Hosea 4
1 Yizwani izwi likaSimakade nina bantu bakwa-Israyeli, ngokuba uSimakade umangalela izakhamuzi zezwe, phela akukho kwethembeka, naqiniso, nalwazi ngoNkulunkulu ezweni.
2 “Kukhona ukuqalekisa nokukhohlisa, ukubulala, nokweba, nokuphinga, bayadlebeleka, kugobhoza igazi.
3 Ngalokho-ke izwe liyalila, bonke abahlala kulo bayonda, nezilwane zasendle, izinyoni zezulu, nezinhlanzi zasolwandle kuyashabalala.”
4 “Makungabi bikho owethwesa omunye icala, makungabi bikho osola omunye, ngokuba abantu bakho bafana nalabo abaphikisana nomphristi.
5 Uyokhubeka emini kwabha, nomphrofethi akhubeke kanye nawe ebusuku, ngimbhubhise nonyoko.
6 Abantu bami bayabhujiswa ngokweswela ulwazi, njengoba ulwenqabile ulwazi, nami ngiyenqaba ukuba ube ngumphristi wami. Ukhohliwe wumthetho kaNkulunkulu wakho, nami futhi ngiyakubakhohlwa abantwana bakho.
7 Njengoba banda nje, kanjalo kuyanda nokona kwabo kimi. Ngiyakuguqula ukuhlonishwa kwabo kube yihlazo.
8 Badla izono zabantu bami, balubalubele iziphambeko zabo.
9 Kuyakuba kanje kubantu kanjalo nakumphristi: ngiyakubajezisa ngenxa yezindlela zabo, ngibajezise ngezenzo zabo.
10 “Bayakudla, kodwa bangasuthi, bayakufeba, kodwa bangandi, ngokuba bamshiyile uSimakade,
11 bazinikela ekufebeni, ewayinini, nasewayinini elisha, okususa ingqondo.
12 Abantu bami babuza ukhuni olubaziweyo, induku yabo ibatshele, ngokuba umoya wobufebe ubadukisile, basuka phansi kukaNkulunkulu wabo ngenxa yokufeba.
13 Benza imihlatshelo ezicongweni zezintaba, bashise impepho emagqumeni, phansi kwemi-okhi, kwemiphophula nemitherebhinte, ngokuba umthunzi walokho muhle. Ngalokho-ke amadodakazi enu ayafeba, nomalokazana benu bayaphinga.
14 “Angiyukuwajezisa amadodakazi enu lapho efeba, nomalokazana benu lapho bephinga, ngokuba namadoda aphambukela ezifebeni, enze umhlatshelo nezifebe zethempeli, abantu abangenakuqonda bayakubhubha.
15 “Nakuba wena Israyeli ufeba, uJuda makangabi nacala; ungayi eGiligali, ungakhuphukeli eBhethi Aveni, ungafungi ngokuphila kukaSimakade.
16 Ngokuba u-Israyeli unenkani njengesithole esinenkani; pho uSimakade angabelusa kanjani njengewundlu lemvu emadlelweni abanzi na?
17 U-Efrayimi uzibandakanye nezithombe, myeke kanjalo.
18 Isiphuzo sabo sesiphelile, kodwa bayaqhubeka nokufeba, izikhulu zabo zilithanda kakhulu ihlazo.
19 Umoya ubasongile ngamaphiko awo, bayakujabha ngemihlatshelo yabo.”