Verse 1: Ungajabuli, Israyeli, kube ngukuthokoza njengokwabezizwe, ngokuba umukile kuNkulunkulu wakho ngokufeba, wathanda inkokhelo kuzo zonke izibuya zamabele.
Verse 2: Isibuya nesikhamo sewayini akuyikubafunza, iwayini elisha liyakumkhohlisa.
Verse 3: Abayikuhlala ezweni likaJehova; u-Efrayimi uyakubuyela eGibithe, nase-Asiriya bayakudla okungcolileyo.
Verse 4: Abayikuthululela uJehova iwayini; imihlatshelo yabo ayiyikuba mihle kuye, isinkwa sabo sibe njengesinkwa sabalilayo; bonke abasidlayo bayakungcola, ngokuba isinkwa sabo siyakuba ngesephango, singangeni endlini kaJehova.
Verse 5: Niyakwenze njani ngosuku lomhlangano nangosuku lomkhosi kaJehova na?
Verse 6: Bhekani, ngokuba bemukile ekuchithweni iGibithe liyakubabutha, iMofi libembele; izinto zabo zamagugu zesiliva ziyakudliwa yizimbabazane, kube ngameva ematendeni abo.
Verse 7: Ziyafika izinsuku zokuhanjelwa, izinsuku zempindiselo zisondele; u-Israyeli uyakukwazi. Umprofethi uyakuba njengesiwula, umuntu onomoya ahlanye ngenxa yobuningi bobubi bakho nangobutha obukhulu;
Verse 8: umprofethi engumlindi ka-Efrayimi kanye noNkulunkulu wami, ugibe lomthiyi wezinyoni lukuzo zonke izindlela zakhe, nobutha busendlini kaNkulunkulu wakhe.
Verse 9: Bazonakalisile ngokujulileyo njengasezinsukwini zaseGibeya; uyakhumbula ububi babo, uyabahambela ngezono zabo.
Verse 10: “Ngamfumana u-Israyeli njengezithelo zomvini ehlane, ngabona oyihlo njengolibo emkhiwaneni ngesikhathi sawo sokuqala. Kepha bafika eBali Peyori, bazahlukanisela okunezinhloni, baba yizinengiso njengalokho abakuthandayo.
Verse 11: Udumo luka-Efrayimi luyakundiza, lumuke njengenyoni, kungabikho ukuzala, nonesisu, nokukhulelwa.
Verse 12: Noma bekhulisa abantwana babo, nokho ngiyakubaphuca bona kungasali muntu; yebo, maye kubo, lapho ngimuka kubo!
Verse 13: U-Efrayimi, njengalokho ngibone eTire, utshalwe endaweni emnandi, kepha u-Efrayimi uyakukhiphela umbulali abantwana bakhe.
Verse 14: “Banike, Jehova uyakunikani? Banike isisu esiphuphumayo namabele omileyo.
Verse 15: “Bonke ububi babo buseGiligali; ngalokho ngabazonda khona; ngenxa yobubi bezenzo zabo ngiyakubaxosha endlini yami, angisayikubathanda; zonke izikhulu zabo zingabahlubuki.
Verse 16: U-Efrayimi ushayiwe, impande yabo yomile, abayikuthela izithelo. Noma bezala, ngiyakubulala okuthandekayo kwesisu sabo.”
Verse 17: UNkulunkulu wami uyakubalahla, ngokuba abamlalelanga, babe ngabazulazulayo phakathi kwabezizwe.