God's Love for His Rebellious People
1 The Lord says,
“When Israel was a child, I loved him
and called him out of Egypt as my son.
2 But the more I called to him,
the more he turned away from me.
My people sacrificed to Baal;
they burned incense to idols.
3 Yet I was the one who taught Israel to walk.
I took my people up in my arms,
but they did not acknowledge that I took care of them.
4 I drew them to me with affection and love.
I picked them up and held them to my cheek;
I bent down to them and fed them.
5 “They refuse to return to me, and so they must return to Egypt, and Assyria will rule them. 6 War will sweep through their cities and break down the city gates. It will destroy my people because they do what they themselves think best. 7 They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.
8 “How can I give you up, Israel?
How can I abandon you?
Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah,
or treat you as I did Zeboiim?
My heart will not let me do it!
My love for you is too strong.
9 I will not punish you in my anger;
I will not destroy Israel again.
For I am God and not a mere human being.
I, the Holy One, am with you.
I will not come to you in anger.
10 “My people will follow me when I roar like a lion at their enemies. They will hurry to me from the west. 11 They will come from Egypt, as swiftly as birds, and from Assyria, like doves. I will bring them to their homes again. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Israel and Judah Are Condemned
12 The Lord says, “The people of Israel have surrounded me with lies and deceit, and the people of Judah are still rebelling against me, the faithful and holy God.
Orusuvero rwa Ndjambi kotjiwaṋa tje tji tje mu pirukira
1 Muhona ma tja nai:
“Israel tji tja ri omuatje ami mbe tji suverere
nu mbe tji isana okutjipitisa
mOengipte tji rire omuna wandje.
2 Nungwari otja punga ee tji isana
opunga aatji pokere ko ku ami.
Otjiwaṋa tjandje tja punguhira ooBaal ozombunguhiro;
otjo tja twimisira ovisenginina ovyomoro omuwa.
3 Owami ngu mba honga Israel okukawondja.
Ami mba pukata otjiwaṋa tjandje pomaoko wandje,
nungwari otjo katji munu kutja owami ngu mbe tji tjevera.
4 Ami mbe tji nanena ku ami nombango aihe norusuvero orunene.
Mbe tji toora ne tji ṱizire potjitama tjandje;
mbe ripetera ku tjo ne tji koro.
5 “Otjo tja panḓa okukotoka ku ami, komuhingo mbwi otji matji sokuyaruka kOengipte, nombara ya Asirie ondji mai ketjihonaparera. 6 Ovita mavi taurire movihuro vyatjo nu mavi teya ovipate vyomivero vyavyo. Ovita mbi mavi yandeke otjiwaṋa tjandje, otjo tjinga atji tjita imbi otjini mbi tji tjangovasi ombi ri ovisemba pu avihe. 7 Otjiwaṋa tjandje tji kara pokuhumburuka na ami. Matji ku ombatero ku Baal mena romayandekero watjo, nungwari kape na ngu me ye isa ko ku tjo.”
8 “Me sora vi okuhaṋika na ove, Israel!
Mba sokukuimbirahira tjike?
Me ku yandeke vi tjimuna tji mba yandeka Adma,
poo me ku tjindi vi tjimuna tji mba tjinda Seboim?
Omutima wandje kau nokundjiyandjera okutjita nao!
Orusuvero rwandje kove orunene tjinene.
9 Ami hi nokukuvera ko momazenge wandje;
ami hi nokuyandeka ko Israel rukwao,
tjinga ambi ri Ndjambi nu ambi he ri omundu.
Ami ngu mbi ri Omuyapuke, mbi ri puna ove.
Hi nokuya kove nomazenge.”
10 “Otjiwaṋa tjandje matji ndji kongorere, ami tji me tye ovimboro otja ongeyama. Otjo matji utuka ku ami okuza komukuma wokongurova ama tji zezera. 11 Otjo matji zu kOengipte notjikara tjimuna ozonḓera, na kOasirie tjimuna ozonguti. Ami me tji eta kozonganda zatjo rukwao. Ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona, owami ngu mba hungire.”
Israel na Juda mavi sengwa
12 Muhona ma tja nai: “Otjiwaṋa tja Israel tje ndji kovera novizeze novineya, notjiwaṋa tja Juda ingee tji pirukira ami, ngu mbi ri Ndjambi omuṱakame nOmuyapuke.”
