Hosea 14
1 Israeli, rudi kwa Bwana, Mungu wako, kwa kuwa umeanguka kwa sababu ya uovu wako.
Return, O Israel, even unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast stumbled through thy iniquity.
2 Chukueni maneno pamoja nanyi na mrudieni Yahweh. Mwambieni, “Ondoa uovu wetu wote, uyakubali mema, ili tuweze kukupa matunda ya midomo yetu.
Take with you swords, and return to the Lord: say unto him, “Pardon all [our] iniquity, and accept [our return to] good; and let us repay the steers [of sacrifice] with [the prayer of] our lips.
3 Ashuru haitatuokoa; hatutapanda farasi kwenda vitani. Hatuwezi tena kuiambia kazi ya mikono yetu, 'ninyi ni miungu yetu,' kwa maana kwako mtu asiye na baba hupata huruma.”
Asshur shall not help us; upon horses will we not ride: and we will no more say, Ye are our gods, to the work of our hands; for in thee alone the fatherless obtaineth mercy.”
4 'Nitawaponya kugeuka kwao; Nami nitawapenda kwa moyo, kwa maana hasira yangu itaondoka kwake.
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them.
5 Nitakuwa kama umande kwa Israeli; atachanua kama maua na kuchukua mizizi kama mwerezi nchini Lebanoni.
I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall bloom as the lily; and he shall strike his roots as [the forests of] Lebanon.
6 Matawi yake yataenea; Uzuri wake utakuwa kama mizeituni, na harufu yake kama mierezi ya Lebanoni.
His suckers shall spread out, and his beauty shall be as that of the olive-tree, and his smell as that of the Lebanon.
7 Watu wanaoishi katika kivuli chake watarejea; watafufuliwa kama nafaka na maua kama mizabibu. Utukufu wake utakuwa kama divai ya Lebanoni.
They shall return that sat under his shade; they shall revive as corn, and bloom as the vine: the scent of which shall be as that of the wine of Lebanon.
8 Efraimu, nifanye nini tena na sanamu? Mimi nitamjibu na kumtunza. Mimi ni kama mberoshi majani yake ni ya kijani daima; kutoka kwangu huja matunda yako.”
Ephraim [shall say], What have I to do any more with idols? I have answered, and will observe him; I will be [to him] like a green fir-tree; through me is thy fruit found.
9 Nani mwenye busara ili aelewe mambo haya? Nani anaelewa mambo haya ili awatambue? Kwa kuwa njia za Bwana ni sawa, na wenye haki watatembea ndani yao, lakini waasi wataanguka ndani yake.
Who is wise, that he may understand these things? intelligent, that he may know them? for righteous are the ways of the Lord; and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors will stumble through them.
