Hoseya 7:1-16
7 “Ngesikhathi engiyoletha ngaso ukuphulukiswa ku-Israyeli,+ isiphambeko sika-Efrayimi naso empeleni siyambulwa,+ nezinto ezimbi zaseSamariya;+ ngoba bazijwayeze amanga,+ futhi isela liyangena; ngaphandle iviyo labaphangi liyahlasela.+
2 Futhi abasho enhliziyweni+ yabo ukuthi ngiyobukhumbula bonke ububi babo.+ Manje izenzo zabo zibahaqile.+ Sebephambi kobuso bami.+
3 Bajabulisa inkosi ngobubi babo, nezikhulu ngenkohliso yabo.+
4 Bonke bayiziphingi,+ njengesithando somlilo esibaselwa ngumbhaki, oyeka ukuhlokoza ngemva kokuxova inhlama kuze kube yilapho isibilile.
5 Ngosuku lwenkosi yethu, izikhulu zizigulisile+—kukhona ukufutheka ngenxa yewayini.+ Yelule isandla sayo kanye nabahleka usulu.
6 Ngoba basondeze inhliziyo yabo eduze ngokungathi bayisondeza esithandweni somlilo;+ siyavutha ngaphakathi kubo.+ Umbhaki wabo ulele ubusuku bonke; ekuseni isithando somlilo sivutha ngokungathi ngumlilo ovutha amalangabi.+
7 Bonke bashisa njengaso isithando, futhi empeleni bashwabadela abahluleli babo. Amakhosi abo awile wonke;+ ayikho neyodwa kuwo engimemezayo.+
8 “U-Efrayimi, uzihlanganisa yena siqu nezizwe.+ U-Efrayimi uye waba yiqebelengwane eliyindilinga elingazange liphendulwe.+
9 Izihambi ziwadlile amandla akhe,+ nokho yena akazi.+ Futhi, izinwele ezimpunga zibe mhlophe kuye, kodwa yena akazi.
10 Ukuziqhenya kuka-Israyeli kufakaze kwamlahla,+ futhi akazange abuyele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe,+ futhi akazange amfune ngenxa yakho konke lokhu.+
11 U-Efrayimi unjengejuba elingenangqondo+ elingenayo inhliziyo.+ Ubize iGibhithe;+ uye e-Asiriya.+
12 “Nomaphi lapho eya khona ngiyokwelulela inetha lami phezu kwakhe.+ Njengezidalwa ezindizayo zamazulu ngiyomehlisela phansi.+ Ngiyomyala ngokuvumelana nombiko oya enhlanganweni yakhe.+
13 Maye kuye,+ ngoba ungibalekele!+ Makaphangwe, ngoba weqé umthetho wami! Mina ngamkhulula,+ kodwa yena ukhulumé amanga ngisho nangami.+
14 Nakuba aqhubeka ehewula emibhedeni yakhe, akazange acele kimi usizo ngenhliziyo yakhe.+ Ngenxa yokusanhlamvu kwakhe newayini elimnandi ubelokhu ezula;+ ubelokhu engifulathela.+
15 Mina, ngamyala;+ ngaziqinisa izingalo zakhe,+ kodwa waqhubeka eceba okubi ngami.+
16 Wabuya, kodwa engabuyeli kokuphakeme;+ wayesenjengomnsalo oxegayo.+ Izikhulu zakhe ziyowa ngenkemba ngenxa yokulahlwa ulimi lwazo.+ Lokhu kuyoba ngukuhlekwa kwazo usulu ezweni laseGibhithe.+
