< Hosea 1 >
1 Shoko raJehovha rakasvika kuna Hosea mwanakomana waBheeri panguva yokutonga kwaUzia, Jotamu, Ahazi naHezekia, madzimambo eJudha, napanguva yokutonga kwaJerobhoamu mwanakomana waJehoashi mambo weIsraeri:
[I am] Hosea, the son of Beeri. Yahweh gave me these messages [at various times] during the years that Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah were the kings of Judah, and Jeroboam the son of Jehoash was the King of Israel.
2 Jehovha paakatanga kutaura kubudikidza naHosea, akati kwaari, “Enda, unozvitorera mukadzi woufeve navana voufeve nokuti nyika ine mhosva yokuita ufeve hwakaipisisa nokuti yakabva kuna Jehovha.”
When Yahweh first [began to] give messages to me [to tell to the people of Israel], he said to me, “Go and marry a prostitute. But [some of] her children will be born as a result of her having sex with men to whom she is not married. That will illustrate how the people of Israel have turned away from me and worship (idols/other gods).”
3 Naizvozvo akawana Gomeri mwanasikana waDibhiraimu, uye akabata pamuviri akamuberekera mwanakomana.
So I married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. She became pregnant and gave birth to my son.
4 Ipapo Jehovha akati kuna Hosea, “Mutumidze zita rokuti Jezireeri, nokuti ndava kuda kuranga imba yaJehu zvino nokuda kwavanhu vakaurayiwa paJezireeri, uye ndichagumisa umambo hwaIsraeri.
Yahweh said to me, “Give him the name Jezreel, [which means ‘God scatters’], because I will soon punish the descendants [MTY] of [King] Jehu [by scattering them], because he killed many of my people at Jezreel [town]. [Some day] I will end the kingdom of Israel,
5 Pazuva iro ndichavhuna uta hwaIsraeri mumupata weJezireeri.”
by destroying the power [MTY] of [the army of] Israel in Jezreel Valley.”
6 Gomeri akabatazve pamuviri ndokubereka mwanasikana. Ipapo Jehovha akati kuna Hosea, “Mutumidze zita rokuti Ro-Ruhama, nokuti handichazoratidzizve rudo kuimba yaIsraeri, kuti nditombovaregerera.
[Later] Gomer became pregnant [again], and she gave birth to a daughter. Yahweh said to me “Give her the name Lo-ruhamah, [which means ‘not loved],’ because I will no longer [show that I] love the people [MET] of Israel, and I will not forgive them [for the sins that they have committed].
7 Asi ndicharatidza rudo kuimba yaJudha; uye ndichavaponesa, kwete nouta, munondo kana kurwa, kana namabhiza kana navatasvi vamabhiza, asi naJehovha Mwari wavo.”
But I will [show that I] love the people [MTY] of Judah [by saving them from their enemies]. However, it will not be by weapons and armies or horses and chariots that I will save them. Instead, it will be by [the power that I], Yahweh their God, [have].”
8 Mushure mokurumura Ro-Ruhama, Gomeri akaberekazve mumwe mwanakomana.
After Gomer had (weaned/stopped breast-feeding) Lo-ruhamah, she became pregnant again, and she gave birth to another son.
9 Ipapo Jehovha akati, “Mutumidze zita rokuti Ro-Ami, nokuti imi hamusi vanhu vangu, uye ini handisi Mwari wenyu.
Yahweh said “Give him the name Lo-ammi, [which means 'not my people', ] because the people of Israel are no [longer my people], and I am not their God.
10 “Kunyange zvakadaro vaIsraeri vachava sejecha riri pamahombekombe egungwa, risingabviri kuyerwa kana kuverengwa. Paya pakanga panzi kwavari, ‘Hamuzi vanhu vangu,’ vachanzi ‘vanakomana vaMwari mupenyu.’
But [some day] the people of Israel will be [as numerous] as [SIM] the [grains of] sand on the seashore; no one will be able to count them. Now [I] am saying to them, ‘You are not my people,’ but then people will say to them, ‘[You are the] children of God who is all-powerful.’
11 Vanhu veJudha navanhu veIsraeri vachabatanazve, uye vachasarudza mutungamiri mumwe chete uye vachasimukira panyika, nokuti zuva raJezireeri richava zuva guru.
[At that time], the people of Judah and the people of Israel will unite. They will appoint one leader for all of them, and they will return from the countries [to which they have been (exiled/forced to go)]. That will be a great time; Jezreel [also means ‘God plants’, and it will be as though God will plant them in this country again].”