< UHoseya 6 >
1 Wozani sibuyele eNkosini, ngoba yona idwengulile, njalo izaselapha; itshayile, njalo izasibopha.
[The Israeli people say, ] “Come, let’s return to Yahweh! He has caused [us] to be injured, but he will heal us. He has caused [us] to be wounded, but [it is as though] he will put bandages on our wounds [MET].
2 Izasivuselela emva kwensuku ezimbili, ngosuku lwesithathu isivuse, njalo siphile phambi kwayo.
After a very short time he will revive us; in less than three days he will restore us in order that we may live in his presence.
3 Khona sizakwazi, silandele ukuyazi iNkosi; ukuphuma kwayo kulungiswe njengokusa; njalo izafika kithi njengezulu, njengezulu lemuva lelokuqala emhlabeni.
We must try to know Yahweh; [if we do that, ] he will come [and help] us, as surely as the sun rises [every morning], as surely as rain falls every winter/cold season, and as surely as the rain falls again (in the springtime/at the end of the cold season).”
4 Ngizakwenzani kuwe, Efrayimi? Ngizakwenzani kuwe, Juda? Ngoba umusa wenu unjengeyezi lekuseni, lanjengamazolo ovivi athintithekayo.
[But Yahweh knows they are insincere; ] [so he says to them, ] “You [people of] Israel, and you [people of] Judah, [I do not know] [RHQ] what I should do to you. Your being faithful [to me will disappear as quickly] as [SIM] the morning mist [disappears], like [SIM] the dew [on the ground] that disappears quickly [when the sun shines].
5 Ngenxa yalokhu ngibagamule ngabaprofethi, ngababulala ngamazwi omlomo wami; lezahlulelo zakho zinjengokukhanya okuphumayo.
I warned [HYP] you by [the messages that I gave to] the prophets, [but you did not pay attention to my messages]. Therefore I will completely destroy you; the punishment that I give you will strike you like lightning.
6 Ngoba ngaloyisa umusa, hatshi-ke umhlatshelo, lolwazi lukaNkulunkulu kuleminikelo yokutshiswa.
I want [my people] to faithfully love [me] more than [I want them to offer] sacrifices [to me]; [I want them] to know me more than [I want them to] completely burn sacrifices [on the altar].
7 Kodwa bona njengoluntu baseqile isivumelwano; lapho benza ngenkohliso kimi.
But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.
8 IGileyadi ingumuzi wabenzi bokubi, ilemikhondo yegazi.
Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].
9 Njengamaviyo abaphangi acathamele umuntu, linjalo ixuku labapristi; bayabulala endleleni yeShekema; ngoba benza inkohlakalo.
The priests are like [SIM] bandits who wait (in ambushes/along the road) to attack people; they murder [people who are walking] on the road to Shechem, and they commit other disgraceful crimes.
10 Endlini yakoIsrayeli ngibone into eyesabekayo; lapho kulobuwule bukaEfrayimi, uIsrayeli ungcolisiwe.
I have seen horrible things [being done] in Israel [MTY]. The people have abandoned me [like prostitutes who have abandoned their husbands] [MET]; [so the people of] Israel have become unacceptable to me.
11 Lawe Juda, ukumisele isivuno, lapho ngibuyise ukuthunjwa kwabantu bami.
And you [people of] Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish [MET] you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,”