UHoseya 12
1 UEfrayimi udla umoya, axotshane lomoya wempumalanga; usuku lonke wandisa amanga lencithakalo; benza isivumelwano leAsiriya, lamafutha athwalelwa eGibhithe.
Ephraim is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth, And a covenant with Asshur they make, And oil to Egypt is carried.
2 INkosi layo ilengxabano loJuda, izahambela uJakobe ngokwendlela zakhe, imphindisele ngokwezenzo zakhe.
And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him.
3 Esiswini wabamba umfowabo ngesithende, langamandla akhe wabindana loNkulunkulu.
In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,
4 Yebo, waba lamandla phezu kwengilosi, wanqoba, wakhala inyembezi wayincenga; eBhetheli wamthola, lalapho wakhuluma lathi.
Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh [by] weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us,
5 Ngitsho iNkosi, uNkulunkulu wamabandla, iNkosi iyisikhumbuzo sayo.
Even Jehovah, God of the Hosts, Jehovah [is] His memorial.
6 Ngakho wena, phendukela kuNkulunkulu wakho, gcina umusa lokulunga, ulindele uNkulunkulu wakho njalonjalo.
And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.
7 Ungumthengisi, izilinganiso ezikhohlisayo zisesandleni sakhe, uthanda ukucindezela.
Canaan! in his hand [are] balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.
8 LoEfrayimi uthi: Kanti nginothile, sengizitholele inotho; kuyo yonke imitshikatshika yami kabayikuthola ububi kimi, obuyisono.
And Ephraim saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours — they find not against me iniquity that [is] sin.'
9 Kodwa ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela elizweni leGibhithe; ngisezakuhlalisa emathenteni njengensukwini zomkhosi omisiweyo.
And I — Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.
10 Ngizakhuluma futhi labaprofethi, mina ngandise umbono, ngisebenzise imifanekiso ngesandla sabaprofethi.
And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.
11 Bukhona yini ububi eGileyadi? Isibili bayize, bahlaba izinkunzi eGiligali; yebo, amalathi abo anjengenqumbi emiseleni yamasimu.
Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.
12 Kanti uJakobe wabalekela elizweni leSiriya, loIsrayeli wasebenzela umfazi, welusa izimvu ngenxa yomfazi.
And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.
13 Langomprofethi iNkosi yamenyusa uIsrayeli eGibhithe, langomprofethi walondolozwa.
And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched.
14 UEfrayimi uyicunule ngobuhlungu obukhulu; ngakho izayekela igazi lakhe phezu kwakhe, leNkosi yakhe ilibuyisele kuye ihlazo lakhe.
Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!
