< Habakkuk 1 >
1 The word which Habakkuk the prophet saw.
Umthwalo uHabhakhukhi umprofethi awubonayo.
2 How long, O Lord, will your ears be shut to my voice? I make an outcry to you about violent behaviour, but you do not send salvation.
Nkosi, ngizakhala kuze kube nini, wena ungezwa! Ngimemeza kuwe ngodlakela, wena ungasindisi!
3 Why do you make me see evil-doing, and why are my eyes fixed on wrong? for wasting and violent acts are before me: and there is fighting and bitter argument.
Ungitshengiselani isiphambeko, ukhangele inkathazo? Ngoba incithakalo lodlakela kuphambi kwami, njalo kulenkani, kuphakame ingxabano.
4 For this reason the law is feeble and decisions are not effected: for the upright man is circled round by evil-doers; because of which right is twisted.
Ngakho-ke umlayo ubuthakathaka, lesahlulelo kasiphumi lakanye; ngoba omubi uhanqa olungileyo; ngakho-ke isahlulelo esigobileyo siyaphuma.
5 See among the nations, and take note, and be full of wonder: for in your days I am doing a work in which you will have no belief, even if news of it is given to you.
Bonani phakathi kwabezizwe, likhangele, mangalani limangale, ngoba ngizakwenza umsebenzi ezinsukwini zenu, elingayikuwukholwa, lanxa ulandiswa.
6 For see, I am sending the Chaldaeans, that bitter and quick-moving nation; who go through the wide spaces of the earth to get for themselves living-places which are not theirs.
Ngoba, khangelani, ngivusa amaKhaladiya, isizwe esilesihluku lesiphangisayo, esizahamba ebubanzini bomhlaba, ukudla ilifa lendawo zokuhlala ezingeyisizo ezaso.
7 They are greatly to be feared: their right comes from themselves.
Siyesabeka, siyethusa; isahlulelo saso lokuphakama kwaso kuzaphuma kuso.
8 And their horses are quicker than leopards and their horsemen more cruel than evening wolves; they come from far away, like an eagle in flight rushing on its food.
Amabhiza aso lawo alejubane kulezingwe, njalo abukhali kulezimpisi zakusihlwa; labagadi bamabhiza baso bazasabalala, labagadi bamabhiza baso bazavela khatshana; bazandiza njengokhozi oluphangisela ukudla.
9 They are coming all of them with force; the direction of their faces is forward, the number of their prisoners is like the sands of the sea.
Bonke bazafikela udlakela; ukubuthana kobuso babo kungasempumalanga; babuthe abathunjiweyo njengetshebetshebe.
10 He makes little of kings, rulers are a sport to him; all the strong places are to be laughed at; for he makes earthworks and takes them.
Bona-ke bazaklolodela amakhosi, lababusi bazakuba yinhlekisa kubo; bona bazahleka usulu ngayo yonke inqaba, ngoba bazabuthelela inhlabathi, bayithumbe.
11 Then his purpose will be changed, over-stepping the limit; he will make his strength his god.
Besesikhukhula njengomoya, sedlule, siphambeke, sibalela la amandla aso kunkulunkulu waso.
12 Are you not eternal, O Lord my God, my Holy One? for you there is no death. O Lord, he has been ordered by you for our punishment; and by you, O Rock, he has been marked out to put us right.
Kawusukeli ephakadeni yini, Nkosi Nkulunkulu wami, oNgcwele wami? Kasiyikufa. Wena, Nkosi, ubamisele isahlulelo; lawe Dwala, ubamisele isijeziso.
13 Before your holy eyes sin may not be seen, and you are unable to put up with wrong; why, then, are your eyes on the false? why do you say nothing when the evil-doer puts an end to one who is more upright than himself?
Wena uhlambuluke kakhulu emehlweni kulokuthi ubone okubi, ongelakukhangela inkathazo. Ubakhangelelani abakhohlisayo, uthula lapho omubi eginya olungileyo kulaye?
14 He has made men like the fishes of the sea, like the worms which have no ruler over them.
Usenza abantu babe njengenhlanzi zolwandle, njengezinto ezihahabayo, ezingelambusi phezu kwazo?
15 He takes them all up with his hook, he takes them in his net, getting them together in his fishing-net: for which cause he is glad and full of joy.
Bayabakhupha bonke ngengwegwe, bababambe embuleni labo, bababuthe embuleni labo; ngakho-ke bayathokoza bajabule.
16 For this reason he makes an offering to his net, burning perfume to his fishing-net; because by them he gets much food and his meat is fat.
Ngakho-ke bayalihlabela imbule labo, batshisele imbule labo lokugola impepha; ngoba ngakho isabelo sabo sinonile, lokudla kwabo kulamafutha.
17 For this cause his net is ever open, and there is no end to his destruction of the nations.
Ngakho-ke bayathulula imbule labo yini, bangayekeli yini ukubulala izizwe njalonjalo?