UHoseya 12
1 UEfrayimi udla umoya, axotshane lomoya wempumalanga; usuku lonke wandisa amanga lencithakalo; benza isivumelwano leAsiriya, lamafutha athwalelwa eGibhithe.
Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt.
2 INkosi layo ilengxabano loJuda, izahambela uJakobe ngokwendlela zakhe, imphindisele ngokwezenzo zakhe.
The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts.
3 Esiswini wabamba umfowabo ngesithende, langamandla akhe wabindana loNkulunkulu.
In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God;
4 Yebo, waba lamandla phezu kwengilosi, wanqoba, wakhala inyembezi wayincenga; eBhetheli wamthola, lalapho wakhuluma lathi.
He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;
5 Ngitsho iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, iNkosi iyisikhumbuzo sayo.
Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name.
6 Ngakho wena, phendukela kuNkulunkulu wakho, gcina umusa lokulunga, ulindele uNkulunkulu wakho njalonjalo.
So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.
7 Ungumthengisi, izilinganiso ezikhohlisayo zisesandleni sakhe, uthanda ukucindezela.
As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways.
8 LoEfrayimi uthi: Kanti nginothile, sengizitholele inotho; kuyo yonke imitshikatshika yami kabayikuthola ububi kimi, obuyisono.
And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.
9 Kodwa ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela elizweni leGibhithe; ngisezakuhlalisa emathenteni njengensukwini zomkhosi omisiweyo.
But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting.
10 Ngizakhuluma futhi labaprofethi, mina ngandise umbono, ngisebenzise imifanekiso ngesandla sabaprofethi.
My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons.
11 Bukhona yini ububi eGileyadi? Isibili bayize, bahlaba izinkunzi eGiligali; yebo, amalathi abo anjengenqumbi emiseleni yamasimu.
In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field.
12 Kanti uJakobe wabalekela elizweni leSiriya, loIsrayeli wasebenzela umfazi, welusa izimvu ngenxa yomfazi.
And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
13 Langomprofethi iNkosi yamenyusa uIsrayeli eGibhithe, langomprofethi walondolozwa.
And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe.
14 UEfrayimi uyicunule ngobuhlungu obukhulu; ngakho izayekela igazi lakhe phezu kwakhe, leNkosi yakhe ilibuyisele kuye ihlazo lakhe.
I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.
