UHoseya 9
1 Ungajabuli, wena Israyeli, kube yinjabulo, njengezizwe, ngoba uwulile usuka kuNkulunkulu wakho; uthanda umvuzo wobuwule emabaleni wonke okubhulela amabele.
Do not rejoice, Israel, with joy like the other peoples. For you have been unfaithful, forsaking your God. You love to pay the wages a prostitute requires on all the threshing floors.
2 Ibala lokubhulela lesikhamelo sewayini kakuyikubondla, lewayini elitsha lizabakhohlisa.
But the threshing floor and the winepress will not feed them; the new wine will fail them.
3 Kabayikuhlala elizweni leNkosi, kodwa uEfrayimi uzabuyela eGibhithe, badle okungcolileyo eAsiriya.
They will not continue to live in Yahweh's land; instead, Ephraim will return to Egypt, and one day they will eat unclean food in Assyria.
4 Kabayikuthululela iwayini eNkosini, kabayikuyithokozisa; imihlatshelo yabo izakuba njengesinkwa sokulila kubo; bonke abasidlayo bazangcola; ngoba isinkwa sabo ngesomphefumulo wabo, kasiyikufika endlini yeNkosi.
They will pour out no wine offerings to Yahweh, neither will they be pleasing to him. Their sacrifices will be to them like mourners' food: all who eat it will be defiled. For their food will be for themselves only; it will not come into the house of Yahweh.
5 Lizakwenzani ngosuku lomkhosi omisiweyo, langosuku lwedili leNkosi?
What will you do on the day of an appointed festival, on the day of a festival for Yahweh?
6 Ngoba khangela, bahambile ngenxa yokuchitheka, iGibhithe izababutha, iMofi ibangcwabe, izindawo zabo eziloyisekayo zesiliva, ukhula oluhlabayo luzakudla ilifa lazo, ameva abe semathenteni abo.
For, look, if they escape from destruction, Egypt will gather them, and Memphis will bury them. As for their treasures of silver— sharp briers will possess them, and thorns will fill their tents.
7 Insuku zokuhanjelwa sezifikile, insuku zempindiselo sezifikile; uIsrayeli uzakwazi; umprofethi uyisithutha, umuntu womoya uyahlanya, ngenxa yobunengi bobubi benu, lenzondo enkulu.
The days for punishment are coming; the days for retribution are coming. Let all Israel know these things. The prophet is a fool, and the inspired man is insane, because of your great iniquity and great hostility.
8 Umlindi wakoEfrayimi uloNkulunkulu wami, kodwa umprofethi uyisifu somthiyi wenyoni endleleni zakhe zonke, inzondo endlini kaNkulunkulu wakhe.
The prophet is the watchman for my God over Ephraim. But a bird snare is on all of his paths, and hostility toward him is in the house of his God.
9 Bazonakalisile ngokujulileyo njengensukwini zeGibeya. Uzakhumbula ububi babo, ajezise izono zabo.
They have deeply corrupted themselves as in the days of Gibeah. God will call to mind their iniquity, and he will punish 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.
Yahweh says, “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. Like the very first fruit of the season on the fig tree, I found your fathers. But they went to Baal Peor, and they devoted themselves to that shameful idol. They became as detestable as the idol they loved.
11 NgoEfrayimi, udumo lwabo luzaphapha luhambe njengenyoni, kusukela ekuzalweni, njalo kusukela esiswini, njalo kusukela ekumithweni.
As for Ephraim, their glory will fly away like a bird. There will be no birth, no pregnancy, and no conception.
12 Loba bekhulisa abantwana babo, kube kanti ngizabenza bafelwe, kungasali muntu. Yebo-ke, maye kubo ekusukeni kwami kubo!
Though they have brought up children, I will take them away so that none of them 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.
I have seen Ephraim, just like Tyre, planted in a meadow, but Ephraim will bring out his children to someone who will slaughter them.”
14 Banike, Nkosi! Uzanikani? Banike isizalo esiphunzayo, lamabele omileyo.
Give them, Yahweh—what will you give them? Give them a miscarrying womb and breasts that give no milk.
15 Bonke ububi babo buseGiligali, ngoba ngabazonda khona, ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo, ngizabaxotsha endlini yami, kangisayikubathanda; zonke iziphathamandla zabo zingabahlamuki.
“Because of all their wickedness in Gilgal, that is where I began to hate them. Because of their sinful deeds, I will drive them out of my house. I will love them no more; all their officials are rebels.
16 UEfrayimi utshayiwe; impande yabo yomile, kabayikuthela isithelo; yebo loba bezala, ngizabulala izithelo zesizalo sabo ezithandekayo.
Ephraim is diseased, and their root is dried up; they bear no fruit. Even if they have children, I will put their beloved children to death.”
17 UNkulunkulu wami uzabala, ngoba kabamlaleli; bazakuba ngabazulayo phakathi kwezizwe.
My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him. They will become wanderers among the nations.
