UHoseya 7
1 Lapho bengingelapha uIsrayeli, khona isiphambeko sikaEfrayimi sembulwa, lobubi beSamariya; ngoba benza amanga, lesela liyangena, leviyo labaphangi liyaphanga ngaphandle.
Whenever I want to heal Israel, the sin of Ephraim is exposed, as well as the evil deeds of Samaria, for they practice deceit; a thief comes in, and a marauding band attacks in the street.
2 Njalo kabangatsho enhliziyweni yabo ukuthi ngiyabukhumbula bonke ububi babo. Khathesi izenzo zabo zibahanqile, ziphambi kobuso bami.
They do not realize in their hearts that I remember all their evil deeds. Now their deeds surround them; they are before my face.
3 Bayayithokozisa inkosi ngobubi babo, leziphathamandla ngamanga abo.
With their evil they make the king glad, and by their lies the officials.
4 Bonke bayafeba; banjengeziko elibaselwa ngumphekizinkwa, oyekela ukukhwezela umlilo kusukela ekuxoveni inhlama kuze kube sekubileni kwayo.
They are all adulterers, like an oven heated by the baker, who ceases to stir the fire from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.
5 Kulusuku lwenkosi yethu; iziphathamandla ziyigulise ngokutshisa kwewayini; yelulela isandla sayo kanye labaklolodayo.
On the day of our king the officials made themselves sick with the heat of wine. He reached out with his hand to those who were mocking.
6 Ngoba zalungisa inhliziyo yazo njengeziko ngokucathamela kwazo; umphekizinkwa wazo ulala ubusuku bonke; ekuseni libhebhe njengomlilo olelangabi.
For with hearts like an oven, they devise their deceitful plans. Their anger smolders all night; in the morning it burns high like a flaming fire.
7 Zonke ziyatshisa njengeziko; zidle abehluleli bazo; amakhosi azo wonke awile; kakulamuntu phakathi kwazo ongibizayo.
They all are as hot as an oven, and they devour those who rule over them. All their kings have fallen; none of them calls on me.
8 UEfrayimi yena uzihlanganise lezizwe; uEfrayimi uliqebelengwana elingaphendulwanga.
Ephraim mixes himself among the peoples. Ephraim is a flat cake that has not been turned over.
9 Abezizwe badla amandla akhe, kodwa yena kazi. Yebo, inwele ezimpunga zihlakazekile phezu kwakhe, kodwa yena kazi.
Foreigners have devoured his strength, but he does not know it. Gray hairs are sprinkled on him, but he does not know it.
10 Lokuzigqaja kukaIsrayeli kuyafakaza ebusweni bakhe, kodwa kababuyeli eNkosini uNkulunkulu wabo, kabayidingi ngakho konke lokhu.
The pride of Israel testifies against him; however, they have not returned to Yahweh their God, nor have they sought him, in spite of all this.
11 Njalo uEfrayimi unjengejuba eliyisiphukuphuku elingelangqondo; bakhalela iGibhithe, baye eAsiriya.
Ephraim is like a dove, gullible and without sense, calling out to Egypt, then flying to Assyria.
12 Lapho behamba ngizakwendlala imbule lami phezu kwabo, ngibehlise njengenyoni zamazulu, ngibajezise njengokwezwakala ebandleni labo.
When they go, I will spread my net over them, I will bring them down like the birds of the sky. I will punish them in their flocking together.
13 Maye kubo, ngoba babalekile kimi! Incithakalo kubo, ngoba baphambukile bemelene lami. Lanxa mina bengingabahlenga, kube kanti bona baqamba amanga bemelene lami.
Woe to them! For they have strayed from me. Devastation is coming to them! They have rebelled against me! I would have rescued them, but they spoke lies against me.
14 Kabakhaleli-ke kimi ngenhliziyo yabo, lapho beqhinqa isililo emibhedeni yabo; babuthana ngenxa yamabele lewayini elitsha, bayaphambuka bemelene lami.
They have not cried to me with all their heart, but they wail on their beds. They gather together for grain and new wine, and they turn away from me.
15 Lanxa mina ngibalaya ngiqinisa izingalo zabo, kanti baceba okubi bemelene lami.
Though I trained them and strengthened their arms, they are now plotting evil 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 they do not return to me, the Most High. They are like a slack bow. Their officials will fall by the sword because of the insolence of their tongues. This will become their mockery in the land of Egypt.
