Hosea 6

1 “Come! Let’s return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

“Wozani sibuyele kuThixo. Usesidabule saba yizicucu kodwa uzaselapha; usilimazile kodwa uzawabopha amanxeba ethu.

2 After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.

Emva kwensuku ezimbili uzasivuselela; ngosuku lwesithathu uzasibuyisela ukuze sihlale lapho akhona.

3 Let’s acknowledge Yahweh. Let’s press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

Kasimamukeleni uThixo; kasiqiniseni ukumamukela. Ngoqotho njengoba ilanga liphuma, uzabonakala; uzakuza kithi njengezulu lebusika, lanjengezulu lentwasa elithambisa umhlaba.”

4 “Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

“Ngingenzani ngawe, Efrayimi na? Ngingenzani ngawe, Juda na? Uthando lwenu lunjengenkungu yekuseni, lunjengamazolo ekuseni anyamalalayo.

5 Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

Ngakho ngaliqumaquma ngabaphrofethi bami, ngalibulala ngamazwi omlomo wami; ukwahlulela kwami kwaphazima njengombane phezu kwenu.

6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

Ngoba mina ngifuna isihawu, hatshi umhlatshelo, lokwamukela uNkulunkulu kuleminikelo yokutshiswa.

7 But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

Njengo-Adamu, sebesephule isivumelwano babengathembekanga khonale.

8 Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

IGiliyadi lidolobho labantu abaxhwalileyo. Lingcolile ngezinyathelo zegazi

9 As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

Njengezigebenga zicathamela umuntu, zenzanjalo izigangi zabaphristi; zibulala abantu emgwaqweni oya eShekhemu zisenza izinto ezimbi.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

Sengibone into etshaqisayo endlini ka-Israyeli. U-Efrayimi uwela khonapho, lo-Israyeli ungcolisiwe.

11 “Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.

Lakuwe futhi Juda, ukuvuna sekulungiselwe. Lapho ngingabuyisela inotho yabantu bami.