< UHoseya 9 >
1 Ungajabuli, wena Israyeli, kube yinjabulo, njengezizwe, ngoba uwulile usuka kuNkulunkulu wakho; uthanda umvuzo wobuwule emabaleni wonke okubhulela amabele.
Rejoice not, O Israel, for gladness, as other people; for thou art gone astray, unfaithful to thy God: thou hast loved the wages of sin upon every corn-filled threshing-floor.
2 Ibala lokubhulela lesikhamelo sewayini kakuyikubondla, lewayini elitsha lizabakhohlisa.
The threshing-floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them.
3 Kabayikuhlala elizweni leNkosi, kodwa uEfrayimi uzabuyela eGibhithe, badle okungcolileyo eAsiriya.
They shall not dwell in the land of the Lord; but Ephraim shall return to Egypt, and in Assyria will they eat unclean things.
4 Kabayikuthululela iwayini eNkosini, kabayikuyithokozisa; imihlatshelo yabo izakuba njengesinkwa sokulila kubo; bonke abasidlayo bazangcola; ngoba isinkwa sabo ngesomphefumulo wabo, kasiyikufika endlini yeNkosi.
They shall not pour out wine to the Lord, and [their offerings] shall not be pleasing unto him; their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for this their food can only be for themselves, it shall not come into the house of the Lord.
5 Lizakwenzani ngosuku lomkhosi omisiweyo, langosuku lwedili leNkosi?
What will ye do on the day of the appointed festival, and on the day of the feast of the Lord?
6 Ngoba khangela, bahambile ngenxa yokuchitheka, iGibhithe izababutha, iMofi ibangcwabe, izindawo zabo eziloyisekayo zesiliva, ukhula oluhlabayo luzakudla ilifa lazo, ameva abe semathenteni abo.
For, lo, they are gone forth because of the desolation: Egypt will gather them up, Moph will bury them: the pleasant chambers for their silver, —these shall nettles take possession of; thorns shall [grow] in their tents.
7 Insuku zokuhanjelwa sezifikile, insuku zempindiselo sezifikile; uIsrayeli uzakwazi; umprofethi uyisithutha, umuntu womoya uyahlanya, ngenxa yobunengi bobubi benu, lenzondo enkulu.
Come are the days of the visitation, come are the days of thy recompense; this shall Israel experience: a fool was the prophet, mad the inspired man, because of the greatness of thy iniquity, and the great hatefulness.
8 Umlindi wakoEfrayimi uloNkulunkulu wami, kodwa umprofethi uyisifu somthiyi wenyoni endleleni zakhe zonke, inzondo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakhe.
The watchman of Ephraim with my God, the prophet, was a snare of the fowler on all his ways, a hateful thing in the house of his god.
9 Bazonakalisile ngokujulileyo njengensukwini zeGibeya. Uzakhumbula ububi babo, ajezise izono zabo.
They are deeply corrupt, as in the days of Gib'ah: he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins.
10 Ngamthola uIsrayeli njengezithelo zevini enkangala, ngababona oyihlo njengezithelo zokuqala emkhiweni ekuqaleni kwazo. Kodwa bona baya eBhali-Peyori, bazehlukanisela lelohlazo, baba ngokunengekayo njengokuthanda kwabo.
Like grapes in the wilderness had I found Israel; as the first ripe fruit on the fig-tree in the first of the season had I seen your fathers; but they too went to Ba'al-pe'or: and devoted themselves unto that shameful idol, and became abominations as those they loved.
11 NgoEfrayimi, udumo lwabo luzaphapha luhambe njengenyoni, kusukela ekuzalweni, njalo kusukela esiswini, njalo kusukela ekumithweni.
As for Ephraim, their glory shall fly away like a bird: there is no more birth, and no pregnancy, and no conception.
12 Loba bekhulisa abantwana babo, kube kanti ngizabenza bafelwe, kungasali muntu. Yebo-ke, maye kubo ekusukeni kwami kubo!
But though they were to bring up their children, yet would I bereave them, that there should be no man: yea, woe also to themselves, when I depart from them!
13 UEfrayimi, njengokubona kwami iTire, uhlanyelwe endaweni yokuhlala; kodwa uEfrayimi uzakhuphela abantwana bakhe kumbulali.
Ephraim, as I have seen him like Tyre, planted in a pleasant meadow, —yet this Ephraim shall lead forth to the murderer his children.
14 Banike, Nkosi! Uzanikani? Banike isizalo esiphunzayo, lamabele omileyo.
Give them, O Lord, what thou wilt give! give them a miscarrying womb and dried-up breasts.
15 Bonke ububi babo buseGiligali, ngoba ngabazonda khona, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo, ngizabaxotsha endlini yami, kangisayikubathanda; zonke iziphathamandla zabo zingabahlamuki.
All their wickedness is in Gilgal; for there I [learnt to] hate them; for the wickedness of their doings will I drive them out of my house: I will love them no farther; all their princes are rebels.
16 UEfrayimi utshayiwe; impande yabo yomile, kabayikuthela isithelo; yebo loba bezala, ngizabulala izithelo zesizalo sabo ezithandekayo.
Smitten is Ephraim, their root is dried up, they shall bear no fruit; yea, though they should bring forth, yet would I slay the beloved fruit of their body.
17 UNkulunkulu wami uzabala, ngoba kabamlaleli; bazakuba ngabazulayo phakathi kwezizwe.
My God will reject them, because they did not hearken unto him: and they shall be wanderers among the nations.