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.

Isahluko 5.

Zwanini lokhu, baphristi! Qaphelani, ndlu ka-Israyeli! Lalelani, ndlu yenkosi! Ngokuba isahlulelo simiselwe nina, ngokuba niye naba ngugibe eMispa nenetha eyendlalwe phezu kweThabori.

“Abahlubuki bagxile ekubulaleni, kodwa mina ngiyakubalaya bonke. Ngiyamazi u-Efrayimi, no-Israyeli akafihlakele kimi; ngokuba manje, Efrayimi, usuziphethe okwesifebe, no-Israyeli usengcolile.

“Izenzo zabo ngeke zivumele ukuba babuyele kuBaba wabo, ngokuba umoya wobufebe ungaphakathi kwabo, futhi abamazi uBaba wethu. Ukuziqhenya kuka-Israyeli kufakaza ngokumelene naye; u-Israyeli no-Efrayimi bayakhubeka esonweni sabo; noJuda uyakhubeka kanye nabo. Ngemihlambi yabo yezimvu neyezinkomo bayakuhamba beyofuna uBaba wethu, kodwa ngeke bamthole; usehlehlile kubo. Baphethe uBaba wethu ngokungathembeki, ngokuba bazele abantwana abangekho emthethweni. Manje ukwethwasa kwenyanga kuyakubashwabadela kanye namasimu abo.

“Shayani uphondo eGibeya, icilongo eRama. Hlabani umkhosi wempi eBeti-Aveni; bhekani emuva kwenu, Benjamini! U-Efrayimi uyakuba yincithakalo ngosuku lokujeziswa; phakathi kwezizwe zakwa-Israyeli ngazisa lokho okuqinisekile. Izikhulu zakwaJuda sezinjengalabo abasusa itshe lomngcele; phezu kwabo ngiyakuthululela ulaka lwami njengamanzi. U-Efrayimi ucindezelekile, uchotshoziwe ekwahlulelweni, ngokuba wayezimisele ukulandela izithombe eziyize. Ngakho mina nginjengenundu ku-Efrayimi, nanjengokubola endlini yakwaJuda.

“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. Ngokuba ngiyakuba njengebhubesi ku-Efrayimi, nanjengebhongo lebhubesi endlini yakwaJuda. Mina ngokwami ngiyakudwengula ngihambe; ngiyakuthwala ngimuke, kungabikho osindisayo. Ngiyakubuyela futhi endaweni yami, baze bavume icala labo bafune ubuso bami; osizini lwabo bayakungifunisisa.”