< Amos 7 >

1 Thus the lord Jehovah showed me: And, behold, he formed locusts in the beginning of the shooting up of the latter growth, and, lo, it was the latter growth after the king's mowings.
Nanku engakutshengiswa nguThixo Wobukhosi: Wayelungisa imitshitshi yezintethe emva kokuvunwa kwesabelo senkosi khonapho amabele esibili esakhula.
2 And it came to pass that, when they made an end of eating the grass of the land, then I said, O lord Jehovah, forgive, I beseech thee. How shall Jacob stand, for he is small?
Kwathi lapho ilizwe seziliphundlile, ngamemeza ngathi, “Thixo Wobukhosi, thethelela! UJakhobe angaphepha kanjani? Mncinyane kakhulu!”
3 Jehovah relented concerning this. It shall not be, says Jehovah.
Ngakho uthixo waxola. “Akusoze kwenzakale” watsho uthixo.
4 Thus the lord Jehovah showed me: And, behold, the lord Jehovah called to contend by fire, and it devoured the great deep, and would have eaten up the land.
Nanku engakutshengiswa nguThixo Wobukhosi: uThixo Wobukhosi wayememezela ukwehlulela ngomlilo; womisa ulwandle waqothula lelizwe.
5 Then I said, O lord Jehovah, cease, I beseech thee. How shall Jacob stand, for he is small?
Ngakho ngamemeza ngathi “Thixo Wobukhosi, ngiyakuncenga, ake ume! UJakhobe angaphepha kanjani na? Mncinyane kakhulu!”
6 Jehovah relented concerning this. This also shall not be, says the lord Jehovah.
Ngakho uThixo waxola. “Lokhu lakho akuyikwenzakala,” kwatsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
7 Thus he showed me: And, behold, the Lord stood beside a wall made by a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand.
Nanku angitshengisa khona: uThixo wayemi phansi komduli owawakhiwe waqonda nta ephethe intambo yokuqondisa ngesandla sakhe
8 And Jehovah said to me, Amos, what do thou see? And I said, A plumb-line. Then the Lord said, Behold, I will set a plumb-line in the midst of my people Israel. I will not again pass by them any more.
UThixo wasengibuza esithi, “Kuyini okubonayo, Amosi?” Ngaphendula ngathi, “Yintambo yokuqondisa.” UThixo wasesithi, “Khangela, ngibeka intambo yokuqondisa phakathi kwabantu bami bako-Israyeli; kangisayikubaxolela futhi.
9 And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste, and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.
Izindawo eziphakemeyo zika-Isaka zizadilizwa lezindawo ezingcwele zako-Israyeli zizachithwa; indlu kaJerobhowamu ngizayihlasela ngenkemba yami.”
10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
U-Amaziya umphristi waseBhetheli wathumela ilizwi kuJerobhowamu inkosi yako-Israyeli, wathi, “U-Amosi uceba okubi ngawe khona kanye phakathi kwako-Israyeli. Ilizwe lingeke limelane lawo wonke amazwi akhe.
11 For thus Amos says: Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.
Ngoba u-Amosi uthi: ‘UJerobhowamu uzakufa ngenkemba, njalo impela u-Israyeli uzathunjwa, asiwe khatshana kwelizwe lakibo.’”
12 Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thou away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there.
U-Amaziya wasesithi ku-Amosi, “Phuma, wena mboni! Buyela elizweni lakoJuda, usebenzele ukudla kwakho khonale wenze lokuphrofetha kwakho khonale.
13 But do not prophesy again any more at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a royal house.
Ungaphrofithi futhi eBhetheli, ngoba le yindawo yenkosi kanye lethempeli lombuso.”
14 Then Amos answered, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, nor was I a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman, and a dresser of sycamore trees.
U-Amosi waphendula u-Amaziya wathi, “Mina ngangingasuye mphrofethi kumbe indodana yomphrofethi, kodwa ngangingumelusi, njalo ngigcina izihlahla zomkhiwa wesikhamore.
15 And Jehovah took me from following the flock, and Jehovah said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel.
Kodwa uThixo wangithatha ekweluseni imihlambi yezimvu wathi kimi, ‘Hamba uyephrofetha ebantwini bami bako-Israyeli.’
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of Jehovah: Thou say, Do not prophesy against Israel, and do not drop thy word against the house of Isaac.
Ngakho-ke khathesi zwana ilizwi likaThixo. Wena uthi: ‘Ungaphrofethi kubi ngo-Israyeli, njalo yekela ukutshumayela kubi ngendlela ka-Isaka.’
17 Therefore thus says Jehovah: Thy wife shall be a harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line, and thou thyself shall die in a land that is unclean. And Israel shall surely be led away captive out of his land.
Ngakho-ke nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: ‘Umkakho uzakuba yisifebe edolobheni, amadoda lamadodakazi akho azakufa ngenkemba. Ilizwe lakho lizalinganiswa labiwe, njalo wena ngokwakho uzafela elizweni lamaqaba. Njalo impela u-Israyeli uzathunjwa asiwe khatshana kwelizwe lakhe.’”

< Amos 7 >