrified the inhabitants of Samaria: yea, the people thereof mourn over them, and also its false priests that [before] rejoiced over them, for its glory, because it is departed from it.
6 Yebo, lizathwalelwa eAsiriya, libe yisipho enkosini uJarebhi. UEfrayimi uzakuba lenhloni, loIsrayeli ayangeke ngenxa yeseluleko sakhe.
Also this shall be carried unto Assyria for a present to the contentious king: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed because of his own counsel.
7 ISamariya iqunyiwe, lenkosi yayo injengebazelo ebusweni bamanzi.
As for Samaria, her king shall vanish like the foam upon the surface of the water.
8 Lendawo eziphakemeyo zeAveni, isono sikaIsrayeli, kuzachithwa; ameva lokhula oluhlabayo kuzamila phezu kwamalathi abo. Njalo bazakuthi ezintabeni: Sisibekeleni; lemaqaqeni: Welani phezu kwethu.
And destroyed shall be the high-places of Aven, [the cause of] the sin of Israel; the thorn and the thistle shall grow upon their altars: and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall upon us.
9 Kusukela ensukwini zeGibeya wonile, Israyeli; lapho bema; impi eGibeya emelene labantwana bobubi kayibaficanga.
More than in the days of Gib'ah hast thou sinned, O Israel! there they stood; and the battle in Gib'ah against the children of wickedness did not overtake them.
10 Kusesiloyisweni sami ukubajezisa; izizwe zizabuthana zimelene labo, lapho ngizababopha ngenxa yeziphambeko zabo ezimbili.
[But now] after my desire will I chastise them: and the people shall be gathered against them, when they harness them [for labor] in their two furrows.
11 Njalo uEfrayimi ulithokazi elifundisiweyo, elithanda ukubhula, kodwa mina ngedlule phezu kwentamo yakhe yobuhle; ngigadise uEfrayimi, uJuda uzalima, uJakobe uzaziharela.
And Ephraim is as a well-taught heifer that loveth to tread out the corn; and I passed over her fair neck: now will I make Ephraim draw the wagon, Judah shall plough, and Jacob shall harrow the field for the enemy.
12 Zihlanyeleleni ekulungeni, livune emuseni; qhathani ingqatho yenu; ngoba sekuyisikhathi sokuyidinga iNkosi, ize ifike, inise ukulunga phezu kwenu.
Sow then for yourselves after righteousness, that you may reap [the fruit] of kindness; cultivate your fallow field; for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness down for you.
13 Lilime inkohlakalo, lavuna isiphambeko, lidle izithelo zamanga; ngoba lithembele endleleni yenu, ebunengini bamaqhawe enu.
[But] ye have ploughed wickedness, iniquity have ye reaped, ye have eaten the fruit of lies; because thou didst trust in thy own way, in the multitude of thy mighty men:
14 Ngalokho kuzakuba khona ukuxokozela phakathi kwabantu bakho, lenqaba zakho zonke zizachithwa, njengalokhu uShalimani wachitha iBeti-Aribeli ngosuku lwempi; unina wachotshozwa phezu kwabantwana.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be wasted, as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel on the day of battle, [when] the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children.
15 Izakwenza njalo iBhetheli kini, ngenxa yobubi bobubi bakho; emadabukakusa inkosi yakoIsrayeli izaqunywa lokuqunywa.
The like of this doth Beth-el procure unto you because of your great wickedness: in the early morning shall utterly pass away the king of Israel.
