< Hosea 3 >

1 And the Lord said to me: “Go yet again, and love a woman, beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, for so does the Lord love the sons of Israel, yet they look to strange gods, and love the seeds of grapes.”
UThixo wasesithi kimi, “Hamba, utshengisele uthando lwakho kumkakho futhi, lanxa nje ethandwa ngomunye njalo eyisifebekazi. Mthande njengoThixo ethanda abako-Israyeli, lanxa baphendukela kwabanye onkulunkulu njalo bethanda amakhekhe ezithelo ezonyisiweyo.”
2 And I contracted her to me for fifteen silver coins, and for a basket of barley, and half a basket of barley.
Ngakho ngamthenga ngamashekeli esiliva alitshumi lanhlanu langokwakuphosa kube lihomeri leletheki lebhali.
3 And I said to her, “You will wait for me for many days. You will not commit fornication, and you will not be with a man. But I also will wait for you.”
Ngasengisithi kuye, “Uzahlala lami insuku ezinengi; akumelanga ube yisifebe loba wembathe lenye indoda, lami ngizahlala lawe.”
4 For the sons of Israel will sit for many days without a king, and without a leader, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without priestly vestments, and without religious symbols.
Ngoba abako-Israyeli bazahlala insuku ezinengi bengelankosi kumbe inkosana, bengelamhlatshelo kumbe amatshe angcwele, bengelasembatho semahlombe kumbe isithombe.
5 And after this, the sons of Israel will return, and they will seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they will be terrified by the Lord and by his goodness, in the last days.
Muva abako-Israyeli bazaphenduka bamdinge uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo kanye loDavida inkosi yabo. Bazakuza kuThixo beqhaqhazela kanye lasezibusisweni zakhe ensukwini zokucina.

< Hosea 3 >