< Amos 4 >

1 Hear you this word, you heifers of the land of Basan that are in the mountain of Samaria, that oppress the poor, and trample on the needy, which say to their masters, Give us that we may drink.
Zwanini ilizwi leli lina mankomokazi aseBhashani phezu kweNtaba iSamariya, lina besifazane elincindezela abayanga lichoboze abaswelayo beselisithi kubomkenu, “Siletheleni okunathwayo!”
2 The Lord swears by his holiness, that, behold, the days come upon you, when they shall take you with weapons, and fiery destroyers shall cast those with you into boiling cauldrons.
UThixo Wobukhosi usefunge ngobungcwele bakhe wathi: “Isikhathi sizafika impela lapho elizathathwa khona ngewuka, owokucina wenu ngewuka yenhlanzi.
3 And you shall be brought forth naked in the presence of each other; and you shall be cast forth on the mountain Romman, says the Lord.
Lizaphuma ngamunye ngezikhala emdulini liqonde nta phandle, njalo lizalahlelwa ngaphandle ngokuya eHamoni,” kutsho uThixo.
4 You went into Bethel, and sinned, and you multiplied sin at Galgala; and you brought your meat-offerings in the morning, [and] your tithes every third day.
“Hambani eBhetheli liyekwenza isono; hambani eGiligali liyekwenza isono ngokudlulayo. Lethani imihlatshelo yenu nsuku zonke ekuseni lokwetshumi kwenu minyaka yonke emithathu.
5 And they read the law without, and called for public professions: proclaim aloud that the children of Israel have loved these things, says the Lord.
Tshisani isinkwa esilemvubelo njengomnikelo wokubonga lintele ngeminikelo yenu yokuzithandela lizikhukhumeze ngayo, lina bako-Israyeli, ngoba lokhu yikho elithanda ukukwenza,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
6 And I will give you dullness of teeth in all your cities, and lack of bread in all your places: yet you returned not to me, says the Lord.
“Ngalilethela indlala emadolobheni wonke lokusweleka kokudla emadolobheni wonke, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
7 Also I withheld from you the rain three months before the harvest: and I will rain upon one city, and on another city I will not rain: one part shall be rained upon, and the part on which I shall not rain shall be dried up.
“Ngagodla izulu futhi kusasele inyanga ezintathu ukuba kuvunwe. Izulu ngalinisa kwelinye idolobho kodwa ngaligodla kwelinye. Enye insimu yaba lezulu, enye kayaze yaba lalo njalo yoma qha.
8 And [the inhabitants of] two or three cities shall be gathered to one city to drink water, and they shall not be satisfied: yet you have not returned to me, says the Lord.
Abantu babhadazela besuka kwelinye idolobho besiya kwelinye befuna amanzi kodwa kabawatholanga anele ukuba bakholwe, ikanti kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
9 I struck you with parching, and with blight: you multiplied your gardens, your vineyards, and your fig-grounds, and the cankerworm devoured your olive yards: yet not [even] thus did you return to me, says the Lord.
“Ezikhathini ezinengi ngahlasela izivande zenu lezivini zenu, ngizihlasela ngesona langengumane. Izintethe zadla imikhiwa yenu lezihlahla zenu zama-oliva, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
10 I sent pestilence amongst you by the way of Egypt, and killed your young men with the sword, together with your horses that were taken captive; and in my wrath against you I set fire to your camps: yet not even thus did you return to me, says the Lord.
“Ngathumela izifo phakathi kwenu njengengakwenza kweleGibhithe. Ngabulala izinsizwa zenu ngenkemba ndawonye lamabhiza enu athunjwayo. Ngavimbanisa amakhala enu ngomnuko wezihonqo zenu, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
11 I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodoma and Gomorrha, and you became as a brand plucked out of the fire: yet not even thus did you return to me, says the Lord.
“Ngachitha abanye benu njengalokhu ngachitha iSodoma leGomora. Lalinjengesikhuni esitshayo esihluthunwe emlilweni, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
12 Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel: nay because I will do thus to you, prepare to call on your God, O Israel.
“Ngakho-ke engizakwenza kuwe Israyeli yilokhu, njalo njengoba lokhu ngizakwenza kuwe, zilungisele ukuhlangana loNkulunkulu wakho, wena Israyeli.”
13 For, behold, I am he that strengthens the thunder, and creates the wind, and proclaims to men his Christ, forming the morning and the darkness, and mounting on the high places of the earth, The Lord God Almighty is his name.
Yena obumba izintaba, udala umoya, aveze lemicabango yakhe ebantwini, yena oguqula ukusa kube ngumnyama, anyathele lezindawo eziphakemeyo zomhlaba, uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe.

< Amos 4 >