Hosea 4

Icala Eletheswa Abako-Israyeli

1Zwanini ilizwi likaThixo, lina bako-Israyeli
ngoba kulecala uThixo alethesa lina elihlala elizweni:
“Akulakwethembeka, akulathando, akukho ukumamukela
uNkulunkulu elizweni.
2Kulokuthuka kuphela, lokuqamba amanga lokubulala,
lokuntshontsha kanye lobufebe;
benza ububi bonke,
njalo ukuchithwa kwegazi kulandela ukuchithwa kwegazi.
3Ilizwe liyalila ngenxa yalokhu,
njalo bonke abahlala kulo bayacikizeka;
izinyamazana zeganga lezinyoni zasemoyeni
kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle kuyafa.

4Kodwa akungabi lamuntu omangalayo,
akungabi lomuntu owethesa omunye icala
ngoba abantu bakho bafana lalabo
abamangalela umphristi.
5Liyakhubeka emini lebusuku,
labaphrofethi bakhubeka kanye lani.
Ngakho unyoko ngizamchitha,
6abantu bami bachithwa yikungabi lolwazi.

Njengoba likwalile ukwazi,
lami ngiyalala njengabaphristi bami;
ngoba kaliwunakanga umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenu,
lami angiyikubanaka abantwana benu.
7Ngokwanda kwabaphristi,
kwanda kanjalo lokona kwabo kimi,
benanisa uDumo lwabo ngento elihlazo.
8Badla izono zabantu bami
bajabuliswe yikuxhwala kwabo.
9Njalo kuzakuba kanje: Njengabantu, njengabaphristi.
Bonke ngizabajezisela izindlela zabo,
ngiphindisele kubo lezenzo zabo.

10Bazakudla kodwa bangasuthi;
bazakwenza ubufebe kodwa bangandi,
ngoba bamdelile uThixo
ukuba bazinikele 11ebufebeni,
lewayini elidala kanye lelitsha
elisusa ukuqedisisa kwabantu bami.
12Badinga izeluleko esithombeni sesigodo
baphendulwe yiluthi lwesigodo.
Umoya wobufebe uyabedukisa;
kabathembekanga kuNkulunkulu wabo.
13Banikela imihlatshelo ezingqongweni zezintaba
batshise iminikelo phezu kwamaqaqa,
ngaphansi komʼokhi, lomphophila kanye lomtherebhinti,
lapho okulomthunzi omnandi.
Ngakho amadodakazi enu enza ubuwule,
labomalukazana benu benze ubufebe.

14Angiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu
lapho esenza ubuwule
loba omalukazana benu
lapho besenza ubufebe,
ngoba amadoda uqobo azwana lezifebe anikele
imihlatshelo lezifebe ezisezindaweni zokukhonzela
abantu abangelakuqedisisa bazabhubha.

15Lanxa ufeba, we Israyeli,
uJuda kangabi lecala.

Lingayi eGiligali;
lingayi eBhethi-Aveni.
Njalo lingafungi lisithi,
‘Ngeqiniso njengoba uThixo ekhona!’
16Abako-Israyeli bayiziqholo,
njengethokazi eliyisiqholo.
Pho uThixo angabelusela njani
emadlelweni njengezimvu na?
17U-Efrayimi uhlangene lezithombe;
myekeleni enjalo!
18Lalapho okunathwayo kwabo sekuphelile,
bayaqhubeka ngobufebe babo;
ababusi babo bazithanda kakhulu izindlela ezilihlazo.
19Isavunguzane sizabakhukhula,
lemihlatshelo yabo izabalethela ihlazo.”