< UHoseya 8 >
1 Uphondo emlonyeni wakho. Uzakuza njengokhozi lumelene lendlu yeNkosi; ngoba sebeqe isivumelwano sami, baphambuke bemelene lomlayo wami.
Set the trumpet to your mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
2 Bazamemeza kimi: Nkulunkulu wami, thina, uIsrayeli, siyakwazi.
Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know you.
3 UIsrayeli walile okuhle; isitha sizaxotshana laye.
Israel has cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him.
4 Bona babeke amakhosi, kodwa kungengami; bamisa iziphathamandla, kodwa ngangingakwazi; ngesiliva sabo legolide labo bazenzela izithombe, ukuze baqunywe.
They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.
5 Ithole lakho, Samariya, likwalile; intukuthelo yami iyavutha imelene labo; koze kube nini ukuthi banganelisi ukuba msulwa?
Your calf, O Samaria, has cast you off; mine anger is kindled against them: how long will it be before they attain to innocence?
6 Ngoba laleli livela koIsrayeli; umbazi walenza, njalo kalisuye Nkulunkulu; kodwa ithole leSamariya lizakuba yizihlephu.
For from Israel was it also: the workman made it; therefore it is not God: but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
7 Ngoba behlanyele umoya, bazavuna isivunguzane; kakuyikuba lamabele emiyo; ihlumela kaliyikwenza impuphu; uba mhlawumbe lingayiveza, abezizwe bazayiginya.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind: it has no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal: if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up.
8 UIsrayeli useginyiwe; khathesi baphakathi kwezizwe, njengesitsha okungelantokozo kiso.
Israel is swallowed up: now shall they be among the Gentiles as a vessel wherein is no pleasure.
9 Ngoba bona benyukele eAsiriya, ubabhemi weganga oyedwa ngokwakhe. UEfrayimi uqhatshe izithandwa.
For they are gone up to Assyria, a wild ass alone by himself: Ephraim has hired lovers.
10 Yebo, lanxa beqhatsha phakathi kwezizwe, sengizabaqoqa; yebo, bazaqala ukuba balutshwana ngenxa yomthwalo wenkosi yeziphathamandla.
Yea, though they have hired among the nations, now will I gather them, and they shall sorrow a little for the burden of the king of princes.
11 Ngoba uEfrayimi wandise amalathi ngawokona, amalathi azakuba ngawokona kuye.
Because Ephraim has made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin.
12 Ngimbhalele izinto ezinkulu zomlayo wami kodwa zabalwa njengento yemzini.
I have written to him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing.
13 Mayelana lemihlatshelo yeminikelo yami, bahlaba inyama, bayidle, kodwa iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo. Khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, iphindisele izono zabo; bona bazabuyela eGibhithe.
They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of mine offerings, and eat it; but the LORD accepts them not; now will he remember their iniquity, and visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt.
14 Ngoba uIsrayeli umkhohliwe uMenzi wakhe, wakha amathempeli; njalo uJuda wandisile imizi ebiyelweyo; kodwa ngizathumela umlilo emizini yakhe, ozaqothula izigodlo zakhe.
For Israel has forgotten his Maker, and builds temples; and Judah has multiplied fenced cities: but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the palaces thereof.