Hosea 2

1“Tshono kubafowenu uthi, ‘Bantu bami,’ ngabodadewenu uthi, ‘Bathandekayo bami.’ ”

U-Israyeli Uyajeziswa Abuye Abuyiselwe

2“Mkhuze unyoko, mkhuze,
ngoba engasuye mkami,
lami kangisuye mkakhe.
Kasuse ukukhangeleka kobufebe ebusweni bakhe
kanye lokungathembeki phakathi kwamabele akhe.
3Funa ngimhlubule abe nqunu,
ngimenze abeze njengamhla ezalwa;
ngizamenza abe njengenkangala,
ngimenze abe yilizwe elomileyo
ngimbulale ngokomela amanzi.
4Kangiyikubonakalisa uthando lwami ebantwaneni bakhe,
ngoba bangabantwana bobufebe.
5Unina ubeyisifebe,
njalo ubemule ngehlazo.
Wathi, ‘Ngizazilandela izithandwa zami,
ezingipha ukudla kwami lamanzi ami,
iwulu yami lamalembu ami,
amafutha ami lokunathwayo kwami.’
6Ngakho-ke indlela yakhe ngizayivala ngamahlahla ameva;
ngizamhonqolozela ngomduli ukuze indlela yakhe angayifumani.
7Uzaxotshana lezithandwa zakhe kodwa angazifici,
uzazidinga kodwa angazitholi.
Ngakho uzakuthi,
‘Ngizabuyela endodeni yami yakuqala,
ngoba ngalesosikhathi ngangingcono kulakhathesi.’
8Kavumanga ukuthi yimi engamnika amabele,
lewayini elitsha lamafutha ngamnika isiliva esinengi legolide
abakusebenzisela uBhali.

9Ngakho-ke ngizawathatha amabele ami lapho esevuthiwe,
lewayini lami elitsha lapho selilungile.
Ngizayithatha lewulu yami kanye lelineni lami,
okwakumiselwe ukuvala ubunqunu bakhe.
10Ngakho khathesi ngizahlazulula ukuxhwala bakhe
emehlweni ezithandwa zakhe;
kakho ozamsusa ezandleni zami.
11Ngizayiqeda yonke imikhosi yakhe yokuthokoza:
imikhosi yakhe yeminyaka yonke, ukuThwasa kweziNyanga,
insuku zakhe zamaSabatha,
yonke imikhosi yakhe emisiweyo.
12Ngizatshabalalisa izivini zakhe lezihlahla zakhe zemikhiwa,
lokhu athi yinhlawulo yakhe evela kuzithandwa zakhe;
ngizazenza zibe liguswanyana
zidliwe yizinyamazana zeganga.
13Ngizamjezisela insuku atshisela ngazo
oBhali impepha;
wazicecisa ngamasongo langamangqongqo,
walandela izithandwa zakhe,
kodwa mina wangikhohlwa,” kutsho uThixo.

14“Ngakho sengizamhuga;
ngizamholela enkangala
ngikhulume laye kakuhle.
15Lapho-ke ngizambuyisela izivini zakhe,
ngenze iSigodi sase-Akhori sibe ngumnyango wethemba.
Khonapho uzahlabelela njengasezinsukwini zobutsha bakhe,
njengamhla ephuma eGibhithe.

16Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo,
“lizangibiza ngokuthi ‘ndoda yami’;
kalisayikungibiza ngokuthi ‘nkosi yami.’
17Ngizawasusa amabizo aboBhali ezindebeni zakhe;
amabizo abo akusayikukhulekwa ngawo futhi.
18Ngalolosuku ngizabenzela isivumelwano
lezinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zasemoyeni
kanye lezidalwa ezihuquzela emhlabathini.
Idandili lenkemba kanye lempi
ngizakuqeda elizweni
ukuze konke kulale phansi kuvikelekile.
19Ngizakwendisela kimi kuze kube nininini;
ngizakwendisa ngokulunga langemfanelo,
ngothando langesihawu.
20Ngizakwendisa ngokuthembeka,
njalo uzamamukela uThixo.

21Ngalolosuku ngizasabela,”
kutsho uThixo,
“Ngizasabela emikhathini,
layo izasabela emhlabeni,
22lomhlaba uzasabela emabeleni
lasewayinini elitsha kanye lasemafutheni,
lokhu kuzasabela kuJezerili.
23Ngizazihlanyelela yena elizweni;
ngizabonakalisa uthando lwami
kulowo engambiza ngokuthi,
‘Akasi sithandwa sami.’
Ngizakuthi kulabo ababizwa ngokuthi,
‘Abangasibantu bami,’
‘Lingabantu bami’;
bona bazakuthi,
‘UnguNkulunkulu wethu.’ ”