Hoseya 4:1-19
4 O bantwana bakwa-Israyeli, yizwani izwi likaJehova, ngoba kunecala uJehova azoliqulisa abakhileyo ezweni,+ ngoba akukho qiniso+ namusa wothando nalwazi ngoNkulunkulu ezweni.+
2 Kuqubuke ukuqalekisa+ nokuqhuba inkohliso+ nokubulala+ nokweba+ nokuphinga,+ futhi izenzo zokuchitha igazi ziye zelakanyana nezinye izenzo zokuchitha igazi.+
3 Yingakho izwe lizolila+ futhi bonke abakhileyo kulo bezobuna kanye nesilo sasendle nesidalwa esindizayo sasemazulwini, ngisho nezinhlanzi zolwandle zizobuthelwa ekufeni.+
4 “Nokho, ungavumeli muntu ukuba alwe,+ futhi ungavumeli muntu ukuba asole, njengoba abantu bakini befana nalabo abalwa nompristi.+
5 Ngokuqinisekile uyokhubeka ngesikhathi sasemini,+ ngisho nomprofethi uyokhubeka kanye nawe, njengasebusuku.+ Ngiyomthulisa unyoko.+
6 Abantu bami bayothuliswa nakanjani, ngoba akukho lwazi.+ Ngenxa yokuthi wena uye wenqaba lona kanye ulwazi,+ nami ngizokwenqaba ukuba ungabe usakhonza njengompristi kimi;+ ngenxa yokuthi futhi uqhubeka ukhohlwa umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho,+ nami ngiyowakhohlwa amadodana akho, yebo mina.+
7 Boné kimi ngangobuningi babo.+ Inkazimulo yami bayenané ngehlazo nje.+
8 Baqhubeka beshwabadela isono sabantu bami, futhi baqhubeka bephakamisela umphefumulo wabo esiphambekweni sabo.+
9 “Kuyomelwe kwenzeke kubantu okufana nalokho okuyokwenzeka kumpristi;+ futhi ngokuqinisekile ngiyobenza balandise ngezindlela zabo;+ futhi izenzo zabo ngiyozibuyisela phezu kwabo.+
10 Impela bayokudla, kodwa ngeke basuthe.+ Bayobaphatha njengezifebe abesifazane; kodwa ngeke bande,+ ngoba bakuyekile ukunaka uJehova.+
11 Ngubufebe newayini kanye newayini elimnandi okususa isisusa esihle.+
12 Abantu bami baqhubeka bebuza+ isithombe sabo sokhuni,+ futhi udondolo lwesandla sabo luyaqhubeka lubatshela; ngoba umoya wobufebe uqobo lwawo ubadukisile,+ futhi bayaphuma ngobufebe ngaphansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo.+
13 Benza imihlatshelo eziqongweni zezintaba,+ nasemagqumeni bashunqisa umusi womhlatshelo,+ ngaphansi kwesihlekehleke somuthi nangaphansi komuthi wesitorakisi nomuthi omkhulu, ngoba umthunzi wawo muhle.+ Yingakho amadodakazi enu efeba nomalokazana benu bephinga.
14 “Ngeke ngiwenze alandise amadodakazi enu ngenxa yokuthi ayafeba, nomalokazana benu ngenxa yokuthi bayaphinga. Ngoba, ngokuqondene namadoda, ayasuka ukuze abe wodwa nezifebe,+ enza imihlatshelo nezifebe zesifazane zasethempelini;+ futhi isizwe esingaqondi+ siyonyathelwa.
15 Nakuba ufeba, Israyeli,+ uJuda makangabi necala,+ futhi nina maningezi eGiligali,+ futhi ningakhuphukeli eBheti-Aveni+ noma nifunge nithi ‘Kuphila kukaJehova!’+
16 Ngoba, njengenkomo enenkani, u-Israyeli uye waba nenkani.+ Kumanje yini lapho uJehova ezobelusa khona njengeduna lemvu endaweni evulekile?
17 U-Efrayimi uhlangene nezithombe.+ Makayekwe enjalo!+
18 Njengoba utshwala babo bukakolweni buphelile,+ ngokuqinisekile bamphathise okwesifebe owesifazane.+ Abavikeli bakhe+ ngokuqinisekile bathandé ihlazo.+
19 Umoya umsongé ngamaphiko awo.+ Futhi bayoba namahloni ngemihlatshelo yabo.”+
