UHoseya 4
1 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, bantwana bakoIsrayeli, ngoba iNkosi ilempikisano labahlali belizwe; ngoba kakulaqiniso, njalo kakulamusa, njalo kakulalwazi lukaNkulunkulu elizweni.
You Israeli people, listen to this message from Yahweh! He is accusing you people who live in this country, [saying] “The people are not faithfully [doing what pleases me], they are not kind [to others], and they do not [even] know me!
2 Kulokufunga, lokuqamba amanga, lokubulala, lokweba, lokufeba; bayafohla, lamacala egazi athinta amacala egazi.
Everywhere in this land they curse [others], they murder [others], they steal, and they commit adultery. They act violently toward others and commit one murder after another.
3 Ngenxa yalokho ilizwe lizalila, laye wonke ohlala kilo udangele, kanye lenyamazana zeganga, njalo kanye lenyoni zamazulu; yebo lenhlanzi zolwandle zizasuswa.
It is because of their doing those things that there is no rain [MTY], the land has become dry, the people are mourning, and the people are dying [from hunger]. Even the wild animals and the birds and the fish in the sea are dying.
4 Kodwa kakungabi khona umuntu ophikisayo, kangasoli omunye; ngoba abantu bakho banjengabaphikisana lompristi.
But no one should accuse someone else and say it is his fault. It is you priests whom I am accusing.
5 Ngakho uzakhubeka emini, yebo, lomprofethi uzakhubeka kanye lawe ebusuku; njalo ngizamchitha unyoko.
So I will punish [MTY] you priests, night and day, and I will punish the prophets with you. I am going to destroy [Israel, the nation that is like] [MET] a mother to you.
6 Abantu bami babhujisiwe ngokuswela ulwazi; ngoba wena ulwalile ulwazi, lami ngizakwala, ukuze ungangisebenzeli njengompristi. Lokhu usuwukhohliwe umlayo kaNkulunkulu wakho, lami ngizakhohlwa abantwana bakho.
It is because my people do not know [about me] that they will be destroyed. And their not knowing about me is because you priests have refused [to teach them about me]; so I will no longer allow you to be my priests. You have forgotten the things that I taught you, so I will forget [to bless] your children.
7 Njengokwanda kwabo ngokunjalo bonile kimi. Udumo lwabo ngizaluphendula lube lihlazo.
As there are more and more priests, they have sinned against me more and more. So I will no longer allow them to be honored; instead, I will cause them to be disgraced.
8 Badla isono sabantu bami, baphakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.
The priests get food from [the offerings that the] people [bring in order to be forgiven for having sinned], [so] the priests want the people to sin more and more [in order that the people will bring them more and more offerings].
9 Kuzakuthi-ke njengabantu abe njalo umpristi; ngizajezisa izindlela zabo phezu kwabo, ngiphindisele izenzo zabo kubo.
The priests [are as sinful] as the [other] people, and I will punish [all of] them for what they have done; I will pay them back for the [evil] things that they have done.
10 Ngoba bazakudla, kodwa bangasuthi; bawule, kodwa bangandi; ngoba bayekele ukuqaphela iNkosi.
[The priests] will eat, but they will still be hungry; they will have sex with prostitutes, but they will not have any children, because they have abandoned [me], Yahweh,
11 Ubuwule lewayini lewayini elitsha kususa inhliziyo.
and they are devoting themselves to sleeping with prostitutes, and to [drinking] old wine and new wine, which results in their not being able to think clearly.”
12 Abantu bami babuza esigodweni sabo, lentonga yabo izabatshela. Ngoba umoya wokuwula ubaduhisile, ukuze bawule besuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo.
“[You] my people request wooden idols [to tell you what you should do]! Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,
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.
you have abandoned [me] your God, and you are chasing after [other gods] on the tops of hills and mountains; you burn incense under oak [trees], poplar [trees], and other trees where there is nice/pleasing shade. So your daughters have become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law have committed 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.
But it is not [only] your daughters [whom I will punish] for having become prostitutes, and it is not [only] your daughters-in-law whom I will punish for committing adultery, because the men also are having sex with prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices with the prostitutes [who search for men at the] shrines [of the idols]. [They are all] foolish people, and they will [all] be ruined.
15 Loba wena Israyeli uwula, uJuda kangabi lacala. Lingangeni-ke eGiligali, lingenyukeli eBeti-Aveni, lingafungilithi: Kuphila kukaJehova.
You Israeli [people] have abandoned me like [MET] those who commit adultery have abandoned their spouses. But do not cause [the people of] Judah to sin [also]. Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth-Aven [towns] [to worship idols there]. Do not make solemn promises [there, saying ‘Just as surely] as Yahweh lives, [I will do what I am promising].’
16 Ngoba uIsrayeli ujila njengejongosi eliyisiqholo; khathesi iNkosi izabelusa njengewundlu endaweni ebanzi.
You [people of Israel] are as stubborn as [SIM] a young cow. So there is no way [RHQ] that [I], Yahweh, will [provide food for them] [like a shepherd provides food for his] lambs [by leading them] to a nice meadow.
17 UEfrayimi uhlangene lezithombe; myekele.
The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], [so] allow them [to do what they want to do].
18 Okunathwayo kwabo okulamandla kusukile, bazinikela ekuwuleni, ababavikelayo bathanda ngokuthanda ihlazo.
When their rulers finish drinking [their wine], they go to find prostitutes; they love their disgraceful behavior.
19 Umoya ubabophele empikweni zawo, njalo bazakuba lenhloni ngenxa yemihlatshelo yabo.
But they will disappear [as though] [MET] they were blown away by a whirlwind. They will become [very] ashamed because of their offering sacrifices [to idols].”
