Hosea (13/14)  

1. Kwakusithi lapho uEfrayimi ekhuluma, abantu bathuthumele, wayemkhulu kuIsrayeli wonke; kodwa wazehlisela icala ngokukhonza uBhali, wafa.
2. Khathesi sebesona kakhulu, bazenzela izithombe ezibunjwe ngokuncibilikisa, izithombe ezenziwe kuhle ngesiliva sabo, zonke ziyimisebenzi yezingcitshi. Bathi: Hlabelani lezi imihlatshelo. Abantu banga izithombe zamathole.
3. Ngalokho-ke bazakuba njengenkungu yasekuseni, babe njengamazolo aphela ekuseni, njengomule ophephuka ebaleni lokubhulela, njengentuthu ethunqa ngetshimini.
4. Mina ngiyi Nkosi, uNkulunkulu wakho, kusukela ekuhlaleni kwakho elizweni leGibhithe; kawumazi omunye uNkulunkulu ngaphandle kwami, kakho omunye umsindisi ngaphandle kwami.
5. Yimi engakulondoloza enkangala, elizweni lokoma.
6. Kodwa nxa usudlile kakhulu, wasutha, lenhliziyo yakho yazikhukhumeza; wasungikhohlwa.
7. Ngalokho-ke ngizakuba njengesilwane kuwe, njengengwe ngizakucathamela,
8. ngikudumele njengebhere elithathelwe imidlwane yalo, ngidabule isifuba sakho, ngikudlele lapho njengesilwane, ngikudabudabule njengesilo.
9. Ngizakuchitha, Israyeli; ngubani ongakusiza?
10. Ingaphi inkosi yakho khathesi ukuze ikusize? Bangaphi ababusi bakho bonke ukuze bakuvikele? labo owathi ngabo: Nginike inkosi lababusi.
11. Ngikunikile amakhosi ekuthukutheleni kwami, ngawasusa ngolaka lwami.
12. Ububi bukaEfrayimi bubhaliwe egwalweni, lesono sakhe usibekelwe.
13. Umhelo uyamfikela, kodwa unjengomntwana oyisiphukuphuku, othi isikhathi sakhe sesifikile, kodwa kaphumi esiswini.
14. Ngizabahlawulela emandleni esihogweni yini? ngibahlenge ekufeni yini? Kufa, bangaphi omatshayabhuqe wesifo bakho? Sihogo, kungaphi ukuchitheka kwakho? Isihawu kasisekho kimi.
15. Loba uIsrayeli ekhahlela phakathi kwemihlanga, kuzafika umoya wempumalanga, isivunguzane esivela e Nkosi ni siphuma enkangala; imithombo yakhe izakutsha, kome lamaxhaphozi akhe; sithathe inotho yakhe, izinto zonke eziligugu.
16. ISamariya izathwala icala layo, ngoba ihlamukele uNkulunkulu wayo,bazakuwa ngenkemba, labantwana babo bachotshozwe, labakhulelweyo babo baqhaqhwe.

  Hosea (13/14)