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.
Ohole yOmwene
1 Israel fimbo a li omunyasha, onda li ndi mu hole, nomona wange omumati nde mu ifana mo muEgipiti. 2 Alushe eshi va ifanwa, ova pilamena ko. Ova yambela ooBaal nova twimina oihongwafano. 3 Ndele Ame mwene nda longa Efraim okweenda. Ye okwe va papata momaoko aye. Ndelenee vo inava shiiva nge, nokutya Ame onde va velula. 4 Onde va shila momapando ovanhu nomiya dohole. Onda fa nda yululula ondjoko yomofingo yavo, ndele nda petama kuvo noku va palula. 5 Itava ka shuna mbela koshilongo shaEgipiti, naAsiria ita ka ninga mbela ohamba yavo, osheshi ova anya okulidilulula? 6 Ndele eongamukonda tali ke uya moilando yaye, ndele tali ka hanauna po oiidilifo yaye, ndele tali li omolweemhangela davo. 7 Osheshi oshiwana shange osha loloka okwaalukila kwaame nonge tashi ifanwa shi tale pombada, kaku na ou ta fikama. 8 Ondi ku efe ngahelipi, Efraim, nondi ku ekeleshi ngahelipi, Israel? Ondi ku efe ngahelipi ngaashi Adma, nondi ku ninge ngahelipi ngaashi Seboim? Omutima wange we lidilulula nolukeno lange lwa penduka. 9 Ame itandi ka wanifa oupyuhandu wange. Ame itandi ka nyona po vali Efraim, osheshi Aame Kalunga, hamunhu, Aame omuyapuki mokati keni. Ndele Ame itandi ke uya ndi noupyuhandu. 10 Ndele otava shikula Omwene. Ye ota ka kumba ngaashi onghoshi, heeno, Ye ota ka kumba nounona otave uya nokukakama tava di kouninginino. 11 Otave uya nokukakama tava di muEgipiti ngaashi eedila, moshilongo shaAsiria ngaashi eenghuti. Ndele ohandi va alulile momaumbo avo, Omwene osho ta ti.
