Hosea 13

1 Tsã la, ne Efraim ɖe gbe la, dukɔwo ʋuʋuna nyanyanya, elabena wodoe ɖe dzi le Israel, gake edze Baal subɔsubɔ ƒe nu vɔ̃ me eye wòku.

When the words of my law came from Ephraim, he was lifted up in Israel; but when he did evil through the Baal, death overtook him.

2 “Ke azɔ la, woƒe aglãdzedze la va de ŋgɔ. Wotsɔ woƒe klosalo na aɖaŋuwɔlawo, ame siwo lolõ wo tsɔ wɔ legbawo le woawo ŋutɔ ƒe nunya nu. Wogblɔ tso dukɔ sia ŋu be wotsɔa amegbetɔ saa vɔe, eye wogbugbɔa nu na nyivilegbawo.

And now their sins are increased; they have made themselves a metal image, false gods from their silver, after their designs, all of them the work of the metal-workers; they say of them, Let them give offerings, let men give kisses to the oxen.

3 Wo katã woabu vĩi abe afu ene, eye woaƒu enumake abe ahũ ene; woakaka abe ale si ya kakana atsakiti ene, eye woabu abe dzudzɔ ene.

So they will be like the morning cloud, like the dew which goes early away, like the dust of the grain which the wind is driving out of the crushing-floor, like smoke going up from the fireplace.

4 “Nye ɖeka koe nye Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu, eye alea ko mele tso esime ke mekplɔ mi do goe tso Egipte. Mawu bubu aɖeke mele mia si o, negbe nye ko, elabena ɖela aɖeke meli kpe ɖe ŋutinye o.

But I am the Lord your God, from the land of Egypt; you have knowledge of no other God and there is no saviour but me.

5 Mekpɔ mia ta le gbedzi, le kuɖiɖinyigba ma dzi.

I had knowledge of you in the waste land where no water was.

6 Ke esi mieɖu nu ɖi ƒo vɔ la, dada yɔ mia me, mieŋlɔm be,

When I gave them food they were full, and their hearts were full of pride, and they did not keep me in mind.

7 eya ta mava dze mia dzi abe dzata ene, made xa ɖe mɔ to na mi abe lãklẽ ene.

So I will be like a lion to them; as a cruel beast I will keep watch by the road;

8 Madze wo dzi abe sisiblisinɔ si ƒe viwo wofi dzoe ene, mavuvu wo akɔ ɖi abe dzatanɔ ene. Lã wɔadã aɖe avuvu wo viwo akɔ ɖi.

I will come face to face with them like a bear whose young ones have been taken from her, and their inmost hearts will be broken; there the dogs will make a meal of them; they will be wounded by the beasts of the field.

9 “O Israel, ètsrɔ̃ ɖokuiwò, elabena ètso ɖe nye, wò xɔnametɔ ŋu.

I have sent destruction on you, O Israel; who will be your helper?

10 Afi ka miaƒe fia la le? Nu ka wɔ miayɔe ne wòaxɔ na mi o? Afi ka miaƒe dumegãwo katã le? Ame siwo ŋuti miegblɔ le be, ‘Na fia kple dumegãwo mí’ la le? Eya ta miyɔ wo woava xɔ na mi!

Where is your king, that he may be your saviour? and all your rulers, that they may take up your cause? of whom you said, Give me a king and rulers.

11 Le nye dziku me, meɖo fia na mi, eye megaxɔe le mia si le nye dɔmedzoe me.

I have given you a king, because I was angry, and have taken him away in my wrath.

12 Woƒo Efraim ƒe vodadawo nu ƒu, eye wodzra eƒe nu vɔ̃wo ɖo ɖe agbalẽ me.

The wrongdoing of Ephraim is shut up; his sin is put away in secret.

13 Efraim se veve abe nyɔnu si le ku lém la ene, gake ele abe vi manyanu ene, elabena ne eƒe ɣeyiɣi de la, medoa ta ɖe vidzidɔ nu o.

The pains of a woman in childbirth will come on him: he is an unwise son, for at this time it is not right for him to keep his place when children come to birth.

14 “Maɖe wo tso tsiẽƒe ƒe ŋusẽ me, eye maxɔ wo le ku ƒe asi me. O ku, afi ka wò ŋɔdzi la le? O tsiẽƒe, afi ka wò gbegblẽ la le? Elabena nyemakpɔ nublanui o. (Sheol h7585)

I will give the price to make them free from the power of the underworld, I will be their saviour from death: O death! where are your pains? O underworld! where is your destruction? my eyes will have no pity. (Sheol h7585)

15 “Togbɔ be eyae de ŋgɔ wu le nɔviawo dome hã la, ɣedzeƒeya tso Yehowa gbɔ aƒo tso gbegbe ava. Eƒe tsiwo amie, eye vudowo me aƒu kplakplakpla. Woaha eƒe nudzraɖoƒewo, eye woalɔ eƒe kesinɔnuwo adzoe.

Though he gives fruit among his brothers, an east wind will come, the wind of the Lord coming up from the waste land, and his spring will become dry, his fountain will be without water: it will make waste the store of all the vessels of his desire.

16 Samaria azu aƒedo, elabena edze aglã ɖe Mawu ŋu. Woatsi yi nu, woalé vidzĩwo axlã ɖe anyi woaku, eye woako woƒe funɔwo kple yi agbagbee.”

Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.