UHoseya 4
1 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano labahlali belizwe; ngoba kakulaqiniso, njalo kakulamusa, njalo kakulalwazi lukaNkulunkulu elizweni.
Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel: for the Lord [has] a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 Kulokufunga, lokuqamba amanga, lokubulala, lokweba, lokufeba; bayafohla, lamacala egazi athinta amacala egazi.
Cursing, and lying, and murder, and theft, and adultery abound in the land, and they mingle blood with blood.
3 Ngenxa yalokho ilizwe lizalila, laye wonke ohlala kilo udangele, kanye lenyamazana zeganga, njalo kanye lenyoni zamazulu; yebo lenhlanzi zolwandle zizasuswa.
Therefore shall the land mourn, and shall be diminished with all that dwell in it, with the wild beasts of the field, and the reptiles of the earth, and with the birds of the sky, and the fish of the sea shall fail:
4 Kodwa kakungabi khona umuntu ophikisayo, kangasoli omunye; ngoba abantu bakho banjengabaphikisana lompristi.
that neither any one may plead, nor any one reprove [another]; but my people are as a priest spoken against.
5 Ngakho uzakhubeka emini, yebo, lomprofethi uzakhubeka kanye lawe ebusuku; njalo ngizamchitha unyoko.
Therefore they shall fall by day, and the prophet with you shall fall: I have compared your mother to night.
6 Abantu bami babhujisiwe ngokuswela ulwazi; ngoba wena ulwalile ulwazi, lami ngizakwala, ukuze ungangisebenzeli njengompristi. Lokhu usuwukhohliwe umlayo kaNkulunkulu wakho, lami ngizakhohlwa abantwana bakho.
My people are like as if they had no knowledge: because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall not minister as priest to me: and [as] you has forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.
7 Njengokwanda kwabo ngokunjalo bonile kimi. Udumo lwabo ngizaluphendula lube lihlazo.
According to their multitude, so they sinned against me: I will turn their glory into shame.
8 Badla isono sabantu bami, baphakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.
They will devour the sins of my people, and will set their hearts on their iniquities.
9 Kuzakuthi-ke njengabantu abe njalo umpristi; ngizajezisa izindlela zabo phezu kwabo, ngiphindisele izenzo zabo kubo.
And the priest shall be as the people: and I will avenge on them their ways, and I will recompense to them their counsels.
10 Ngoba bazakudla, kodwa bangasuthi; bawule, kodwa bangandi; ngoba bayekele ukuqaphela iNkosi.
And they shall eat, and shall not be satisfied: they have gone a-whoring, and shall by no means prosper: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.
11 Ubuwule lewayini lewayini elitsha kususa inhliziyo.
The heart of my people has gladly engaged in fornication and wine and strong drink.
12 Abantu bami babuza esigodweni sabo, lentonga yabo izabatshela. Ngoba umoya wokuwula ubaduhisile, ukuze bawule besuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo.
They asked counsel by [means of] signs, and they reported answer to them by their staves: they have gone astray in a spirit of whoredom, and gone grievously a-whoring from their God.
13 Benza imihlatshelo engqongeni zezintaba, batshisa impepha phezu kwamaqaqa, ngaphansi kwesihlahla se-okhi, lephophula, lesihlahla esikhulu, ngoba umthunzi waso muhle. Ngenxa yalokho amadodakazi enu azawula, labomakoti benu bazafeba.
They have sacrificed on the tops of the mountains, and on the hills they have sacrificed under the oak and poplar, and under the shady tree, because the shade was good: therefore your daughters shall go a-whoring, and your daughters-in-law shall commit adultery.
14 Kangiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu lapho ewula, labomakoti benu lapho befeba; ngoba bona ngokwabo bazehlukanisa lamawule, basebesenza imihlatshelo kanye lezifebe zethempeli; ngakho abantu abangelakuqedisisa bazawiselwa phansi.
And I will not visit upon your daughters when they shall commit fornication, nor your daughters-in-law when they shall commit adultery: for they themselves mingled themselves with harlots, and sacrificed with polluted ones, and the people that understood not entangled itself with a harlot.
15 Loba wena Israyeli uwula, uJuda kangabi lacala. Lingangeni-ke eGiligali, lingenyukeli eBeti-Aveni, lingafungilithi: Kuphila kukaJehova.
But you, O Israel, be not ignorant, and go you not, [men of] Juda, to Galgala; and go not up to the house of On, and swear not by the living Lord.
16 Ngoba uIsrayeli ujila njengejongosi eliyisiqholo; khathesi iNkosi izabelusa njengewundlu endaweni ebanzi.
For Israel was maddened like a mad heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a wide place.
17 UEfrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekele.
Ephraim, joined with idols, has laid stumbling blocks in his own way.
18 Okunathwayo kwabo okulamandla kusukile, bazinikela ekuwuleni, ababavikelayo bathanda ngokuthanda ihlazo.
He has chosen the Chananites: they have grievously gone a-whoring: they have loved dishonour through her insolence.
19 Umoya ubabophele empikweni zawo, njalo bazakuba lenhloni ngenxa yemihlatshelo yabo.
You are a blast of wind in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their altars.
