Hosea 4

¹Inzwai shoko raJehovha, Imi vana vaIsiraeri, nokuti Jehovha ane gakava navanhu vagere munyika ino, nokuti hakune zvokwadi, kana unyoro, kana kuziva Mwari munyika ino.Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

²Hakune zvimwe asi kupika, nokunyengera, nokuuraya, nokuba, nokuita upombwe; vanopaza dzimba, kuteura ropa kunoramba kuchitevera kuteura ropa.By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

³Saka nyika ichachema, mumwe nomumwe ageremo achapera simba, pamwechete nemhuka dzesango neshiri dzokudenga; naidzo hove dzegungwa dzichabviswa.Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

⁴Ngakurege kuva nomunhu anokakavara kana munhu anotuka; nokuti vanhu vako vakaita savanokakavara nomupirisiti.Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

⁵Iwe uchagumburwa masikati, nomuporofita achagumburwawo pamwechete newe usiku; ndichaparadza mai vako.Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

⁶Vanhu vangu vaparadzwa nokushaiwa zivo; zvawaramba zivo, neni ndichakurambawo, kuti urege kuva mupirisiti wangu; zvawakanganwa murayiro waMwari wako, neniwo ndichakanganwa vana vako.My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

⁷Vakati vachiwanda, kunditadzira kwavo kukawandawo, ndichashandura kukudzwa kwavo ndikuite kunyadziswa.As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

⁸Vakaguta nezvinobva pazvivi zvavanhu vangu, vanopanga nemwoyo yavo zvakaipa zvavo.They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

⁹Saka zvakaita vanhu, ndizvo zvichaita mupirisitiwo; ndichavarova pamusoro penzira dzavo, ndichavaripidzira zvavanobata.And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

¹⁰Vachadya, asi havangaguti; vachapata, asi havangawandi, nokuti vakarega kuva nehanya naJehovha.For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.

¹¹Kufeva newaini newaini, itsva, zvinobvisa njere.Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

¹²Vanhu vangu vanobvunza mano padanda ravo, vanoziviswa netsvimbo yavo; nokuti mweya wokupeva wakavatadzisa, vakapata, ndokurasa Mwari wavo.My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

¹³Vanobayira pamusoro pamakomo, vanopisira zvinonhuwira pazvikomo, napasi pemioki, nemipopirari, nemiterebhini, nokuti mimvuri yayo yakanaka, naizvozvo vakunda venyu vanopata, mwenga yenyu inofeva.They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

¹⁴Handingarovi vakunda venyu kana vachipata, nemwenga yenyu kana ichifeva; nokuti varume vanoenda vari voga nezvifeve, vanobayira navakadzi vanofeva; vanhu vasinganzwisisi vachaparadzwa.I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

¹⁵Kunyange imi, Isiraeri, muchipata, Judha ngavarege kupara mhaka; musasvika Girigari, musakwira Bhetiavheni, uye musapika, muchiti, `NaJehovha mupenyu!'Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

¹⁶Nokuti Isiraeri vanakomana, setsiru rinokoma; zvino Jehovha achavafudza segwayana panzvimbo mhamhi.For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

¹⁷Efuremu anonamatirana nezvifananidzo, muregei.Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

¹⁸Zvavanonwa zvinovava; vanoramba vachipata; vabati vavo vanofarira zvikuru zvinonyadzisa.Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

¹⁹Mhepo yakavaputira namapapiro ayo; vachanyadziswa nokuda kwezvibayiro zvavo.The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.