Ukukhohlisa kuka-Israyeli

1 “Yizwani lokhu nina bapristi,

nilalele nina ndlu ka-Israyeli,

nibeke indlebe nina ndlu yenkosi,

ngokuba ukwahlulela kukinina,

lokhu nanilugibe eMispa nenetha elenekwe eThabori.

2 Abahlubuki bashone phansi ngokuhlaba kwabo,

kepha ngingumlayi wabo bonke.

3 Ngiyamazi mina u-Efrayimi,

u-Israyeli akafihlekile kimi,

ngokuba manje, Efrayimi, ufebile,

u-Israyeli uzingcolisile.

4 “Abenzi izenzo zokuba babuyele kuNkulunkulu,

ngokuba umoya wobufebe uphakathi kwabo,

noJehova abamazi.

5 Ukuzidla kuka-Israyeli kuyafakaza ebusweni bakhe;

o-Israyeli no-Efrayimi bayakukhubeka ngobubi babo;

naye uJuda uyakukhubeka kanye nabo.

6 Bayakuhamba nezimvu zabo nezinkomo zabo

ukuyofuna uJehova;

kepha abayikumfumana;

umonyukile kubo.

7 Bamkhohlisile uJehova,

ngokuba bazalile abantwana abangabafokazi;

manje inyanga eyethwasayo iyakubadla kanye nezabelo zabo.

8 “Bethani umtshingo eGibeya necilongo eRama;

hlabani umkhosi eBeti Aveni:

basemva kwakho, Benjamini!

9 U-Efrayimi uyakuba yincithakalo ngosuku lokujeziswa,

ngazisile izizwe zakwa-Israyeli okuqinisekileyo.

10 Izikhulu zakwaJuda zinjengabasusa imincele;

ngiyakuthulula phezu kwazo intukuthelo yami njengamanzi.

11 U-Efrayimi ucindezelekile,

uchotshoziwe ekwahlulelweni,

ngokuba wavuma ukulandela umyalo oyize.

12 Mina-ke senginjengenundu ku-Efrayimi,

nanjengokubola kuyo indlu yakwaJuda.

13 “Lapho u-Efrayimi abona isifo sakhe

noJuda isilonda sakhe,

u-Efrayimi waya e-Asiriya,

wathumela enkosini uJarebi;

kepha ingeniphulukise,

ayinakusipholisa isilonda senu.

14 Ngokuba ngiyakuba njengengonyama ku-Efrayimi,

nebhongo lengonyama kuyo indlu yakwaJuda;

mina yebo, mina ngiyakudwengula,

besengimuka;

ngiyakususa, kungekho owophulayo.

15 Ngiyakuhamba, ngibuyele endaweni yami,

baze bazithwese icala labo,

bafune ubuso bami;

osizini lwabo bayakungifunisisa.”