UHoseya 8
1 Uphondo emlonyeni wakho. Uzakuza njengokhozi lumelene lendlu yeNkosi; ngoba sebeqe isivumelwano sami, baphambuke bemelene lomlayo wami.
“Put the trumpet to your lips! Something like an eagle is over the LORD’s house, because they have broken my covenant and rebelled against my law.
2 Bazamemeza kimi: Nkulunkulu wami, thina, uIsrayeli, siyakwazi.
They cry to me, ‘My God, we, Israel, acknowledge you!’
3 UIsrayeli walile okuhle; isitha sizaxotshana laye.
Israel has cast off that which is good. 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, and I didn’t approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
5 Ithole lakho, Samariya, likwalile; intukuthelo yami iyavutha imelene labo; koze kube nini ukuthi banganelisi ukuba msulwa?
Let Samaria throw out his calf idol! My anger burns against them! How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
6 Ngoba laleli livela koIsrayeli; umbazi walenza, njalo kalisuye Nkulunkulu; kodwa ithole leSamariya lizakuba yizihlephu.
For this is even from Israel! The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, 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 sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
8 UIsrayeli useginyiwe; khathesi baphakathi kwezizwe, njengesitsha okungelantokozo kiso.
Israel is swallowed up. Now they are amongst the nations like a worthless thing.
9 Ngoba bona benyukele eAsiriya, ubabhemi weganga oyedwa ngokwakhe. UEfrayimi uqhatshe izithandwa.
For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
10 Yebo, lanxa beqhatsha phakathi kwezizwe, sengizabaqoqa; yebo, bazaqala ukuba balutshwana ngenxa yomthwalo wenkosi yeziphathamandla.
But although they sold themselves amongst the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
11 Ngoba uEfrayimi wandise amalathi ngawokona, amalathi azakuba ngawokona kuye.
Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
12 Ngimbhalele izinto ezinkulu zomlayo wami kodwa zabalwa njengento yemzini.
I wrote for him the many things of my law, but they were regarded 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.
As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD doesn’t accept them. Now he will remember 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.
For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses.”
