UBaba Uyadeda Kwabangathembekile
Abapristi, inkosi nesizwe bonke bayabizwa. Izenzo zabo azibavumeli ukuba babuye, futhi lapho beyofuna ngemihlambi nezinkomo, uBaba wethu usevele esukile kubo. Uzibiza ngokubola kuJuda nengonyama ku-Efrayimi, bese ehamba kuze kube yilapho usizi lubabuyisela kuye.
5 1Zwanini lokhu, baphristi! Qaphelani, ndlu ka-Israyeli! Lalelani, ndlu yenkosi! Ngokuba isahlulelo simiselwe nina, ngokuba niye naba ngugibe eMispa nenetha eyendlalwe phezu kweThabori.
2“Abahlubuki bagxile ekubulaleni, kodwa mina ngiyakubalaya bonke. 3Ngiyamazi u-Efrayimi, no-Israyeli akafihlakele kimi; ngokuba manje, Efrayimi, usuziphethe okwesifebe, no-Israyeli usengcolile.
4“Izenzo zabo ngeke zivumele ukuba babuyele kuBaba wabo, ngokuba umoya wobufebe ungaphakathi kwabo, futhi abamazi uBaba wethu. 5Ukuziqhenya kuka-Israyeli kufakaza ngokumelene naye; u-Israyeli no-Efrayimi bayakhubeka esonweni sabo; noJuda uyakhubeka kanye nabo. 6Ngemihlambi yabo yezimvu neyezinkomo bayakuhamba beyofuna uBaba wethu, kodwa ngeke bamthole; usehlehlile kubo. 7Baphethe uBaba wethu ngokungathembeki, ngokuba bazele abantwana abangekho emthethweni. Manje ukwethwasa kwenyanga kuyakubashwabadela kanye namasimu abo.
8“Shayani uphondo eGibeya, icilongo eRama. Hlabani umkhosi wempi eBeti-Aveni; bhekani emuva kwenu, Benjamini! 9U-Efrayimi uyakuba yincithakalo ngosuku lokujeziswa; phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli ngazisa lokho okuqinisekile. 10Izikhulu zakwaJuda sezinjengalabo abasusa itshe lomngcele; phezu kwabo ngiyakuthululela ulaka lwami njengamanzi. 11U-Efrayimi ucindezelekile, uchotshoziwe ekwahlulelweni, ngokuba wayezimisele ukulandela izithombe eziyize. 12Ngakho mina nginjengenundu ku-Efrayimi, nanjengokubola endlini yakwaJuda.
13“U-Efrayimi wabona ukugula kwakhe, uJuda wabona isilonda sakhe esivulekile; ngakho u-Efrayimi wagijimela e-Asiriya, ecela usizo enkosini enkulu yakhona. Kodwa leyo nkosi ngeke ikwelaphe, noma iphilise isilonda sakho esibhibhayo. 14Ngokuba ngiyakuba njengebhubesi ku-Efrayimi, nanjengebhongo lebhubesi endlini yakwaJuda. Mina ngokwami ngiyakudwengula ngihambe; ngiyakuthwala ngimuke, kungabikho osindisayo. 15Ngiyakubuyela futhi endaweni yami, baze bavume icala labo bafune ubuso bami; osizini lwabo bayakungifunisisa.”