1Ungajabuli, Israyeli, kube ngukuthokoza njengokwabezizwe, ngokuba umukile kuNkulunkulu wakho ngokufeba, wathanda inkokhelo kuzo zonke izibuya zamabele.
2Isibuya nesikhamo sewayini akuyikubafunza, iwayini elisha liyakumkhohlisa.
3Abayikuhlala ezweni likaJehova; u-Efrayimi uyakubuyela eGibithe, nase-Asiriya bayakudla okungcolileyo.
4Abayikuthululela uJehova iwayini; imihlatshelo yabo ayiyikuba mihle kuye, isinkwa sabo sibe njengesinkwa sabalilayo; bonke abasidlayo bayakungcola, ngokuba isinkwa sabo siyakuba ngesephango, singangeni endlini kaJehova.
5Niyakwenze njani ngosuku lomhlangano nangosuku lomkhosi kaJehova na?
6Bhekani, ngokuba bemukile ekuchithweni iGibithe liyakubabutha, iNofi libembele; izinto zabo zamagugu zesiliva ziyakudliwa yizimbabazane, kube ngameva ematendeni abo.
7Ziyafika izinsuku zokuhanjelwa, izinsuku zempindiselo zisondele; u-Israyeli uyakukwazi. Umprofethi uyakuba njengesiwula, umuntu onomoya ahlanye ngenxa yobuningi bobubi bakho nangobutha obukhulu;
8umprofethi engumlindi ka-Efrayimi kanye noNkulunkulu wami, ugibe lomthiyi wezinyoni lukuzo zonke izindlela zakhe, nobutha busendlini kaNkulunkulu wakhe.
9Bazonakalisile ngokujulileyo njengasezinsukwini zaseGibeya; uyakhumbula ububi babo, uyabahambela ngezono zabo.
10“Ngamfumana u-Israyeli njengezithelo zomvini ehlane, ngabona oyihlo njengolibo emkhiwaneni ngesikhathi sawo sokuqala. Kepha bafika eBali Peyori, bazahlukanisela okunezinhloni, baba yizinengiso njengalokho abakuthandayo.
11Udumo luka-Efrayimi luyakundiza, lumuke njengenyoni, kungabikho ukuzala, nonesisu, nokukhulelwa.
12Noma bekhulisa abantwana babo, nokho ngiyakubaphuca bona kungasali muntu; yebo, maye kubo, lapho ngimuka kubo!
13U-Efrayimi, njengalokho ngibone eTire, utshalwe endaweni emnandi, kepha u-Efrayimi uyakukhiphela umbulali abantwana bakhe.
14“Banike, Jehova uyakunikani? Banike isisu esiphuphumayo namabele omileyo.
15“Bonke ububi babo buseGiligali; ngalokho ngabazonda khona; ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo ngiyakubaxosha endlini yami, angisayikubathanda; zonke izikhulu zabo zingabahlubuki.
16U-Efrayimi ushayiwe, impande yabo yomile, abayikuthela izithelo. Noma bezala, ngiyakubulala okuthandekayo kwesisu sabo.”
17UNkulunkulu wami uyakubalahla, ngokuba abamlalelanga, babe ngabazulazulayo phakathi kwabezizwe.