Hosea 5
1 “Yizwani lokhu nina baphristi, nilalele nina ndlu ka-Israyeli, nibeke indlebe nina ndlu yenkosi, ngokuba ukwehlulelwa ngokwenu, phela nibe wugibe eMizpha nenetha elendlaliweyo eThabhori.
2 Amahlubuka ashone shi ekuhlabeni, kodwa ngiyakuwaqondisa wonke.”
3 “Mina, ngiyamazi u-Efrayimi, no-Israyeli akafihlekile kimi, ngokuba manje, wena Efrayimi uzifebele, u-Israyeli wazingcolisa.”
4 “Izenzo zabo azibavumeli ukuba babuyele kuNkulunkulu wabo, ngokuba umoya wobufebe usezibilini zabo, futhi abamazi uSimakade.
5 Ukuzigqaja kuka-Israyeli kuyafakaza phambi kwakhe, u-Israyeli no-Efrayimi bayakukhutshwa yizenzo zabo ezimbi, noJuda uyakhutshwa kanye nabo.
6 Bayakuhamba nomhlambi wabo wezimvu nowezinkomo ukuyofuna uSimakade, kodwa abayukumfumana, ngokuba usesukile kubo.
7 Abethembekanga kuSimakade, ngokuba bazale amavezandlebe, manje-ke inyanga eyethwasayo iyakubashwabadela nezabelo zabo.
8 “Bethani uphondo eGibheya, nishaye icilongo eRama; nihlabe umkhosi eBhethi Aveni nithi: Baphezu kwakho Bhenjamini!
9 U-Efrayimi uyakuba yincithakalo ngosuku lokujeziswa, ngikumemezele lokho okuqinisekileyo phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli.
10 Abaholi bakwaJuda bafana nabagudluza imingcele kwa-Israyeli. Ngiyakuthululela kubo ulaka lwami njengamanzi.
11 U-Efrayimi ucindezelwe, uchotshoziwe ngokwehlulelwa, ngokuba wazimisela ukulandela umyalo oyize.
12 Mina-ke nginjengenundu ku-Efrayimi, nanjengokubola kuyo indlu kaJuda.
13 “Kwathi lapho u-Efrayimi ebona ukugula kwakhe noJuda ebona isilonda sakhe, u-Efrayimi waya e-Asiriya, wathumela enkosini uJarebi, kodwa nayo ayiyukukwazi ukuniphulukisa, iyakwehluleka ukwelapha isilonda senu.
14 Ngokuba Mina ngiyakuba njengebhubesi ku-Efrayimi, nanjengebhongo lebhubesi kuyo indlu kaJuda. Mina luqobo, ngiyakubadwengula, bese ngihamba; ngiyakubathatha kungabi bikho obahlengayo.
15 Ngiyakuhamba, ngibuyele endaweni yami, bayoze balivume icala labo, bafune ubuso bami; kuyakuthi lapho sebesosizini bangifunisise.”