1 When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself in Israel; but when he offended in Baal, he died. 2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. 3 Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney. 4 Yet I am the LORD thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me.
5 ¶ I did know thee in the wilderness, in the land of great drought. 6 According to their pasture, so were they filled; they were filled, and their heart was exalted; therefore have they forgotten me. 7 Therefore I will be unto them as a lion: as a leopard by the way will I observe them: 8 I will meet them as a bear that is bereaved of her whelps , and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.
9 ¶ O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help. 10 I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? 11 I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath. 12 The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. 13 The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children. 14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
15 ¶ Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. 16 Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.
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.