Final Judgment on Israel
1 In the past, when the tribe of Ephraim spoke, the other tribes of Israel were afraid; they looked up to Ephraim. But the people sinned by worshiping Baal, and for this they will die. 2 They still keep on sinning by making metal images to worship—idols of silver, designed by human minds, made by human hands. And then they say, “Offer sacrifices to them!” How can anyone kiss those idols—idols in the shape of bulls! 3 And so these people will disappear like morning mist, like the dew that vanishes early in the day. They will be like chaff which the wind blows from the threshing place, like smoke from a chimney.
4 The Lord says, “I am the Lord your God, who led you out of Egypt. You have no God but me. I alone am your savior. 5 I took care of you in a dry, desert land. 6 But when you entered the good land, you became full and satisfied, and then you grew proud and forgot me. 7 So I will attack you like a lion. Like a leopard I will lie in wait along your path. 8 I will attack you like a bear that has lost her cubs, and I will tear you open. Like a lion I will devour you on the spot, and will tear you to pieces like a wild animal.
9 “I will destroy you, people of Israel! Then who can help you? 10 You asked for a king and for leaders, but how can they save the nation? 11 In my anger I have given you kings, and in my fury I have taken them away.
12 “Israel's sin and guilt are on record, and the records are safely stored away. 13 Israel has a chance to live, but is too foolish to take it—like a child about to be born, who refuses to come out of the womb. 14 I will not save this people from the world of the dead or rescue them from the power of death. Bring on your plagues, death! Bring on your destruction, world of the dead! I will no longer have pity for this people. 15 Even though Israel flourishes like weeds, I will send a hot east wind from the desert, and it will dry up their springs and wells. It will take away everything of value. 16 Samaria must be punished for rebelling against me. Her people will die in war; babies will be dashed to the ground, and pregnant women will be ripped open.”
Kusumikilisiwa kwe bupelo kwa Iziraela
1 Ifureimi wakabe eti ha elebeleka, balume banotetema,
wakabe akakudziwa mu Iziraela.
Koga wakabe ne nlandu we kunamata Bhaale ngono kafa.
2 Ngono ngwenu banotjinya bepaphulula,
bezwithamigwa midzimu ye zwifano nge siliva,
beithama nge bunyambi gwabo,
kose kuli mishingo ye babezhi.
Banoti, “Muzwi bhayile zwibhayilo.”
Bathu bebe beputa midzimu ye ifano tje phulu.
3 Ndizo wali banowofanana ne fulele ye mangwanana,
befanana ne khawa inoshashamuka mangwanana,
benga bunye gunowuluka gudwa panoshokolegwa,
se busi gunobhuda nge fesitere.
4 Ndagala ndili Yahwe Ndzimu wenyu
koga kudwa ku Egipiti.
Akuna mmwe Ndzimu wamunga ziba usi imi,
akuna mmwe Ntjidzi andisi imi.
5 Ndakamuziba amutjengeta mu tjilambanyika
mu shango yakawomelela.
6 Ndakati ndibapa zojiwa bakagutshika,
bakati beguta bakazwida
ipapo bakandikangang'wa.
7 Ndizo wali ndowobanginilila se shumba,
ndowoyedza ngwe ndibalalila pa zila.
8 Ndowobatjulukila se bhira yatolegwa bana bayo,
ngono ndowomwandawula bhetelo le moyo wabo.
Ndowobaja se shumba,
se tjibandana tjingabamwawulanya.
9 Iwe Iziraela ndowokukolomodza,
ndiani ungakubhatsha kene?
10 Ungayi mambo uwo, kuti akutjidze?
Bangayi batungamili babo mu mizi iyo yose
bawakati nge kwabo,
“Mundipeni mambo ne batungamili?”
11 Ndaka kupa mambo mu kugwadza moyo kwangu,
ngono mu bushongola gwangu an'dusa.
12 Jinyo la Ifureimi lakasungiligwa,
tjibi tjitje tjakabiganyiwa.
13 Zwibhayo zwinonga zwe kutshibama zonzhila,
koga iye nkololo usakatjenjela.
Ha tjibaka tjiswika
aatosedzela pa nkoba we tjibumbilo.
14 Ndowobadzutunula mu masimba e ikumbu,
ndowobadzutunula mu lufu.
Iwe lufu zwibhayo zwizo zwingayi?
Iwe ikumbu kukolomodza kuko kungayi?
Imi anditjawobe ne ngoni.
15 Kene angabhudilila pakati kwe bana ba tate babe,
phepo yeku bhezhuba inowozha idwa kuna Yahwe
itutudza idwa mu tjilambanyika.
Misenya iye ye vula inowopela
ne tshime lile lowopkhwa.
Fumwa imu dula lile inowotapiwa,
kose kwakanaka kumulili.
16 Samariya inowosengana ne jinyo layo,
ngoti yakapandukila Ndzimu wayo.
Inowoligwa nge thumo,
ngawana dzayo dzowopkhwanyigwa pasi,
bakazwisenga muili banowopalugwa mitumbu.