UHoseya 4

₁Yizwani izwi likaJehova

nina bantwana bakwa-Israyeli,

ngokuba uJehova unokuphikisana nabakhileyo ezweni,

lokhu kungekho qiniso, namusa,

nakumazi uNkulunkulu ezweni.

₂“Kukhona ukufunga nokuqamba amanga,

nokubulala, nokweba, nokuphinga;

bayafohla, izingazi zilandele izingazi.

₃Ngalokho izwe liyakudabuka,

bonke abakhe kulo badangale kanye nezilwane zasendle

nezinyoni zezulu;

yebo, nezinhlanzi zolwandle ziyakususwa.

₄“Makungabikho ophikisana nomunye,

asole omunye;

nokho abantu bakho bayakuphikisana nabapristi.

₅Mpristi, uyakukhubeka emini,

kukhubeke umprofethi kanye nawe ebusuku;

nonyoko ngiyakumbhubhisa.

₆Abantu bami babhujiswa ngokuswela ukwazi;

ngokuba ukulahlile ukwazi nami ngiyakukulahla wena,

ungabi ngumpristi wami;

lokhu ukhohliwe umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho

nami ngiyakukhohlwa abantwana bakho.

₇Njengokwanda kwabo,

kanjalo bona kimi;

udumo lwabo ngiyakulwenana ngehlazo.

₈Badla izono zabantu bami,

babhekisa umphefumulo wabo ebubini babo.

₉Kuyakuthi njengabantu abe njalo umpristi:

ngiyakubahambela ngenxa yezindlela zabo,

ngibuyisele kubo izenzo zabo.

₁₀“Bayakudla, bangasuthi kodwa;

bayakufeba, bangandi kodwa,

ngokuba bayekile ukumnakekela uJehova.

₁₁Ubufebe newayini newayini elisha kususa umqondo.

₁₂Abantu bami babuza emthini,

induku yabo ibatshele,

ngokuba umoya wobufebe ubadukisile,

basuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo ngokufeba.

₁₃Bayahlabela eziqongweni zezintaba,

bashisa impepho emagqumeni,

phansi kwama-oki* nemipopula* nemitherebinte,*

ngokuba umthunzi wakho muhle;

kungalokho amadodakazi enu ayafeba,

nawomakoti benu bayaphinga.

₁₄“Angiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu,

lapho efeba,

nawomakoti benu lapho bephinga,

ngokuba namadoda achezukela iziphingi,

ahlaba kanye nezifebe zethempeli.

Kanjalo abantu abangenangqondo bayakuwiswa.

₁₅“Noma wena Israyeli ufeba,

uJuda makangazitholeli icala;

ningayi eGiligali,

ningenyukeli eBeti Aveni,

ningafungi ngokuthi:

‘Kuphila kukaJehova.’

₁₆Ngokuba u-Israyeli unenkani njengesithole;

uJehova angabelusa njengemvana endaweni ebanzi na?

₁₇U-Efrayimi uhlangene nezithombe;

myeke.

₁₈Ukuphuza kwabo sekuphelile;

bayafeba nokufeba;

izikhulu zabo zithandisisa ihlazo.

₁₉Umoya ubasongile ngamaphiko awo;

bayakujabha ngemihlatshelo yabo.