< Hosea 4 >

1 Inzwai shoko raJehovha, imi vaIsraeri, nokuti Jehovha ane mhosva yaari kupa kwamuri imi vagere munyika: “Hapana akatendeka, hapana ane rudo, hapana anoziva Mwari munyika.
You Israeli people, listen to this message from Yahweh! He is accusing you people who live in this country, [saying] “The people are not faithfully [doing what pleases me], they are not kind [to others], and they do not [even] know me!
2 Mune kutuka chete, kunyengera nokuuraya, kuba noupombwe; vanoparadza zvose zvinovadzivisa, uye kudeuka kweropa kunotevera kudeuka kweropa.
Everywhere in this land they curse [others], they murder [others], they steal, and they commit adultery. They act violently toward others and commit one murder after another.
3 Nokuda kwaizvozvi nyika inochema, navose vanogara mairi vanoperezeka. Mhuka dzesango neshiri dzedenga nehove dzegungwa zviri kufa.
It is because of their doing those things that there is no rain [MTY], the land has become dry, the people are mourning, and the people are dying [from hunger]. Even the wild animals and the birds and the fish in the sea are dying.
4 “Asi ngapasava nomunhu anopa mhosva, ngapasava nomunhu anopomera mumwe nokuti vanhu venyu vakafanana neavo vanopomera muprista mhaka.
But no one should accuse someone else and say it is his fault. It is you priests whom I am accusing.
5 Imi munogumburwa masikati nousiku, uye vaprofita vanogumburwawo pamwe chete nemi. Saka ndichaparadza mai venyu.
So I will punish [MTY] you priests, night and day, and I will punish the prophets with you. I am going to destroy [Israel, the nation that is like] [MET] a mother to you.
6 Vanhu vangu vanoparadzwa nokuda kwokushayiwa zivo. “Sezvo maramba zivo, ini ndinokurambaiwo savaprista vangu; nokuti makashayira hanya murayiro waMwari wenyu, ini ndichashayirawo hanya vana venyu.
It is because my people do not know [about me] that they will be destroyed. And their not knowing about me is because you priests have refused [to teach them about me]; so I will no longer allow you to be my priests. You have forgotten the things that I taught you, so I will forget [to bless] your children.
7 Vaprista vakati vachiwanda, kunditadzira kwavo kukawandawo; vakatsinhanisa kukudzwa nechimwe chinhu chinonyadzisa.
As there are more and more priests, they have sinned against me more and more. So I will no longer allow them to be honored; instead, I will cause them to be disgraced.
8 Vanodya zvivi zvavanhu vangu uye vachifarira zvakaipa zvavo.
The priests get food from [the offerings that the] people [bring in order to be forgiven for having sinned], [so] the priests want the people to sin more and more [in order that the people will bring them more and more offerings].
9 Uye zvichaitika kuti: Zvakaita vanhu, ndizvo zvichaitawo vaprista. Ndicharanga vose, nokuda kwenzira dzavo uye ndichavapa mubayiro wamabasa avo.
The priests [are as sinful] as the [other] people, and I will punish [all of] them for what they have done; I will pay them back for the [evil] things that they have done.
10 “Vachadya asi havangaguti; vachaita ufeve asi havangawandi, nokuti vakatiza Jehovha kuti vazvipire
[The priests] will eat, but they will still be hungry; they will have sex with prostitutes, but they will not have any children, because they have abandoned [me], Yahweh,
11 kuufeve, newaini yakare neitsva, zvinobvisa kunzwisisa
and they are devoting themselves to sleeping with prostitutes, and to [drinking] old wine and new wine, which results in their not being able to think clearly.”
12 kwavanhu vangu. Vanobvunza chifananidzo chedanda uye vanopindurwa netsvimbo yomuti. Mweya woufeve unovatungamirira mukurasika, havana kutendeka kuna Mwari wavo.
“[You] my people request wooden idols [to tell you what you should do]! Like prostitutes who have left/abandoned their husbands,
13 Vanobayira pamusoro pamakomo uye vanopisira zvinonhuhwira pazvikomo, pasi pemiouki, mipopura nemiterebhini, pane mimvuri yakanaka. Naizvozvo vanasikana venyu vanotendeukira kuufeve navaroora venyu kuupombwe.
you have abandoned [me] your God, and you are chasing after [other gods] on the tops of hills and mountains; you burn incense under oak [trees], poplar [trees], and other trees where there is nice/pleasing shade. So your daughters have become prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law have committed adultery.
14 “Handizorangi vanasikana venyu pavanotendeukira kuufeve, kana varoora venyu pavanoita upombwe, nokuti varume pachavo vanoenda kuzvifeve uye vanobayira pamwe chete nezvifeve zvepashongwe, vanhu vasinganzwisisi vachasvika pakuparadzwa.
But it is not [only] your daughters [whom I will punish] for having become prostitutes, and it is not [only] your daughters-in-law whom I will punish for committing adultery, because the men also are having sex with prostitutes, and they offer sacrifices with the prostitutes [who search for men at the] shrines [of the idols]. [They are all] foolish people, and they will [all] be ruined.
15 “Kunyange uchiita upombwe, iwe Israeri, usaita kuti Judha ave nemhosva. “Usaenda kuGirigari; usakwidza uchienda kuBheti Avheni. Uye usapika uchiti, ‘Zvirokwazvo naJehovha mupenyu!’
You Israeli [people] have abandoned me like [MET] those who commit adultery have abandoned their spouses. But do not cause [the people of] Judah to sin [also]. Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth-Aven [towns] [to worship idols there]. Do not make solemn promises [there, saying ‘Just as surely] as Yahweh lives, [I will do what I am promising].’
16 VaIsraeri vakasindimara, setsiru rakasindimara. Zvino Jehovha achavafudza sei samakwayana pamafuro?
You [people of Israel] are as stubborn as [SIM] a young cow. So there is no way [RHQ] that [I], Yahweh, will [provide food for them] [like a shepherd provides food for his] lambs [by leading them] to a nice meadow.
17 Efuremu akabatana nezvifananidzo; musiyei ari oga!
The people of Israel have chosen to worship idols [MET], [so] allow them [to do what they want to do].
18 Kunyange zvokunwa zvavo pazvinenge zvapera, vanoramba vachiita ufeve hwavo; vatongi vavo vanoda kwazvo nzira dzinonyadzisa.
When their rulers finish drinking [their wine], they go to find prostitutes; they love their disgraceful behavior.
19 Chamupupuri chichavatsvairira kure, uye zvibayiro zvavo zvichavaunzira kunyadziswa.
But they will disappear [as though] [MET] they were blown away by a whirlwind. They will become [very] ashamed because of their offering sacrifices [to idols].”

< Hosea 4 >