UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, Israyeli, eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wakho; ngoba ukhubekile ngesiphambeko sakho.
Return, O Israel, to the Lord thy God; for the people have fallen through thine iniquities.
2 Thathani amazwi lani, libuyele eNkosini, lithi kiyo: Susa bonke ububi, usemukele ngomusa; ngakho sizabhadala amajongosi endebe zethu.
Take with you words, and turn to the Lord your God: speak to him, that ye may not receive [the reward of] unrighteousness, but that ye may receive good things: and we will render in return the fruit of our lips.
3 IAsiriya kayiyikusisindisa, kasiyikugada amabhiza; kasisayikutsho kuyo imisebenzi yezandla zethu ukuthi: Lingonkulunkulu bethu; ngoba kuwe intandane izatshengiswa umusa.
Assur shall never save us; we will not mount on horseback; we will no longer say to the works of our hands, Our gods. He who is in thee shall pity the orphan.
4 Ngizakwelapha ukuhlehlela muva kwabo, ngizabathanda ngesihle, ngoba intukuthelo yami iphanjulwe kuye.
I will restore their dwellings, I will love them truly: for he has turned away my wrath from him.
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo kuIsrayeli; uzakhahlela njengomduze, agxilise impande zakhe njengeLebhanoni.
I will be as dew to Israel: he shall bloom as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Libanus.
6 Amahlumela akhe azanaba, lenkazimulo yakhe ibe njengesihlahla somhlwathi, abe lephunga njengeLebhanoni.
His branches shall spread, and he shall be as a fruitful olive, and his smell shall be as [the smell] of Libanus.
7 Bazabuyela abahlala emthunzini wakhe, bavuseleleke njengamabele, bakhahlele njengevini, isikhumbuzo sakhe sibe njengewayini leLebhanoni.
They shall return, and dwell under his shadow: they shall live and be satisfied with corn, and he shall flower as a vine: his memorial shall be to Ephraim as the wine of Libanus.
8 Efrayimi, ngiseselani lezithombe? Mina ngimphendule, ngimnanzelele; ngibe njengefiri eliluhlaza; isithelo sakho sifunyanwa kimi.
What [has] he to do any more with idols? I have afflicted him, and I will strengthen him: I am as a leafy juniper tree. From me is thy fruit found.
9 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo aqedisise lezizinto? Ngubani okhaliphileyo azazi? Ngoba indlela zeNkosi ziqondile, labalungileyo bazahamba ngazo, kodwa abaphambuki bazakhubeka kuzo.
Who is wise, and will understand these things? or prudent, and will know them? for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them: but the ungodly shall fall therein.
