UHoseya 4
1 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano labahlali belizwe; ngoba kakulaqiniso, njalo kakulamusa, njalo kakulalwazi lukaNkulunkulu elizweni.
“Hear a word of YHWH, sons of Israel, For a strife [is] to YHWH with inhabitants of the land, For there is no truth, nor kindness, Nor knowledge of God in the land;
2 Kulokufunga, lokuqamba amanga, lokubulala, lokweba, lokufeba; bayafohla, lamacala egazi athinta amacala egazi.
Swearing, and lying, and murdering, And stealing, and committing adultery—have increased, And blood has touched against blood.
3 Ngenxa yalokho ilizwe lizalila, laye wonke ohlala kilo udangele, kanye lenyamazana zeganga, njalo kanye lenyoni zamazulu; yebo lenhlanzi zolwandle zizasuswa.
Therefore the land mourns, And every dweller is weak in it, With the beast of the field, And with the bird of the heavens, And the fishes of the sea—they are removed.
4 Kodwa kakungabi khona umuntu ophikisayo, kangasoli omunye; ngoba abantu bakho banjengabaphikisana lompristi.
Only, let no one strive, nor reprove a man, And your people [are] as those striving with a priest.
5 Ngakho uzakhubeka emini, yebo, lomprofethi uzakhubeka kanye lawe ebusuku; njalo ngizamchitha unyoko.
And you have stumbled in the day, And a prophet has also stumbled with you in the night, And I have cut off your mother.
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 have been cut off for lack of knowledge, Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being priest to Me, And you forget the Law of your God—I forget your sons, I also!
7 Njengokwanda kwabo ngokunjalo bonile kimi. Udumo lwabo ngizaluphendula lube lihlazo.
According to their abundance so they sinned against Me, I change their glory into shame.
8 Badla isono sabantu bami, baphakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.
The sin of My people they eat, And to their iniquity lift up their soul.
9 Kuzakuthi-ke njengabantu abe njalo umpristi; ngizajezisa izindlela zabo phezu kwabo, ngiphindisele izenzo zabo kubo.
And it has been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.
10 Ngoba bazakudla, kodwa bangasuthi; bawule, kodwa bangandi; ngoba bayekele ukuqaphela iNkosi.
And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone whoring, and do not increase, For they have left off taking heed to YHWH.
11 Ubuwule lewayini lewayini elitsha kususa inhliziyo.
Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take the heart,
12 Abantu bami babuza esigodweni sabo, lentonga yabo izabatshela. Ngoba umoya wokuwula ubaduhisile, ukuze bawule besuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo.
My people at its staff asks and its rod declares to it, For a spirit of whoredoms has caused to err, And they go whoring from under 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.
On tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they make incense, Under oak, and poplar, and terebinth, For good [is] its shade.
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.
Therefore your daughters commit whoredom, And your spouses commit adultery, I do not see after your daughters when they commit whoredom, And after your spouses when they commit adultery, For they with the harlots are separated, And with the whores they sacrifice, A people that does not understand kicks.
15 Loba wena Israyeli uwula, uJuda kangabi lacala. Lingangeni-ke eGiligali, lingenyukeli eBeti-Aveni, lingafungilithi: Kuphila kukaJehova.
Though you [are] a harlot, O Israel, Do not let Judah become guilty, And do not come to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear, YHWH lives.
16 Ngoba uIsrayeli ujila njengejongosi eliyisiqholo; khathesi iNkosi izabelusa njengewundlu endaweni ebanzi.
For Israel has turned aside as a stubborn heifer, Now YHWH feeds them as a lamb in a large place.
17 UEfrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekele.
Ephraim is joined to idols, leave him alone.
18 Okunathwayo kwabo okulamandla kusukile, bazinikela ekuwuleni, ababavikelayo bathanda ngokuthanda ihlazo.
Sour [is] their drink, They have gone whoring diligently, Her protectors have thoroughly loved shame.
19 Umoya ubabophele empikweni zawo, njalo bazakuba lenhloni ngenxa yemihlatshelo yabo.
Wind has distressed her with its wings, And they are ashamed of their sacrifices!”
