UHoseya 9
1 Ungajabuli, wena Israyeli, kube yinjabulo, njengezizwe, ngoba uwulile usuka kuNkulunkulu wakho; uthanda umvuzo wobuwule emabaleni wonke okubhulela amabele.
Rejoice not too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.
2 Ibala lokubhulela lesikhamelo sewayini kakuyikubondla, lewayini elitsha lizabakhohlisa.
Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail them.
3 Kabayikuhlala elizweni leNkosi, kodwa uEfrayimi uzabuyela eGibhithe, badle okungcolileyo eAsiriya.
They will not stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.
4 Kabayikuthululela iwayini eNkosini, kabayikuyithokozisa; imihlatshelo yabo izakuba njengesinkwa sokulila kubo; bonke abasidlayo bazangcola; ngoba isinkwa sabo ngesomphefumulo wabo, kasiyikufika endlini yeNkosi.
They will not pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.
5 Lizakwenzani ngosuku lomkhosi omisiweyo, langosuku lwedili leNkosi?
What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?
6 Ngoba khangela, bahambile ngenxa yokuchitheka, iGibhithe izababutha, iMofi ibangcwabe, izindawo zabo eziloyisekayo zesiliva, ukhula oluhlabayo luzakudla ilifa lazo, ameva abe semathenteni abo.
Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.
7 Insuku zokuhanjelwa sezifikile, insuku zempindiselo sezifikile; uIsrayeli uzakwazi; umprofethi uyisithutha, umuntu womoya uyahlanya, ngenxa yobunengi bobubi benu, lenzondo enkulu.
The days of punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! “The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!” It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your hatred.
8 Umlindi wakoEfrayimi uloNkulunkulu wami, kodwa umprofethi uyisifu somthiyi wenyoni endleleni zakhe zonke, inzondo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakhe.
Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,
9 Bazonakalisile ngokujulileyo njengensukwini zeGibeya. Uzakhumbula ububi babo, ajezise izono zabo.
they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish their sin.
10 Ngamthola uIsrayeli njengezithelo zevini enkangala, ngababona oyihlo njengezithelo zokuqala emkhiweni ekuqaleni kwazo. Kodwa bona baya eBhali-Peyori, bazehlukanisela lelohlazo, baba ngokunengekayo njengokuthanda kwabo.
I found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.
11 NgoEfrayimi, udumo lwabo luzaphapha luhambe njengenyoni, kusukela ekuzalweni, njalo kusukela esiswini, njalo kusukela ekumithweni.
Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more conception.
12 Loba bekhulisa abantwana babo, kube kanti ngizabenza bafelwe, kungasali muntu. Yebo-ke, maye kubo ekusukeni kwami kubo!
Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!
13 UEfrayimi, njengokubona kwami iTire, uhlanyelwe endaweni yokuhlala; kodwa uEfrayimi uzakhuphela abantwana bakhe kumbulali.
Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.
14 Banike, Nkosi! Uzanikani? Banike isizalo esiphunzayo, lamabele omileyo.
Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up breasts!
15 Bonke ububi babo buseGiligali, ngoba ngabazonda khona, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo, ngizabaxotsha endlini yami, kangisayikubathanda; zonke iziphathamandla zabo zingabahlamuki.
All their evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.
16 UEfrayimi utshayiwe; impande yabo yomile, kabayikuthela isithelo; yebo loba bezala, ngizabulala izithelo zesizalo sabo ezithandekayo.
Ephraim is blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings of their womb,
17 UNkulunkulu wami uzabala, ngoba kabamlaleli; bazakuba ngabazulayo phakathi kwezizwe.
My God will reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.
