UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, Israyeli, eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wakho; ngoba ukhubekile ngesiphambeko sakho.
Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity.
2 Thathani amazwi lani, libuyele eNkosini, lithi kiyo: Susa bonke ububi, usemukele ngomusa; ngakho sizabhadala amajongosi endebe zethu.
Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, “Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips.
3 IAsiriya kayiyikusisindisa, kasiyikugada amabhiza; kasisayikutsho kuyo imisebenzi yezandla zethu ukuthi: Lingonkulunkulu bethu; ngoba kuwe intandane izatshengiswa umusa.
Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.”
4 Ngizakwelapha ukuhlehlela muva kwabo, ngizabathanda ngesihle, ngoba intukuthelo yami iphanjulwe kuye.
I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them.
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo kuIsrayeli; uzakhahlela njengomduze, agxilise impande zakhe njengeLebhanoni.
I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
6 Amahlumela akhe azanaba, lenkazimulo yakhe ibe njengesihlahla somhlwathi, abe lephunga njengeLebhanoni.
His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Bazabuyela abahlala emthunzini wakhe, bavuseleleke njengamabele, bakhahlele njengevini, isikhumbuzo sakhe sibe njengewayini leLebhanoni.
They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon.
8 Efrayimi, ngiseselani lezithombe? Mina ngimphendule, ngimnanzelele; ngibe njengefiri eliluhlaza; isithelo sakho sifunyanwa kimi.
Ephraim will say, “What are idols to me anymore?” I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me.
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 this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them.
