God's Love for His People
1 When Israel was a child,
I loved him, and I called
my son out of Egypt.
2 But as the saying goes,
“The more they were called,
the more they rebelled.”
They never stopped offering
incense and sacrifices
to the idols of Baal.
3 I took Israel by the arm
and taught them to walk.
But they would not admit
that I was the one
who had healed them.
4 I led them with kindness
and with love,
not with ropes.
I held them close to me;
I bent down to feed them.
5 But they rejected me,
and so must return to Egypt;
now Assyria will rule them.
6 War will visit their cities,
and their plans will fail.
7 My people are determined
to reject me for a god
they think is stronger,
but he can't help.
8 Israel, I can't let you go.
I can't give you up.
How could I possibly destroy you
as I did the towns of Admah
and Zeboiim?
I just can't do it.
My feelings for you
are much too strong.
9 Israel, I won't lose my temper
and destroy you again.
I am the Holy God—
not merely some human,
and I won't stay angry.
10 I, the Lord, will roar like a lion,
and my children will return,
trembling from the west.
11 They will come back,
fluttering like birds from Egypt
or like doves from Assyria.
Then I will bring them
back to their homes.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Israel and Judah Compared
12 Israel is deceitful to me,
their loyal and holy God;
they surround me with lies,
and Judah worships
other gods.
Ohole yaKalunga okuhola aanandumbo naye
1 Omuwa ota ti:
“Israel sho a li omunona,
onda li ndi mu hole.
Omumwandjemati onde mu ithana muEgipiti.
2 Ihe mpoka pa thika nde mu ithana, opo pe thika a pilamene ndje.
Aantu yandje oya yambele Baal;
oya lungunithile iimenka omidhidhindjambo
3 Ongame nda longo Israel okweenda.
Ondu ukata aantu yandje momaako,
ihe inaa zimina nande kutya ongame omusilishimpwiyu gwawo.
4 Onde ya hilile kungame nolukeno nohole.
Onde ya yambulile komapepe gandje;
onda kuutumba e tandi ya palutha niikulya.
5 “Oya tindi okugalukila kungame, onkee taa shuna kuEgipiti, naAssur ote ke ya pangela. 6 Iita otayi ka mbolokotela miilando yawo e tayi teyagula po omiyelo dhiilando. Otayi ka yonagula po aantu yandje, oshoka shoka taa longo, oye shi tala oshiwanawa. 7 Otaa tsikile okupilamena ndje. Otaa ka lilagana omolwondjoko ndjoka yi li komapepe gawo, ihe kaku na ngoka te ke yi kutha ko kuyo.
8 “Israel, otandi vulu ngiini, ndi ku ethe?
Otandi vulu ngiini, ndi ku gandje po?
Ondi ku hanagule po, ngashi nda hanagula po Adma,
nenge ndi ku ninge, ngashi nda ningi Zebojim?
Omwenyo gwandje itagu pitika, ndi shi ninge!
Ohole yandje yoku ku hola onene unene.
9 Itandi ku geele nda sa ondjahi;
Israel, itandi ku yonagula po we.
Oshoka ngame oKalunga, kandi shi muntu.
Ngame, Omuyapuki, ondi ku na.
Ngame itandi ya kungoye nda sa ondjahi.
10 “Aantu yandje otaa ka landula ndje, sho tandi pumbile aatondi yawo ngaashi onkoshi. Otaa ka matuka taa ya kungame taa zi kuuninginino. 11 Otaa ka za kuEgipiti ya fa uundigilili, nokuAssur ya fa oonguti. Otandi ke ya fala ishewe komagumbo gawo. Ongame Omuwa nda popi.”
Israel naJuda otaa pangulwa
12 Omuwa ota ti: “Oshigwana shaIsrael osha kunduka ndje niifundja nonomakoto, noshigwana shaJuda osha tsa ondumbo nangame, Kalunga omuyapuki e shi kwiinekelwa.”
