UHoseya 14
1 Buyela, Israyeli, eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wakho; ngoba ukhubekile ngesiphambeko sakho.
Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled in your iniquity.
2 Thathani amazwi lani, libuyele eNkosini, lithi kiyo: Susa bonke ububi, usemukele ngomusa; ngakho sizabhadala amajongosi endebe zethu.
Take words of repentance with you, and return to the Lord your God. Say to him: Wholly pardon our iniquity, accept that which is good, instead of sacrificing bulls, we offer our praise.
3 IAsiriya kayiyikusisindisa, kasiyikugada amabhiza; kasisayikutsho kuyo imisebenzi yezandla zethu ukuthi: Lingonkulunkulu bethu; ngoba kuwe intandane izatshengiswa umusa.
Assyria will not save us, nor Egyptian warhorses, and we will no more call the work of our hands our gods. For in you orphan Israel finds mercy.
4 Ngizakwelapha ukuhlehlela muva kwabo, ngizabathanda ngesihle, ngoba intukuthelo yami iphanjulwe kuye.
“I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely, now that my anger is turned away from them,
5 Ngizakuba njengamazolo kuIsrayeli; uzakhahlela njengomduze, agxilise impande zakhe njengeLebhanoni.
I will be as dew to Israel. He will blossom like the lily, he will plant his roots like the cedars of Lebanon,
6 Amahlumela akhe azanaba, lenkazimulo yakhe ibe njengesihlahla somhlwathi, abe lephunga njengeLebhanoni.
his saplings will spread out, his beauty will be like that of the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 Bazabuyela abahlala emthunzini wakhe, bavuseleleke njengamabele, bakhahlele njengevini, isikhumbuzo sakhe sibe njengewayini leLebhanoni.
People will return and dwell in my shade, they will bring life to new grain. They shall sprout like the vine, and their renown will be like that of the wine of Lebanon.
8 Efrayimi, ngiseselani lezithombe? Mina ngimphendule, ngimnanzelele; ngibe njengefiri eliluhlaza; isithelo sakho sifunyanwa kimi.
Ephraim – what have I to do with idols! It is I the Lord who respond to him and look after him. I am like an evergreen cypress, from me is your fruit found.
9 Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo aqedisise lezizinto? Ngubani okhaliphileyo azazi? Ngoba indlela zeNkosi ziqondile, labalungileyo bazahamba ngazo, kodwa abaphambuki bazakhubeka kuzo.
Whoever is wise, let him discern these things, prudent, let him perceive them; For the Lord’s ways are straight, and the righteous walk in them, but the wicked stumble in them.
