< UHoseya 5 >
1 Zwanini lokhu, bapristi, lilalele, ndlu kaIsrayeli, libeke indlebe, lani ndlu yenkosi. Ngoba isahlulelo singakini, ngoba selibe ngumjibila eMizipa, lembule elendlalwe phezu kweThabhori.
“Listen, you priests! And you [other] Israeli people, you also pay attention! And you who are members of the king’s family, [you also need to] listen, because [I am going to] judge you! Your [worshiping idols] has been [like] [MET] a trap for [the people at] Mizpah [town]; it has been [like][MET] a net spread out [to catch people] at Tabor [Mountain].
2 Labahlamuki batshonisa ukuhlaba, kodwa ngizakuba ngumlayi wabo bonke.
You have done many evil things, so I will punish all of you.
3 Mina ngiyamazi uEfrayimi, loIsrayeli kafihlakalanga kimi; ngoba khathesi ufebile, wena Efrayimi, uIsrayeli uzingcolisile.
I know [everything about the people of] Israel; nothing that they have done is hidden from me. Because [the people of] Israel have given themselves [to worshiping idols] like [MET] prostitutes [give themselves to the men they sleep with], they have become unacceptable to me.
4 Kabaqondisi izenzo zabo ukuze baphendukele kuNkulunkulu wabo, ngoba umoya wokuwula uphakathi kwabo, leNkosi kabayazi.
Because they [like to do evil] things, they will not return to [me], their God. Like prostitutes [who have abandoned their husbands] [MET], they have [IDM] abandoned [MET] me; they do not [even] know me, Yahweh.
5 Lokuzigqaja kukaIsrayeli kuyafakaza ebusweni bakhe; ngakho uIsrayeli loEfrayimi bazakhubeka esiphambekweni sabo, loJuda uzakhubeka kanye labo.
[It is as though] their being proud testifies [PRS] against them. The sins that [the people of] Israel have committed [are like a heavy load that] causes them to stumble, and [the people of] Judah stumble with them.
6 Bazahamba lezimvu zabo lenkomo zabo ukuyadinga iNkosi, kodwa kabayikuyithola; imonyukile kubo.
They will come to worship [me], Yahweh, bringing their herds of sheep and cattle, but they will not [be able to] find me, because I have abandoned them.
7 Benze ngenkohliso ngakuyo iNkosi, ngoba bazele abantwana bezizweni. Khathesi inyanga ethwasayo izabaqeda lezabelo zabo.
They have abandoned me; and their children do not belong to me [MET]. So [they will not be able to celebrate their festivals at] the new moons [because I] will destroy them and [the crops in] their fields.
8 Vuthelani uphondo lwenqama eGibeya, uphondo eRama, lihlabe umkhosi eBeti-Aveni lithi: Emva kwakho, wena Bhenjamini.
Blow the [rams’] horns in Gibeah [town] [and blow] the trumpets in Ramah [town]! Warn [the people at] Beth-Aven [town]; you warriors of the tribe of Benjamin, lead the troops [into the battle].
9 UEfrayimi uzakuba yincithakalo ngosuku lokujeziswa; phakathi kwezizwe zakoIsrayeli ngikwazisile okuliqiniso.
Israel will be ruined on the day that [I] destroy them. What I am telling to the tribes of Israel will certainly [happen].
10 Iziphathamandla zakoJuda sezinjengalabo abatshedisa umngcele; ngizathululela phezu kwabo ulaka lwami njengamanzi.
[Because] the leaders of Judah [seized some land that belonged to Israel], they are like [SIM] those who move boundary markers [to get more land for themselves]; [so] I will punish them severely [MET].
11 UEfrayimi ucindezelwe wachotshozwa ngesahlulelo, ngoba wavuma ukuhamba elandela umlayo.
And [the people of] Israel will suffer greatly when I punish them, because they are [very] determined to worship idols.
12 Ngakho ngizakuba njengenundu koEfrayimi, lanjengokubola endlini yakoJuda.
I will destroy [the people of] Israel like [SIM] ([larvae of] moths/cockroaches) destroy wool, and I will cause [the people of] Judah to be like [SIM] rotten wood.
13 Kwathi uEfrayimi ebona umkhuhlane wakhe, loJuda isilonda sakhe, uEfrayimi waya eAsiriya, wathumela ilizwi enkosini yeJarebhi; kodwa yona kayiyikuba lakho ukulelapha, kayiyikupholisa isilonda senu.
When [the leaders of] Israel and Judah saw that the people were suffering because of what [their enemies were doing to them] [MET], they sent [messages] to the great King of Assyria requesting [his help]. But he cannot help you; he cannot cause you to stop suffering, [because I am the one who is punishing Israel and Judah].
14 Ngoba ngizakuba njengesilwane koEfrayimi, lanjengebhongo lesilwane endlini yakoJuda. Mina, uqobo lwami, ngizadabudabula, besengihamba, ngisuse, kungabi lomophuli.
I will become like [SIM] a lion [DOU] to both nations; I will [attack them and] tear them to pieces. I will drag them away, and no one will [be able to] rescue them.
15 Ngizahamba ngibuyele endaweni yami, baze bavume icala labo, badinge ubuso bami; ekucindezelweni kwabo bazangidinga ngovivi.
[After that], I will return to my place [in heaven] until they admit that they have sinned [MTY] and return to me; when they will experience [many] troubles, they will request me [to help them].”