Repentance to Bring Blessing
In Hebrew texts 14:1-9 is numbered 14:2-10. 1Return, Israel, to the Lord your God.
Your sins have been your downfall!
2Take words with you
and return to the Lord.
Say to him:
“Forgive all our sins
and receive us graciously,
that we may offer the fruit of our lips.14:2 Or offer our lips as sacrifices of bulls
3Assyria cannot save us;
we will not mount warhorses.
We will never again say ‘Our gods’
to what our own hands have made,
for in you the fatherless find compassion.”
4“I will heal their waywardness
and love them freely,
for my anger has turned away from them.
5I will be like the dew to Israel;
he will blossom like a lily.
Like a cedar of Lebanon
he will send down his roots;
6his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,
his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.
7People will dwell again in his shade;
they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom like the vine—
Israel’s fame will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8Ephraim, what more have I14:8 Or Hebrew; Septuagint What more has Ephraim to do with idols?
I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;
your fruitfulness comes from me.”
9Who is wise? Let them realize these things.
Who is discerning? Let them understand.
The ways of the Lord are right;
the righteous walk in them,
but the rebellious stumble in them.
Kulapa Kubweretsa Madalitso
1Iwe Israeli bwerera kwa Yehova Mulungu wako.
Machimo anu ndi amene akugwetsani!
2Bweretsani zopempha zanu
ndipo bwererani kwa Yehova.
Munene kwa Iye kuti,
“Tikhululukireni machimo athu onse
ndi kutilandira mokoma mtima,
kuti tithe kukuyamikani ndi mawu a pakamwa pathu.
3Asiriya sangatipulumutse;
ife sitidzakwera pa akavalo ankhondo,
sitidzanenanso kuti, ‘Milungu yathu’
kwa zimene manja athu omwe anazipanga,
pakuti ndinu amene mumachitira chifundo ana amasiye.”
4Ine ndidzachiza kusakhulupirika kwawo
ndipo ndidzawakonda mwaufulu
pakuti ndaleka kuwakwiyira.
5Ndidzakhala ngati mame kwa Israeli
Ndipo iye adzachita maluwa ngati kakombo.
Adzazika mizu yake pansi
ngati mkungudza wa ku Lebanoni;
6mphukira zake zidzakula.
Kukongola kwake kudzakhala ngati mtengo wa olivi,
kununkhira kwake ngati mkungudza wa ku Lebanoni.
7Anthu adzakhalanso mu mthunzi wake.
Iye adzakula bwino ngati tirigu.
Adzachita maluwa ngati mphesa
ndipo kutchuka kwake kudzakhala ngati vinyo wochokera ku Lebanoni.
8Efereimu adzati, “Ndidzachita nawonso chiyani mafano?
Ine ndidzamuyankha ndi kumusamalira.
Ine ndili ngati mtengo wa payini wobiriwira;
zipatso zako zimachokera kwa Ine.”
9Ndani ali ndi nzeru? Adzazindikire zinthu izi.
Ndani amene amamvetsa zinthu? Adzamvetse izi.
Njira za Yehova ndi zolungama;
anthu olungama amayenda mʼmenemo,
koma anthu owukira amapunthwamo.