Hosea 13

Ulaka LukaThixo Ku-Israyeli

1Lapho u-Efrayimi ekhuluma, abantu bathuthumela;
wabatshazwa ko-Israyeli.
Kodwa waba lecala lokukhonza uBhali wasesifa.
2Khathesi benza izono njalonjalo;
bazenzela izithombe ngesiliva sabo,
izifanekiso ezenziwe ngokuhlakanipha,
zonke ziyimisebenzi yezingcitshi.
Ngabantu laba kuthiwa,
“Banikela imihlatshelo yabantu,
bange izithombe zamathole.”
3Ngakho bazakuba njengenkungu yekuseni,
njengamazolo ekuseni anyamalalayo,
njengamakhoba asuka ezizeni,
njengentuthu iphuma ewindini.

4“Kodwa mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu,
owalikhupha elizweni laseGibhithe.
Kaliyikwamukela omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami,
hatshi omunye uMsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
5Ngalilondoloza enkangala,
elizweni elilokutshisa okuvuthayo.
6Lapho ngibapha ukudla, basutha;
sebesuthi, basuka bazigqaja;
basebengikhohlwa.
7Ngizakwehlela phezu kwabo njengesilwane,
ngizacathama ngasendleleni njengengwe.
8Njengebhele elithathelwe imidlwane yalo
ngizabahlasela ngibaqhaqhe.
Ngizabadla njengesilwane,
inyamazana yeganga izabadabula.

9Uchithiwe, wena Israyeli,
ngoba umelane lami, umelane lomsizi wakho.
10Ingaphi inkosi yakho, ukuba ikusize na?
Bangaphi ababusi bakho kuwo wonke amadolobho akho,
bona owathi ngabo,
‘Ngipha inkosi lababusi’?
11Ngakho ngakunika inkosi ngithukuthele,
njalo ngolaka lwami ngayisusa.
12Icala lika-Efrayimi ligciniwe,
izono zakhe zigcinwe emibhalweni.
13Ufikelwa yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ehelelwa,
kodwa ungumntwana ongelalwazi;
lapho isikhathi sifika,
kabuyi ekuvulekeni kwesizalo.

14Ngizabahlenga emandleni engcwaba;
ngizabasindisa ekufeni.
Zingaphi, we kufa izifo zakho?
Kungaphi, we ngcwaba, ukuchitha kwakho?

Kangiyikuba lesihawu,
15lanxa ekhula phakathi kwabafowabo.
Umoya wasempumalanga ovela kuThixo uzafika,
uphephetha uvela enkangala;
intwasa yakhe izakwehluleka,
lemithombo yakhe itshe.
Indlu yakhe yokugcinela izaphangwa
yonke ingcebo yayo.
16Abantu baseSamariya kuzamela balithwale icala labo,
ngoba bamhlamukele uNkulunkulu wabo.
Bazabulawa ngenkemba;
insane zabo zizasakazelwa phansi,
abesifazane babo abazithweleyo baqhaqhwe.”