Joel 2
1 Blow the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of Jehovah cometh, for it is at hand;
Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni; hlabani umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele. Bonke abahlala elizweni kabathuthumele, ngoba usuku lukaThixo luyeza. Selusondele, selufikile,
2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness, as the dawn spread upon the mountains; — a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, to the years of generations and generations.
usuku lomnyama lokudana, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama. Njengokusa kusendlaleka phezu kwezintaba, liyeza ibutho elikhulu elilamandla elingazange libe khona endulo kumbe libe khona eminyakeni ezayo.
3 A fire devoureth before them, and behind them a flame burneth; the land is as a garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness: yea, and nothing escapeth them.
Phambi kwabo umlilo uyatshisa, ngemva kwabo amalangabi ayavutha. Phambi kwabo ilizwe linjengensimu yase-Edeni ngemva kwabo yinkangala elugwadule, akukho okubaphunyukayo.
4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so they run.
Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza; bamatha njengamabhiza empi.
5 Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains, they leap; like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi, beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba, njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga, njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.
6 Before them the peoples are in anguish: all faces turn pale.
Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu; ubuso bonke buyadana.
7 They run like mighty men; they climb the wall like men of war; and they march every one on his ways, and break not their ranks.
Bahlasela njengamaqhawe; bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho. Bonke bahamba beludwendwe bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.
8 Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded.
Kabasunduzani; lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo kungekho kwehlukana kubo.
9 They spread themselves over the city; they run upon the wall; they climb up into the houses; they enter in by the windows like a thief.
Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.
10 The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo; umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela, ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.
11 And Jehovah uttereth his voice before his army; for his camp is very great; for strong is he that executeth his word: for the day of Jehovah is great and very terrible; and who can bear it?
UThixo uyakhwaza phambi kwebutho lakhe; amabutho akhe angeke abalwe, njalo balamandla labo abalalela ukulaya kwakhe. Usuku lukaThixo lukhulu; luyesabeka. Ngubani ongalumela na?
12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning;
“Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo, “phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke, ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”
13 and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto Jehovah your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.
Dabulani inhliziyo zenu hatshi izigqoko zenu. Buyelani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, ngoba ulomusa lesihawu, uyaphuza ukuthukuthela, ulothando olukhulu, njalo uyaxola ukuthumela umonakalo.
14 Who knoweth? He might return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, an oblation and a drink-offering for Jehovah your God?
Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu atshiye isibusiso, iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, hallow a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly;
Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni, memezelani ukuzila okungcwele, bizani ibandla elingcwele.
16 gather the people, hallow the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth from his chamber, and the bride from her closet.
Buthanisani abantu, ngcwelisani ibandla; hlanganisani abadala, buthanisani abantwana labo abamunyayo. Umyeni katshiye indlu yakhe lomlobokazi atshiye ikamelo lakhe.
17 Let the priests, the ministers of Jehovah, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare, O Jehovah, thy people, and give not thine inheritance to reproach, that they should be a byword of the nations. Wherefore should they say among the peoples, Where is their God?
Abaphristi abakhonzayo phambi kukaThixo, kabakhale bephakathi laphakathi kwentuba le-alithari. Kabathi, “Awu Thixo, zwela abantu bakho. Ungenzi ilifa lakho libe yinto yokuhlekwa, isiga phakathi kwezizwe. Kungani phakathi kwezizwe kumele bathi, ‘Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?’”
18 Then Jehovah will be jealous for his land, and will have pity on his people.
Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.
19 And Jehovah will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I send you corn, and new wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will no more make you a reproach among the nations.
UThixo uzabaphendula athi: “Ngiyalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, okwaneleyo ukulisuthisa ngokugcweleyo; angiyikuphinda futhi ukulenza into yokuhlekisa ezizweni.
20 And I will remove far off from you him [that cometh] from the north, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, his face toward the eastern sea, and his rear toward the hinder sea; and his stench shall come up, and his ill odour shall come up, for he hath exalted himself to do great things.
Ibutho lasenyakatho ngizalixotshela khatshana lani, ngilifuqele elizweni elomileyo elilugwadule, amaviyo alo aphambili esiya olwandle lwasempumalanga lawo angemuva esiya olwandle lwasentshonalanga. Iphunga lalo elibi lizakuya phezulu, umnuko walo uzaphakama.” Ngempela wenze izinto ezinkulu ezimangalisayo.
21 — Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Jehovah doeth great things.
Ungesabi, wena lizwe; thaba uthokoze. Impela uThixo wenze izinto ezinkulu.
22 Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring; for the tree beareth its fruit; the fig-tree and the vine yield full increase.
Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza. Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo; imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.
23 And ye, children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Jehovah your God; for he giveth you the early rain in due measure, and he causeth to come down for you the rain, the early rain, and the latter rain at the beginning [of the season].
Thabani, lina bantu baseZiyoni, thokozani kuThixo uNkulunkulu wenu ngoba ulinike izulu lekwindla ngokulunga. Ulilethela izulu elinengi kanye lezulu lekwindla lelentwasa, njengakuqala.
24 And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
Iziza zizagcwala amabele; izikhamelo zizaphuphuma iwayini lamafutha.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, my great army which I sent among you.
“Ngizalihlawula okwaleyo minyaka lokho okwadliwa zintethe, lesikhonyane lobuyane, ezinye izintethe kanye lemitshitshi yezintethe, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela kini.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of Jehovah your God, who hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Lizakuba lokudla okunengi lize lisuthe, njalo lizadumisa ibizo likaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, olenzele izimangaliso; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.
27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I, Jehovah, [am] your God, and there is none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Ngakho lizakwazi ukuthi ngiko-Israyeli, lokuthi mina nginguThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kanye lokuthi kakho omunye; abantu bami kabayikuphinda bayangeke futhi.”
28 And it shall come to pass afterwards [that] I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
“Emva kwalokho, ngizathululela uMoya wami kubo bonke abantu. Amadodana lamadodakazi enu azaphrofitha, izinsizwa zenu zizabona imibono, lamaxhegu enu azaphupha amaphupho.
29 Yea, even upon the bondmen and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.
Lasezincekwini zami, ezesilisa lezesifazane, ngizawuthulula uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini lasemhlabeni, igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.
31 The sun shall be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.
Ilanga lizaphendulwa libe yibumnyama lenyanga ibeligazi phambi kokuba kufike usuku olukhulu lukaThixo, olwesabekayo.
32 And it shall be that whosoever shall call upon the name of Jehovah shall be saved: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as Jehovah hath said, and for the residue whom Jehovah shall call.
Njalo wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa; ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema kuzakuba lokukhululwa, njengoba uThixo etshilo, iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo labo ababizwa nguThixo.”
