< UHoseya 1 >
1 Ilizwi leNkosi elafika kuHoseya indodana kaBeyeri ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda, lensukwini zikaJerobhowamu indodana kaJowasi inkosi yakoIsrayeli.
The LORD’s word that came to Hosea the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.
2 Ukuqala kwelizwi leNkosi ngoHoseya. INkosi yasisithi kuHoseya: Hamba uzithathele umfazi wobuwule, labantwana bobuwule; ngoba ilizwe liyawula kakhulu ngokungayilandeli iNkosi.
When the LORD spoke at first by Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of prostitution and children of unfaithfulness; for the land commits great adultery, forsaking the LORD.”
3 Wasehamba wathatha uGomeri indodakazi kaDibilayimi; wasekhulelwa, wamzalela indodana.
So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.
4 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguJizereyeli, ngoba kuseseyisikhatshana ngizaphindisela icala legazi leJizereyeli phezu kwendlu kaJehu, ngiwuqede umbuso wendlu kaIsrayeli.
The LORD said to him, “Call his name Jezreel, for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease.
5 Kuzakuthi ngalolosuku ngephule idandili likaIsrayeli esigodini seJizereyeli.
It will happen in that day that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.”
6 Wasebuya ekhulelwa, wazala indodakazi. UNkulunkulu wasesithi kuye: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguLo-Ruhama, ngoba kangisayikubuya ngihawukele indlu kaIsrayeli, kodwa ngizabasusa lokubasusa.
She conceived again, and bore a daughter. Then he said to him, “Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no longer have mercy on the house of Israel, that I should in any way pardon them.
7 Kodwa ngizayihawukela indlu yakoJuda, ngibasindise ngeNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo; njalo kangiyikubasindisa ngedandili, loba ngenkemba, loba ngempi, ngamabhiza, kumbe ngabagadi bamabhiza.
But I will have mercy on the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.”
8 Esemlumulile uLo-Ruhama, wakhulelwa, wazala indodana.
Now when she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, she conceived, and bore a son.
9 UNkulunkulu wasesithi: Biza ibizo layo uthi nguLo-Ami; ngoba kalisibo abantu bami, ngakho mina kangisuye owenu.
He said, “Call his name Lo-Ammi, for you are not my people, and I will not be yours.
10 Kube kanti inani labantwana bakoIsrayeli lizakuba ngangetshebetshebe lolwandle elingeke lilinganiswe elingeke libalwe. Njalo kuzakuthi, endaweni yokuthi kuthiwe kubo: Kalisibo abantu bami; kuzakuthiwa kubo: Lingabantwana bakaNkulunkulu ophilayo.
Yet the number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted; and it will come to pass that, in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’
11 Ngakho abantwana bakoJuda labantwana bakoIsrayeli bazabuthaniswa ndawonye, bazimisele inhloko eyodwa, benyuke baphume elizweni. Ngoba luzakuba lukhulu usuku lweJizereyeli.
The children of Judah and the children of Israel will be gathered together, and they will appoint themselves one head, and will go up from the land; for great will be the day of Jezreel.