God's Love for His Rebellious People
1 The Lord says,
“When Israel was a child, I loved him
and called him out of Egypt as my son.
2 But the more I called to him,
the more he turned away from me.
My people sacrificed to Baal;
they burned incense to idols.
3 Yet I was the one who taught Israel to walk.
I took my people up in my arms,
but they did not acknowledge that I took care of them.
4 I drew them to me with affection and love.
I picked them up and held them to my cheek;
I bent down to them and fed them.
5 “They refuse to return to me, and so they must return to Egypt, and Assyria will rule them. 6 War will sweep through their cities and break down the city gates. It will destroy my people because they do what they themselves think best. 7 They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.
8 “How can I give you up, Israel?
How can I abandon you?
Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah,
or treat you as I did Zeboiim?
My heart will not let me do it!
My love for you is too strong.
9 I will not punish you in my anger;
I will not destroy Israel again.
For I am God and not a mere human being.
I, the Holy One, am with you.
I will not come to you in anger.
10 “My people will follow me when I roar like a lion at their enemies. They will hurry to me from the west. 11 They will come from Egypt, as swiftly as birds, and from Assyria, like doves. I will bring them to their homes again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Israel and Judah Are Condemned
12 The Lord says, “The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy God.
Ludo gwe Ndzimu mu bathu bawo
1 Iziraela wakati atji mwana an'da,
nkololo wangu an'dana ku bhuda mu Egipiti.
2 Koga andibadana kwazo,
ndiko kwabanoyenda tjose kule nami,
bebe bebhayila bo Bhaale zwibhayilo
bepisila midzimu ye zwifano motsha.
3 Koga ndimi ndakadiya Ifureimi kuyenda
ndibathamisa tendemana,
koga abatoziba kuti ndimi ndakabapodza.
4 Ndakabakweba nge mitjili ye lubu gwe buthu,
ndibakweba nge misungo ye ludo.
Ndakadusa jokwi mu mitshibha yabo
ngono hakotama kubapatjika zojiwa.
5 Abatowobgwilila ku Egipiti,
koga Asiriya inowobe mambo wabo
ngoti bakalamba kushandukila ku ndili.
6 Thumo lowolila mu mizi yabo mikulu
lowokolomodza phanda dze mikoba yabo,
thumo lowolila nge mabaka e ndongoloso dzabo.
7 Bathu bangu bakazwimisila kundifupatila,
nenguba bedana Upezhugwizhugwi
haangabakudze.
8 Ndinga kutoboka tjini Ifureimi?
Ndinga kulasha tjini Iziraela?
Ndinga kuthama se Adima tjini wali?
Ndinga kuthama se Zeboyimi tjini?
Moyo wangu washanduka mundili,
ngoni dzangu dzakula mukuli.
9 Anditowoshingikadza bushongola gwangu gunotjisa,
kene kuli kolomola Ifureimi.
Ngoti ndi Ndzimu ate ndili nthu,
ndi Wakayengemala pakati kwenyu.
Anditowozha ndakagwadza moyo.
10 Banowotobela Yahwe,
iye unowobomba se shumba.
Unowoti ebomba,
bana babe banowozha betetema kudwa ku golombedzo.
11 Banowozha betetema se nyuni kudwa ku Egipiti,
se njiba kudwa ku shango ye Asiriya.
Ngono ndowobagadza mu mizi yabo, kojalo Yahwe.
12 Ifureimi wakandikomba nge manyepkhwa,
Baiziraela ibo nge kutjebela.
Koga Juda utjayendayenda ne Ndzimu,
unogalika moyo kuna Wakayengemala.