Hoseya Chapter 8

1. “Beka icilongo emlonyeni wakho; onjengokhozi wehlela indlu kaJehova; ngokuba beqile isivumelwano sami, baphambuka emthethweni wami.

2. Bakhala kimi ngokuthi: ‘Nkulunkulu wethu, thina Israyeli siyakwazi.’

3. U-Israyeli ukulahlile okuhle; isitha siyakumxosha.

4. Bona bazibekela amakhosi engavelanga kimi; bamisa izikhulu, ngingazi; isiliva labo negolide labo bakwenza kwaba yizithombe zabo, ukuze banqunywe.

5. Ithole lakho, Samariya, linengekile; intukuthelo yami iyabavuthela; koze kube nini bengakwazi ukuba msulwa na?

6. Ngokuba livela ku-Israyeli; umkhandi walenza, alisiye uNkulunkulu; yebo, ithole laseSamariya liyakuba yizihlephu.

7. “Ngokuba bahlwanyele umoya, bayakuvuna isivunguvungu; izele alinahlumela, alivezi impuphu; uma liyiveza, iyakuqedwa ngabafokazi.

8. U-Israyeli uyagwinywa; manje sebephakathi kwabezizwe njengesitsha okungekho intokozo kuso.

9. Ngokuba benyukele e-Asiriya bezihambele njengezimbongolo zasendle; u-Efrayimi uyaqasha ngenkokhelo yothando.

10. Noma beqasha phakathi kwabezizwe, manje sengiyakubabutha, bakhululwe kancane emthwalweni wenkosi yezikhulu.

11. “Ngokuba u-Efrayimi wandisile ama-altare aba ngukona; ama-altare ayakuba ngukona kuye.

12. Noma ngimlobela imithetho yami kaningi, iyashaywa okungaziwayo.

13. Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yami bayihlaba, bayidle inyama, kepha uJehova akayenameli. Useyakhumbula ububi babo, abahambele ngezono zabo, babuyele eGibithe.

14. Ngokuba u-Israyeli ukhohliwe uMdali wakhe, wakha izindlu zamakhosi, noJuda wandisile imizi ebiyelweyo, ngiyakuthuma umlilo emizini yakhe, uqede izindlu zayo zobukhosi.”