Nahum 2
1 One who scatters advances against you, O Nineveh. Guard the fortress! Watch the road! Brace yourselves! Summon all your strength!
Umhlaseli uyasondela kuwe, Nineve. Vikela inqaba, linda umgwaqo, zilungiselele, qoqa wonke amandla akho!
2 For the LORD will restore the splendor of Jacob like the splendor of Israel, though destroyers have laid them waste and ruined the branches of their vine.
UThixo uzabuyisela ubuhle bukaJakhobe njengobuhle buka-Israyeli, lanxa abachithi bebaqothule batshabalalisa lezivini zabo.
3 The shields of his mighty men are red; the valiant warriors are dressed in scarlet. The fittings of the chariots flash like fire on the day they are prepared, and the spears of cypress have been brandished.
Amahawu amabutho akhe abomvu, amabutho agqoke okubomvu gebhu. Insimbi ezinqoleni zempi iyaphazima ngosuku ezilungiselwe ngalo; imikhonto yesihlahla sephayini iyazunguzwa.
4 The chariots dash through the streets; they rush around the plazas, appearing like torches, darting about like lightning.
Izinqola zempi zihlasela ngesiqubu emigwaqweni, zisiya emuva laphambili ezigcawini. Zinjengezibane ezikhanyisiweyo; ziyaphaziphazima njengombane.
5 He summons his nobles; they stumble as they advance. They race to its wall; the protective shield is set in place.
Ubiza amabutho akhe akhethiweyo kodwa ayakhubeka endleleni yawo. Agijimela emdulini wedolobho; isivikelo silungiswe.
6 The river gates are thrown open and the palace collapses.
Amasango omfula ayavulwa, indlu yobukhosi ibhidlike.
7 It is decreed that the city be exiled and carried away; her maidservants moan like doves, and beat upon their breasts.
Kumiswe ukuthi idolobho lizathunjwa, abantu balo basiwe ebugqilini. Izintombi zalo eziyizigqili zikhala njengamajuba zizitshaya amabele azo.
8 Nineveh has been like a pool of water throughout her days, but now it is draining away. “Stop! Stop!” they cry, but no one turns back.
INiniva injengesiziba, njalo amanzi aso ageleza ehamba. Bayaklabalala besithi, “Mana! Mana!” Kodwa kakho onyemukulayo.
9 “Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold!” There is no end to the treasure, an abundance of every precious thing.
Phangani isiliva! Phangani igolide! Umthapho kawupheli, inotho evela eziphaleni zayo zonke!
10 She is emptied! Yes, she is desolate and laid waste! Hearts melt, knees knock, bodies tremble, and every face grows pale!
Ibhuqiwe, iphangiwe, iphundliwe! Inhliziyo ziphela amandla, amadolo ayaxega, imizimba iyaqhaqhazela, ubuso bonke bunyukubele.
11 Where is the lions’ lair or the feeding ground of the young lions, where the lion and lioness prowled with their cubs, with nothing to frighten them away?
Khathesi-ke ungaphi umhome wezilwane, lapho ezinikela khona abantwana bazo ukudla, lapho okwaya khona isilwane lesilwanekazi, kanye lemidlwane, kungekho lutho olwesatshwayo na?
12 The lion mauled enough for its cubs and strangled prey for the lioness. It filled its dens with the kill, and its lairs with mauled prey.
Isilwane sibulalele imidlwane yaso okwaneleyo sabambela lesilwanekazi saso okwenyama yokudliwa, sagcwalisa isikhundla saso ngesikujimbileyo lomhome waso ngenyama.
13 “Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will send your chariots up in smoke, and the sword will devour your young lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voices of your messengers will no longer be heard.”
“Ngimelane lawe,” kutsho uThixo uSomandla. “Ngizazitshisa izinqola zakho zempi zibe yintuthu; lenkemba izakudla izilwane zakho ezisakhulayo. Kangiyikukutshiyela ongakubamba ukudle njengenyama emhlabeni. Amazwi ezithunywa zakho kawasayikuzwakala futhi.”
