Hosea 2
1 “Uti kuvanunʼuna vako, ‘Vanhu vangu,’ nokuhanzvadzi dzako ‘vadikanwa vangu.’”
[At that time, ] you will say to your fellow-Israeli men, “[You are] God’s people,” and [you will say] to your fellow-Israeli women, “You are ones whom God loves.”
2 “Tsiurai mai venyu, vatsiurei, nokuti havasi mukadzi wangu, uye handisi murume wavo. Ngavabvise kuonekwa kwoufeve pachiso chavo nokusatendeka pakati pamazamu avo.
[Yahweh also said to me], “I want you to accuse the Israeli people. [It is as though] [MET] this nation is your mother, but this nation is [no longer as though it is] [MET] my wife, and it is [no longer as though] [MET] I am its husband. Tell the Israeli people that they must stop [acting like] a prostitute [by worshiping other gods]; they must stop showing by their behavior that they (are unfaithful to/have abandoned) [me] [MET].
3 Kana zvikasadaro, ndichavabvisa nguo dzose vagosara vakashama sezvavakanga vakaita musi wavakaberekwa. Ndichavaita segwenga ndigovashandura vave nyika yakaoma uye ndichavauraya nenyota.
If they do not do that, I will not give them [food and] clothes [as a husband should give to his wife]; I will take away those things, and I will cause their nation to become [as deserted] as it was on the day that I [brought their ancestors out of Egypt and caused them to become a nation] [MET]. I will cause their country to be like [SIM] a desert; there will be no rain to water the ground [MET].
4 Handizoratidzi vana vavo rudo, nokuti vana voufeve.
I will not pity the people, because they have [abandoned me] as [MET] prostitutes abandon their husbands.
5 Mai vavo vakanga vasina kutendeka uye vakavaberekera mune zvinonyadzisa. Vakati, ‘Ndichateverazve vadiwa vangu, vanondipa zvokudya zvangu nemvura yangu, makushe angu nomucheka wangu, mafuta angu nezvokunwa zvangu.’
Their parents are like prostitutes [MET]: they have been unfaithful [to me], and they have done [very] disgraceful things. They said, ‘We will run to [our idols/gods] who love us; [they are the ones] who give us food and water and wool and linen and [olive] oil, and [wine to] drink.’
6 Naizvozvo ndichasosera nzira yavo namasanzu eminzwa; ndichavapfigira mukati morusvingo zvokuti havangawani nzira yavo.
So [it will be as though] [MET] I am blocking their road with thornbushes, and putting put a wall around them so that they do not know which way to go.
7 Vachadzinganisa vadiwa vavo asi havangavabati; vachavatsvaka, asi havangavawani. Ipapo vachati, ‘Ndichadzokera kumurume wangu sapakutanga nokuti ipapo ndaiva nani kupfuura pari zvino.’
They will run to their idols/gods that [they think] love them, but they will not find them. They will search for their false gods, but they will not find them. Then they will say, ‘[Perhaps] we should return to [Yahweh], whom we worshiped previously [MET], because things were better for us then than they are now.’
8 Havana kuzvibvuma kuti ndini ndaivapa zviyo, newaini itsva namafuta, ndini ndakavapa sirivha negoridhe rakawanda izvo zvavakashandira Bhaari nazvo.
But they do not realize that I, [Yahweh], am the one who gave them grain and wine and [olive] oil; I am the one who gave them silver and gold which they used to worship Baal.
9 “Naizvozvo ndichavatorera zviyo zvangu kana zvaibva, newaini yangu itsva nenguva yayo. Ndichatora makushe angu nomucheka wangu zvaifanira kufukidza kushama kwavo.
Therefore I will return and take my grain and grapes from them when they are ripe. I will take from them the wool and linen that I gave to them [to make their clothes] [MTY].
10 Saka zvino ndichabudisa pachena unzenza hwavo pamberi pavadiwa vavo; hapana achazovatora kubva mumaoko angu.
I will show those false gods/idols that what my people are doing is disgusting [MET], and no one will be able to hinder me from [punishing them].
11 Ndichagumisa kupembera kwavo kwose: mitambo yavo yose yegore negore, nguva dzoKugara kwoMwedzi, maSabata avo nemitambo yavo yose yakatarwa.
I will cause their religious celebrations to cease, the festivals that they celebrate every year and at every new moon and on their (Sabbath days/weekly days of rest). I will cause all their religious celebrations to cease.
12 Ndichaparadza mizambiringa yavo nemiti yavo yemionde yakanga iri muripo waibva kuvadiwa vavo. Ndichazviita dondo, uye mhuka dzesango dzichazvidya.
I will destroy [all] their grapevines and fig trees, which they said were what their [idols/gods] who loved them paid them for worshiping those idols. I will cause those places to become a desert, and wild animals will eat the fruit [that remains].
13 Ndichavaranga nokuda kwamazuva avakapisira zvinonhuhwira kuna Bhaari; vakazvishonga nemhete nezvishongo, vakatevera vadiwa vavo, asi ini vakandikanganwa,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
I will punish my people for [all] the times that they burned incense to [honor] the idols of Baal. They decorated themselves with rings and jewelry, and they went to worship those [false gods/idols] that [they thought] [IRO] loved them, but they abandoned/forgot me! [That is what I], Yahweh, say.
14 “Naizvozvo zvino ndichazovakwezva; ndichavatungamirira kurenje ndigotaura zvinyoronyoro kwavari.
But listen! [Some day] I will persuade my people [to worship me again]; I will lead them [out] into the desert and speak kindly to them [there].
15 Ikoko ndichavadzosera minda yavo yemizambiringa uye ndichaita kuti mupata weAkori uve musuo wetariro. Ikoko vachaimba sapamazuva oumhandara hwavo, sapamazuva avakabuda kubva muIjipiti.
I will give their vineyards [back] to them, and I will cause Achor Valley, [which means ‘valley of trouble'], to become a valley where they will confidently expect [me to do good things for them]. They will (respond to/want to please) me there like they did long ago, when I freed them from [being slaves in] Egypt.
16 “Pazuva iro,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “Uchanditi ‘murume wangu;’ hauchazonditi ‘tenzi wangu.’
At that time, they will say to me, ‘[It is as though] [MET] you are our husband.’ They will not say that I am their [master, like they considered that] Baal [was].
17 Ndichabvisa mazita avanaBhaari pamiromo yavo; havangazodani kumazita avozve.
I will not allow them to speak [MTY] the names of Baal; they will never use those names again.
18 Pazuva iro ndichavaitira sungano nemhuka dzesango neshiri dzedenga uye nezvipuka zvinokambaira pasi. Uta nomunondo nehondo, ndichazvibvisa panyika kuti zvose zvivate pasi zvakachengetedzeka.
At that time [it will be as though] I will make an agreement with [all] the wild animals and birds, and [even with] the little animals that scurry across the ground, so that they will never harm my people [again]. And I will remove from their nation all the weapons [for fighting] battles, [like] swords and bows [and arrows]. The result will be that my people will live peacefully and safely, and will not be afraid.
19 Ndichatsidza kukuwana uve wangu nokusingaperi; ndichatsidza kukuwana mukururama uye nomukururamisira, murudo netsitsi.
I will cause them to be [as though they are] [MET] my bride forever. I will be righteous and fair/just; I will faithfully love them and be kind to them.
20 Ndichatsidza kukuwana mukutendeka, uye uchabvuma kuti ndini Jehovha.
I will not abandon them, and they will realize [that I] Yahweh, [have the power to do what I say that I will do.]
21 “Pazuva iro ndichadavira,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “ndichadavira kumatenga uye ivo vachadavira kunyika;
At that time, [when they request me to do things for them], [I will do those things]. When they request clouds and rain to fall on their land, I will speak to the clouds, and rain will fall on the earth,
22 nenyika ichadavira kuzviyo, waini itsva namafuta, uye izvo zvichadavira kuna Jezireeri.
and grain will grow, and the vineyards and the olive trees will grow in Jezreel [Valley].
23 Ndichamusima panyika nokuda kwangu; ndicharatidza rudo kuno uyo wandakati ‘Haasiye wandinoda.’ Ndichati kuna avo vanonzi ‘Havasi vanhu vangu,’ ‘Muri vanhu vangu,’ uye ivo vachati, ‘Muri Mwari wangu.’”
[At that time], I will take care of the Israeli people [like a farmer plants and takes care of his crops] [MET]. I will love those people that I previously said were ones I did not love, and I previously said, ‘You are not my people,’ and [then] they will say to me, ‘You are our God.’”
