Israel Rejects the Lord
The Lord said:
1 Sound a warning!
Israel, you broke our agreement
and ignored my teaching.
Now an eagle is swooping down
to attack my land.
2 Israel, you say, “We claim you,
the Lord, as our God.”
3 But your enemies
will chase you for rejecting
our good agreement.
4 You chose kings and leaders
without consulting me;
you made silver and gold idols
that led to your downfall.
5 City of Samaria, I'm angry
because of your idol
in the shape of a calf.
When will you ever
be innocent again?
6 Someone from Israel built
that idol for you,
but only I am God.
And so it will be smashed
to pieces.
7 If you scatter wind
instead of wheat,
you will harvest a whirlwind
and have no wheat.
Even if you harvest grain,
enemies will steal it all.
8 Israel, you are ruined,
and now the nations
consider you worthless.
9 You are like a wild donkey
that goes its own way.
You've run off to Assyria
and hired them as allies.
10 You can bargain with nations,
but I'll catch you anyway.
Soon you will suffer abuse
by kings and rulers.
11 Israel, you have built
many altars where you offer
sacrifices for sin.
But these altars have become
places for sin.
12 My instructions for sacrifices
were written in detail,
but you ignored them.
13 You sacrifice your best animals
and eat the sacrificial meals,
but I, the Lord,
refuse your offerings.
I will remember your sins
and punish you.
Then you will return to Egypt.
14 Israel, I created you,
but you forgot me.
You and Judah built palaces
and many strong cities.
Now I will send fire to destroy
your towns and fortresses.
Kulasha malebeswa kwe Iziraela
1 Longa lunyanga mu nlomo ugulidze!
Dzu lowuluka pezhugwi kwe ng'umba ya Yahwe
ngoti bathu bakatjinya tjidumano tjangu
ngono bakatjuluka nlayo wangu.
2 Iziraela unondidana eti,
“Imwi Ndzimu wedu, tomuziba!”
3 Iziraela wakalamba tjakanaka,
ngono tjita tjonlonda.
4 Bakabiga bomambo kuzhe kwangu,
bakabiga makulukota basadumana nami.
Bakatola siliva yabo ne golide yabo
bakazwithamigwa midzimu
inowozhisa golomodzo ku bali.
5 Samariya, lashila kutjena ndzimu uwo we ifano tje phulu!
Bushongola gwangu gwakalingisana nayo.
Kowotola tjibaka tjingapani basingatubule kube babuyanana kene?
6 Kana inodwa mu Iziraela,
Phulu iyeyi yakabezhiwa nge mbezhi
ate ili Ndzimu.
Inowopkhwanyiwa ikabe zwiyenga
iyeyije phulu ye Samariya.
7 Kana bakadzwala phepo,
ngono banowovuna tjampupudze.
Akuna lushanga gumile akuna tjiako,
akuna pangadwa bgwisa.
Ha kwabe kungadusa bgwisa
bataya babe bowoguja.
8 Iziraela yamidziwa,
ngwenu wali bapakati kwe njudzi
se tjija tjisina nshingo.
9 Ngoti bakayenda ku Asiriya,
banonga donki ye shango inoyendayenda yoga
Ifureimi wakazwitengesa ku badi.
10 Nenguba bakazwitengesa mu zwitjaba,
ngwenu ndowobakubunganya.
Tjinyolotjo banowotangisa kutshinda
kusi kwe mitolo yabanosengeswa ndi mambo wakasima.
11 Nenguba Ifureimi akabaka zwibeso kupisila zwibhayilo zwe tjibi,
koga zwibeso izwezo zwikabe zwe kuthama tjibi.
12 Ndakankwalila kuli kunjinji kwe nlayo wangu,
koga kotogwa se tjithu tjisingazibgwe.
13 Kene bendipa zwibhayilo zwibuya,
beja nyama yazo, koga abatoshathisa Yahwe.
Ndizo banowokumbula mbipo yabo
bakabalobela zwibi zwabo.
Banowobgwilila ku Egipiti.
14 Iziraela wakakangang'wa Mbumbi uwe
ngono kabaka ng'umba dze bumambo,
Juda iye kawatsha mizi mikulu ye matizhilo.
Koga ndowotumila moto mu mizi yabo mikulu
ngono inowoja matizhilo abo.