Hosea 7
1 when I heal Israel, Ephraim's sins will be exposed, together with the evil actions of Samaria. They deal in lies; they are thieves who break into homes and rob people on the outside.
Lapho engizakwelapha khona u-Israyeli, izono zika-Efrayimi ziyadalulwa lobubi beSamariya buyembulwa. Benza inkohliso, amasela agqekeza izindlu, izigebenga ziyaphanga emigwaqweni
2 But they don't realize that I remember all of their wickedness. Their sins surround them and are always before me.
kodwa kabananzeleli ukuthi mina ngiyazikhumbula zonke izenzo zabo ezimbi. Izono zabo ziyabaminza; zihlezi ziphambi kwami.
3 They make their king happy with their wickedness, and the princes with their lies.
Bathokozisa inkosi ngobuxhwali babo, lababusi ngamanga abo.
4 All of them are adulterers, burning with lust like an oven whose fire stays hot, even though it is not tended by the baker, having left the dough to rise after kneading.
Bonke bayizifebe, batshisa njengeziko elimlilo walo akudingeki ukuba umpheki wezinkwa awukhwezele kusukela ekuvoxeni inhlama ize ikhukhumale.
5 On the king's birthday the princes drink so much they are sick, while he joins in with those who mock.
Ngosuku lomkhosi wenkosi yethu ababusi bathukutheliswa liwayini, inkosi izihlanganise labaklolodayo.
6 Their minds are fired up like an oven; they go to him with their plots. All through the night their anger burns; in the morning it blazes out uncontrollably.
Inhliziyo zabo zinjengeziko, inkosi bayilanda ngamacebo ensitha. Ukufutheka kwabo kuyadeda ubusuku bonke; ekuseni kuyavutha njengomlilo obhebhayo.
7 All of them are as hot as a burning oven, and they exhaust their leaders. All of their kings have fallen, and not one of them calls on me.
Bonke batshisa njengeziko; batshwabadele ababusi babo. Wonke amakhosi abo ayawa, kayikho ekhuleka kimi.
8 Ephraim mixes with the foreign nations; he is as useless as half-baked bread!
U-Efrayimi uxubana lezizwe; u-Efrayimi ulikhekhe eliyisicecedu elingaphendulwanga.
9 Foreigners drain his strength, and he doesn't even realize it. His hair is turning grey and he doesn't even notice.
Abezizweni bacikiza amandla akhe, kodwa yena kakunanzeleli. Inwele zakhe sezilezimvu kodwa yena kakunanzeleli.
10 Israel's pride testifies against him, but for all of this he still does not return to the Lord their God or look for him.
Ubuqholo buka-Israyeli bufakaza okubi ngaye, kodwa phezu kwakho konke lokhu kabuyeli kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakhe loba amdinge.
11 Ephraim is like a dove, foolish and without sense—calling to Egypt, then going to Assyria.
U-Efrayimi unjengejuba, ukhohliseka lula kalangqondo ucela usizo eGibhithe, abuye alucele e-Asiriya.
12 When they go I will throw my net over them; I will bring them down like wild birds. When I hear them flocking together I will punish them.
Lapho sebehamba, ngizaphosa umambule wami phezu kwabo; ngizabadonsela phansi njengezinyoni zasemoyeni. Ngizabezwa behamba bonke, ngizababamba.
13 What disaster is coming to them because they have strayed from me! Destruction is coming to them because they have rebelled against me! I wish I could redeem them, but they tell lies about me.
Maye kubo ngoba bedukile kimi! Akube lencithakalo kubo ngoba bangihlamukele! Ngiyafisa ukubahlenga kodwa bona bakhuluma amanga ngami.
14 They do not cry out to me with sincere minds; instead they lie on their beds howling. They assemble together and gash themselves to gain grain and new wine, but they turn away from me.
Kabakhalazi kimi ngezinhliziyo zabo kodwa bakhalela emibhedeni yabo. Babuthanela amabele lewayini elitsha kodwa mina basuka bangidele.
15 I myself trained them and made them strong, but now they plot evil against me.
Ngabafundisa ngabaqinisa, kodwa baceba okubi ngami.
16 They turn, but not to the Most High; they are like a useless bow. Their leaders will be killed by the sword because of their cursing. Because of this they will be ridiculed in Egypt.
Kabaphendukeli koPhezukonke banjengedandili elisolekayo. Abakhokheli babo bazabulawa ngenkemba ngenxa yamazwi abo okweyisa. Ngalokhu bazahlekwa elizweni laseGibhithe.”
