UHoseya 7
1 Lapho bengingelapha uIsrayeli, khona isiphambeko sikaEfrayimi sembulwa, lobubi beSamariya; ngoba benza amanga, lesela liyangena, leviyo labaphangi liyaphanga ngaphandle.
When I would have healed Israel, then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered, and the wickedness of Samaria: for they commit falsehood; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without.
2 Njalo kabangatsho enhliziyweni yabo ukuthi ngiyabukhumbula bonke ububi babo. Khathesi izenzo zabo zibahanqile, ziphambi kobuso bami.
And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness: now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.
3 Bayayithokozisa inkosi ngobubi babo, leziphathamandla ngamanga abo.
They make the king glad with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
4 Bonke bayafeba; banjengeziko elibaselwa ngumphekizinkwa, oyekela ukukhwezela umlilo kusukela ekuxoveni inhlama kuze kube sekubileni kwayo.
They are all adulterers, as an oven heated by the baker, who ceases from raising after he has kneaded the dough, until it be leavened.
5 Kulusuku lwenkosi yethu; iziphathamandla ziyigulise ngokutshisa kwewayini; yelulela isandla sayo kanye labaklolodayo.
In the day of our king the princes have made him sick with bottles of wine; he stretched out his hand with scorners.
6 Ngoba zalungisa inhliziyo yazo njengeziko ngokucathamela kwazo; umphekizinkwa wazo ulala ubusuku bonke; ekuseni libhebhe njengomlilo olelangabi.
For they have made ready their heart like an oven, while they lie in wait: their baker sleeps all the night; in the morning it burns as a flaming fire.
7 Zonke ziyatshisa njengeziko; zidle abehluleli bazo; amakhosi azo wonke awile; kakulamuntu phakathi kwazo ongibizayo.
They are all hot as an oven, and have devoured their judges; all their kings are fallen: there is none among them that calls unto me.
8 UEfrayimi yena uzihlanganise lezizwe; uEfrayimi uliqebelengwana elingaphendulwanga.
Ephraim, he has mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned.
9 Abezizwe badla amandla akhe, kodwa yena kazi. Yebo, inwele ezimpunga zihlakazekile phezu kwakhe, kodwa yena kazi.
Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knows it not: yea, gray hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knows not.
10 Lokuzigqaja kukaIsrayeli kuyafakaza ebusweni bakhe, kodwa kababuyeli eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo, kabayidingi ngakho konke lokhu.
And the pride of Israel testifies to his face: and they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him for all this.
11 Njalo uEfrayimi unjengejuba eliyisiphukuphuku elingelangqondo; bakhalela iGibhithe, baye eAsiriya.
Ephraim also is like a silly dove without heart: they call to Egypt, they go to Assyria.
12 Lapho behamba ngizakwendlala imbule lami phezu kwabo, ngibehlise njengenyoni zamazulu, ngibajezise njengokwezwakala ebandleni labo.
When they shall go, I will spread my net upon them; I will bring them down as the fowls of the heaven; I will chastise them, as their congregation has heard.
13 Maye kubo, ngoba babalekile kimi! Incithakalo kubo, ngoba baphambukile bemelene lami. Lanxa mina bengingabahlenga, kube kanti bona baqamba amanga bemelene lami.
Woe unto them! for they have fled from me: destruction unto them! because they have transgressed against me: though I have redeemed them, yet they have spoken lies against me.
14 Kabakhaleli-ke kimi ngenhliziyo yabo, lapho beqhinqa isililo emibhedeni yabo; babuthana ngenxa yamabele lewayini elitsha, bayaphambuka bemelene lami.
And they have not cried unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds: they assemble themselves for corn and wine, and they rebel against me.
15 Lanxa mina ngibalaya ngiqinisa izingalo zabo, kanti baceba okubi bemelene lami.
Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet do they imagine mischief against me.
16 Bayaphenduka kodwa kunge koPhezukonke; banjengedandili elikhohlisayo; iziphathamandla zabo ziwa ngenkemba ngenxa yentukuthelo yolimi lwabo. Lokhu kuzakuba yinhlekisa yabo elizweni leGibhithe.
They return, but not to the most High: they are like a deceitful bow: their princes shall fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue: this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.
