UHoseya 8
1 Uphondo emlonyeni wakho. Uzakuza njengokhozi lumelene lendlu yeNkosi; ngoba sebeqe isivumelwano sami, baphambuke bemelene lomlayo wami.
“Place a trumpet at your lips! An eagle is coming over the house of Yahweh because the people have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 Bazamemeza kimi: Nkulunkulu wami, thina, uIsrayeli, siyakwazi.
They cry out to me, 'My God, we in Israel know you.'
3 UIsrayeli walile okuhle; isitha sizaxotshana laye.
But Israel has rejected what is good, and the enemy will 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, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, but it was only so they might be cut off.”
5 Ithole lakho, Samariya, likwalile; intukuthelo yami iyavutha imelene labo; koze kube nini ukuthi banganelisi ukuba msulwa?
“Your calf has been rejected, Samaria. My anger is burning against these people. For how long will they stay guilty?
6 Ngoba laleli livela koIsrayeli; umbazi walenza, njalo kalisuye Nkulunkulu; kodwa ithole leSamariya lizakuba yizihlephu.
For this idol came from Israel; a workman made it; it is not God! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces.
7 Ngoba behlanyele umoya, bazavuna isivunguzane; kakuyikuba lamabele emiyo; ihlumela kaliyikwenza impuphu; uba mhlawumbe lingayiveza, abezizwe bazayiginya.
For the people sow the wind and reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it yields no flour. If it does come to maturity, foreigners will devour it.
8 UIsrayeli useginyiwe; khathesi baphakathi kwezizwe, njengesitsha okungelantokozo kiso.
Israel is swallowed up; now they lie among the nations like something useless.
9 Ngoba bona benyukele eAsiriya, ubabhemi weganga oyedwa ngokwakhe. UEfrayimi uqhatshe izithandwa.
For they went up to Assyria like a wild donkey all alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for herself.
10 Yebo, lanxa beqhatsha phakathi kwezizwe, sengizabaqoqa; yebo, bazaqala ukuba balutshwana ngenxa yomthwalo wenkosi yeziphathamandla.
Even though they have hired lovers among the nations, I will now gather them together. They will begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of princes.
11 Ngoba uEfrayimi wandise amalathi ngawokona, amalathi azakuba ngawokona kuye.
For Ephraim has multiplied altars for sin offerings, but they have become altars for committing sins instead.
12 Ngimbhalele izinto ezinkulu zomlayo wami kodwa zabalwa njengento yemzini.
I could write down my law for them ten thousand times, but they would view it as something strange to them.
13 Mayelana lemihlatshelo yeminikelo yami, bahlaba inyama, bayidle, kodwa iNkosi kayithokozi ngabo. Khathesi izakhumbula ububi babo, iphindisele izono zabo; bona bazabuyela eGibhithe.
As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but I, Yahweh, do not accept them. Now I will think about their iniquity and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt.
14 Ngoba uIsrayeli umkhohliwe uMenzi wakhe, wakha amathempeli; njalo uJuda wandisile imizi ebiyelweyo; kodwa ngizathumela umlilo emizini yakhe, ozaqothula izigodlo zakhe.
Israel has forgotten me, his Maker, and has built palaces. Judah has fortified many cities, but I will send fire on his cities; it will destroy his fortresses.
