UHoseya 13
1 Lapho uEfrayimi ekhuluma kwakulokuqhuqha, waziphakamisa koIsrayeli; kodwa waba lecala ngoBhali, wafa.
When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling; he was exalted in Israel. But he incurred guilt through Baal, and he died.
2 Khathesi-ke baqhubeka besona, bazenzela izithombe ezibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa zesiliva sabo, izithombe njengokuqedisisa kwabo, zonke zingumsebenzi wezingcitshi; abathi ngazo: Abantu abanikela imihlatshelo bazakwanga amathole.
Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”
3 Ngakho bazakuba njengeyezi lekuseni, lanjengamazolo ovivi ahambayo; njengomule ophetshulwa yisivunguzane ebaleni lokubhulela, njengentuthu ephuma etshiminini.
Therefore they will be like the morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes, like chaff blown from a threshing floor, like smoke through an open window.
4 Kube kanti mina ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela elizweni leGibhithe; ngakho kawuyikwazi unkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, ngoba kakho umsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but Me, for there is no Savior besides Me.
5 Mina ngakwazi enkangala, elizweni elomileyo kakhulu.
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought.
6 Njengokwedlelo labo, ngokunjalo basutha; basutha, lenhliziyo yabo yaphakama; ngenxa yalokho bangikhohlwa.
When they had pasture, they became satisfied; when they were satisfied, their hearts became proud, and as a result they forgot Me.
7 Ngakho ngizakuba kubo njengesilwane, njengengwe endleleni ngizabacathamela.
So like a lion I will pounce on them; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
8 Ngizabahlangabeza njengebhere elithathelwe imidlwane, ngidabule isisibekelo senhliziyo yabo, ngibadlele lapho njengesilwane; isilo seganga sizabadabudabula.
Like a bear robbed of her cubs I will attack them, and I will tear open their chests. There I will devour them like a lion, like a wild beast would tear them apart.
9 Kukuchithile, Israyeli, kodwa kimi kulosizo lwakho.
You are destroyed, O Israel, because you are against Me— against your helper.
10 Pho, ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuthi ikusindise emizini yakho yonke? Labehluleli bakho owathi ngabo: Nginike inkosi leziphathamandla?
Where is your king now to save you in all your cities, and the rulers to whom you said, “Give me a king and princes”?
11 Ngakunika inkosi ekuthukutheleni kwami, ngayisusa ngolaka lwami.
So in My anger I gave you a king, and in My wrath I took him away.
12 Ububi bukaEfrayimi bubotshiwe, isono sakhe sibekiwe.
The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is stored up.
13 Insizi zowesifazana ohelelwayo zizamfikela; uyindodana engahlakaniphanga, ngoba ingehlale isikhathi emlonyeni wesizalo sabantwana.
Labor pains come upon him, but he is an unwise son. When the time arrives, he fails to present himself at the opening of the womb.
14 Ngizabenzela inhlawulo yokuthula emandleni engcwaba, ngibahlenge ekufeni. Kufa, bangaphi omatshayabhuqe bezifo zakho? Ngcwaba, ingaphi incithakalo yakho? Uphenduko luzasitheliswa emehlweni ami. (Sheol h7585)
I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from Death. Where, O Death, are your plagues? Where, O Sheol, is your sting? Compassion is hidden from My eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 Loba yena engaveza izithelo phakathi kwabafowabo, kuzafika umoya wempumalanga, umoya weNkosi, usenyuka enkangala, lomthombo wakhe uzakutsha, kome lesiphethu sakhe; wona uzaphanga okuligugu kwazo zonke izitsha eziloyisekayo.
Although he flourishes among his brothers, an east wind will come— a wind from the LORD rising up from the desert. His fountain will fail, and his spring will run dry. The wind will plunder his treasury of every precious article.
16 ISamariya izakuba lunxiwa, ngoba ihlamukele uNkulunkulu wayo; bazakuwa ngenkemba, labantwana babo bachotshozwe, labesifazana babo abakhulelweyo baqhaqhwe.
Samaria will bear her guilt because she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open.
