UHoseya 13
1 Lapho uEfrayimi ekhuluma kwakulokuqhuqha, waziphakamisa koIsrayeli; kodwa waba lecala ngoBhali, wafa.
“When Ephraim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Israel, but he became guilty because of Baal worship, 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. They make cast metal figures from their silver, idols as skillfully worked as possible, all of them the work of the craftsmen. People say of them, 'These men who sacrifice kiss calves.'
3 Ngakho bazakuba njengeyezi lekuseni, lanjengamazolo ovivi ahambayo; njengomule ophetshulwa yisivunguzane ebaleni lokubhulela, njengentuthu ephuma etshiminini.
So they will be like the morning clouds, like the dew that goes away early, like the chaff that is driven by the wind away from a threshing floor, and like smoke out of a chimney.
4 Kube kanti mina ngiyiNkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela elizweni leGibhithe; ngakho kawuyikwazi unkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, ngoba kakho umsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
But I am Yahweh your God from the land of Egypt. You must acknowledge no God but me; you must acknowledge that besides me, there is no other savior.
5 Mina ngakwazi enkangala, elizweni elomileyo kakhulu.
I knew you in the wilderness, in the land of great dryness.
6 Njengokwedlelo labo, ngokunjalo basutha; basutha, lenhliziyo yabo yaphakama; ngenxa yalokho bangikhohlwa.
When you had pasture, then you became full; and when you were filled, your heart became lifted up. For that reason you forgot me.
7 Ngakho ngizakuba kubo njengesilwane, njengengwe endleleni ngizabacathamela.
I will become like a lion to them; like a leopard I will watch along the path.
8 Ngizabahlangabeza njengebhere elithathelwe imidlwane, ngidabule isisibekelo senhliziyo yabo, ngibadlele lapho njengesilwane; isilo seganga sizabadabudabula.
I will attack them as a bear that is robbed of her cubs. I will rip open their chests, and there I will devour them as a lion, as a wild beast would tear them to pieces.
9 Kukuchithile, Israyeli, kodwa kimi kulosizo lwakho.
I will destroy you, Israel; who will be able to help you?
10 Pho, ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuthi ikusindise emizini yakho yonke? Labehluleli bakho owathi ngabo: Nginike inkosi leziphathamandla?
Where now is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? Where are your rulers, about whom you said to me, 'Give me a king and princes'?
11 Ngakunika inkosi ekuthukutheleni kwami, ngayisusa ngolaka lwami.
I gave you a king in my anger, and I took him away in my wrath.
12 Ububi bukaEfrayimi bubotshiwe, isono sakhe sibekiwe.
Ephraim's iniquity has been stored up; his guilt has been stored up.
13 Insizi zowesifazana ohelelwayo zizamfikela; uyindodana engahlakaniphanga, ngoba ingehlale isikhathi emlonyeni wesizalo sabantwana.
Pains of childbirth will come on him, but he is an unwise son, for when it is time to be born, he does not come out 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)
Will I rescue them from the hand of Sheol? Will I rescue them from death? Where, death, are your plagues? Where, Sheol, is your destruction? 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.
Though Ephraim is prosperous among his brothers, an east wind will come; the wind of Yahweh will blow in from the wilderness. Ephraim's spring will dry up, and his well will have no water. His enemy will plunder his storehouse of every precious object.
16 ISamariya izakuba lunxiwa, ngoba ihlamukele uNkulunkulu wayo; bazakuwa ngenkemba, labantwana babo bachotshozwe, labesifazana babo abakhulelweyo baqhaqhwe.
Samaria will be guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword; their young children will be dashed to pieces, and their pregnant women will be ripped open.
