Hoseya Chapter 4

1. Yizwani izwi likaJehova nina bantwana bakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba uJehova unokuphikisana nabakhileyo ezweni, lokhu kungekho qiniso, namusa, nakumazi uNkulunkulu ezweni.

2. “Kukhona ukufunga nokuqamba amanga, nokubulala, nokweba, nokuphinga; bayafohla, izingazi zilandele izingazi.

3. Ngalokho izwe liyakudabuka, bonke abakhe kulo badangale kanye nezilwane zasendle nezinyoni zezulu; yebo, nezinhlanzi zolwandle ziyakususwa.

4. “Makungabikho ophikisana nomunye, asole omunye; nokho abantu bakho bayakuphikisana nabapristi.

5. Mpristi, uyakukhubeka emini, kukhubeke umprofethi kanye nawe ebusuku; nonyoko ngiyakumbhubhisa.

6. Abantu bami babhujiswa ngokuswela ukwazi; ngokuba ukulahlile ukwazi nami ngiyakukulahla wena, ungabi ngumpristi wami; lokhu ukhohliwe umthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho nami ngiyakukhohlwa abantwana bakho.

7. Njengokwanda kwabo, kanjalo bona kimi; udumo lwabo ngiyakulwenana ngehlazo.

8. Badla izono zabantu bami, babhekisa umphefumulo wabo ebubini babo.

9. Kuyakuthi njengabantu abe njalo umpristi: ngiyakubahambela ngenxa yezindlela zabo, ngibuyisele kubo izenzo zabo.

10. “Bayakudla, bangasuthi kodwa; bayakufeba, bangandi kodwa, ngokuba bayekile ukumnakekela uJehova.

11. Ubufebe newayini newayini elisha kususa umqondo.

12. Abantu bami babuza emthini, induku yabo ibatshele, ngokuba umoya wobufebe ubadukisile, basuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo ngokufeba.

13. Bayahlabela eziqongweni zezintaba, bashisa impepho emagqumeni, phansi kwama-oki nemipopula nemitherebinte, ngokuba umthunzi wakho muhle; kungalokho amadodakazi enu ayafeba, nawomakoti benu bayaphinga.

14. “Angiyikuwajezisa amadodakazi enu, lapho efeba, nawomakoti benu lapho bephinga, ngokuba namadoda achezukela iziphingi, ahlaba kanye nezifebe zethempeli. Kanjalo abantu abangenangqondo bayakuwiswa.

15. “Noma wena Israyeli ufeba, uJuda makangazitholeli icala; ningayi eGiligali, ningenyukeli eBeti Aveni, ningafungi ngokuthi: ‘Kuphila kukaJehova.’

16. Ngokuba u-Israyeli unenkani njengesithole; uJehova angabelusa njengemvana endaweni ebanzi na?

17. U-Efrayimi uhlangene nezithombe; myeke.

18. Ukuphuza kwabo sekuphelile; bayafeba nokufeba; izikhulu zabo zithandisisa ihlazo.

19. Umoya ubasongile ngamaphiko awo; bayakujabha ngemihlatshelo yabo.