UHoseya 13
1 Lapho uEfrayimi ekhuluma kwakulokuqhuqha, waziphakamisa koIsrayeli; kodwa waba lecala ngoBhali, wafa.
According to the word of Ephraim he adopted ordinances for himself in Israel; and he established them for Baal, and 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.
And now they have sinned increasingly, and have made for themselves a molten image of their silver, according to the fashion of idols, the work of artificers accomplished for them: they say, Sacrifice men, for the calves have come to an end.
3 Ngakho bazakuba njengeyezi lekuseni, lanjengamazolo ovivi ahambayo; njengomule ophetshulwa yisivunguzane ebaleni lokubhulela, njengentuthu ephuma etshiminini.
Therefore shall they be as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passes away, as chaff blown away from the threshing floor, and as a vapour from tears.
4 Kube kanti mina ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela elizweni leGibhithe; ngakho kawuyikwazi unkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, ngoba kakho umsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
But I am the Lord your God that establishes the heaven, and creates the earth, whose hands have framed the whole host of heaven: but I showed them not to you that you should go after them: and I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but me; and there is no Saviour beside me.
5 Mina ngakwazi enkangala, elizweni elomileyo kakhulu.
I tended you as a shepherd in the wilderness, in an uninhabited land.
6 Njengokwedlelo labo, ngokunjalo basutha; basutha, lenhliziyo yabo yaphakama; ngenxa yalokho bangikhohlwa.
According to their pastures, so they were completely filled; and their hearts were exalted; therefore they forgot me.
7 Ngakho ngizakuba kubo njengesilwane, njengengwe endleleni ngizabacathamela.
And I will be to them as a panther, and as a leopard.
8 Ngizabahlangabeza njengebhere elithathelwe imidlwane, ngidabule isisibekelo senhliziyo yabo, ngibadlele lapho njengesilwane; isilo seganga sizabadabudabula.
I will meet them by the way of the Assyrians, as a she-bear excited, and I will rend the caul of their heart, and the lions' whelps of the thicket shall devour them there; the wild beasts of the field shall rend them in pieces.
9 Kukuchithile, Israyeli, kodwa kimi kulosizo lwakho.
O Israel, who will aid [you] in your destruction?
10 Pho, ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuthi ikusindise emizini yakho yonke? Labehluleli bakho owathi ngabo: Nginike inkosi leziphathamandla?
Where is this your king? let him even save you in all your cities: let him judge you, of whom you said, Give me a king and a prince.
11 Ngakunika inkosi ekuthukutheleni kwami, ngayisusa ngolaka lwami.
And I gave you a king in mine anger, and kept [him] back in my wrath.
12 Ububi bukaEfrayimi bubotshiwe, isono sakhe sibekiwe.
Ephraim [has framed] a conspiracy of unrighteousness, his sin is hidden.
13 Insizi zowesifazana ohelelwayo zizamfikela; uyindodana engahlakaniphanga, ngoba ingehlale isikhathi emlonyeni wesizalo sabantwana.
Pains as of a woman in travail shall come upon him: he is your wise son, because he shall not stay in the destruction of [your] children.
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 deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is your penalty, O death? O Hades, where is your sting? comfort is hidden from mine 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.
Forasmuch as he will cause a division amongst [his] brethren, the Lord shall bring upon him an east wind from the desert, and shall dry up his veins [and] quite drain his fountains: he shall dry up his land, and [spoil] all his precious vessels.
16 ISamariya izakuba lunxiwa, ngoba ihlamukele uNkulunkulu wayo; bazakuwa ngenkemba, labantwana babo bachotshozwe, labesifazana babo abakhulelweyo baqhaqhwe.
Samaria shall be utterly destroyed: for she has resisted her God; they shall fall by the sword, and their sucklings shall be dashed against the ground, and their women with child ripped up.
