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1 U-Israyeli wayelivini eliqhelayo,
wazizalela izithelo.
Ngokwanda kwezithelo zakhe
wakha ama-alithare amanengi;
kwathi ngokuphumelela kwelizwe lakhe
wahlobisa amatshe akhe akhonzwayo.
2 Inhliziyo zabo ziyakhohlisa,
khathesi kufanele bathwale icala labo.
UThixo uzawabhidliza ama-alithare abo,
uwachithile lamatshe abo, akhonzwayo.
3 Ngakho bazakuthi, “Thina kasilankosi
ngoba kasimhloniphanga uThixo.
Kodwa loba sasingaba lenkosi,
kuyini eyayingasenzela khona?”
4 Benza izithembiso ezinengi,
bafunge izifungo zamanga,
benze lezivumelwano;
ngakho amacala ayanda
njengokhula olubulalayo ensimini elinyiweyo.
5 Abantu abahlala eSamariya bayesaba
ngenxa yesithombe sethole saseBhethi-Aveni.
Abantu bakhona bazasililela
benzenjalo labaphristi bakhona abakhonza izithombe,
labo abathokozela ubuhle baso
ngoba sithethwe kubo ekuthunjweni.
6 Sizathwalelwa e-Asiriya
njengomthelo enkosini enkulu.
U-Efrayimi uzayangeka;
u-Israyeli uzakuba lenhloni ngezithombe zakhe zezigodo.
7 ISamariya lenkosi yakhona kuzabhujiswa
kuzakhukhulwa kuhambe njengogatshanyana phezu kwamanzi.
8 Izindawo zokukhonzela zobuxhwali zizachithwa,
kuyisono sika-Israyeli.
Ameva lokhula kuzakhula
kwembese ama-alithare abo.
Lapho-ke bazakuthi ezintabeni, “Sembeseni!”
Lakuwo amaqaqa bathi, “Welani phezu kwethu!”
9 “Kusukela ensukwini zaseGibhiya wenze isono, we Israyeli,
njalo ulokhu usele khonapho.
Kanje impi kayibaficanga yini
abenza okubi eGibhiya?
10 Lapho sengifuna, ngizabajezisa;
izizwe zizaqoqanela ukumelana labo
ukuba zibabophele isono sabo esiphindiweyo.
11 U-Efrayimi ulithokazi elifundisiweyo
elithanda ukubhula amabele;
ngakho ngizagaxa ijogwe
entanyeni yakhe enhle.
U-Efrayimi ngizamtshayela,
uJuda kumele alime
uJakhobe kumele abulale amagade.
12 Zihlanyeleleni ukulunga,
vunani isithelo sothando olungapheliyo,
liqeqebule lomhlabathi wenu ongalinywanga; ngoba
kuyisikhathi sokudinga uThixo,
aze abuye
athele ukulunga phezu kwenu.
13 Kodwa lina lihlanyele ukuxhwala,
livune ububi,
lidle isithelo senkohliso.
Njengoba lithembe amandla enu
lamabutho enu amanengi,
14 ukuhlokoma kwempi kuzakuba khona ebantwini bakini,
ngakho zonke izinqaba zenu zizabhidlizwa
njengalokhu uShalimani wabhidliza iBhethi-Abheli ngosuku lwempi,
lapho onina basakazelwa phansi labantwababo.
15 Kuzakwenzakala kanjalo lakuwe, wena Bhetheli,
ngoba ukuxhwala kwakho kukhulu.
Lapho lolosuku lusisa,