< 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 uphondo eZiyoni, lihlabe umkhosi entabeni yami engcwele; kabathuthumele bonke abahlali belizwe, ngoba usuku lweNkosi luyeza, ngoba luseduze.
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 lobumnyama, usuku lwamayezi lomnyama onzima, njengemadabukakusa lembese phezu kwezintaba; isizwe esikhulu lesilamandla, kakuzanga kube khona esinjengaso kusukela endulo, futhi kakusayikuba khona emva kwaso kuze kube yiminyaka yezizukulwana lezizukulwana.
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.
Umlilo uyaqeda phambi kwaso, langemva kwaso kuvutha ilangabi. Phambi kwaso ilizwe lifanana lesivande seEdeni, kodwa ngemva kwaso liyinkangala yencithakalo; yebo kakulakuphunyuka kuso.
4 The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so they run.
Isimo saso sinjengesimo samabhiza, lanjengabagadi bamabhiza ngokunjalo bazagijima.
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.
Bazakweqa njengomsindo wezinqola ezingqongeni zezintaba, njengomsindo welangabi lomlilo oqeda izidindi, njengabantu abalamandla abahlelelwe impi.
6 Before them the peoples are in anguish: all faces turn pale.
Phambi kobuso babo abantu bazakuba lobuhlungu; bonke ubuso buzanyukumala.
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.
Bazagijima njengamaqhawe, bakhwele imiduli njengamadoda empi, bahambe ngulowo lalowo ngezindlela zakhe, kabayikuphambuka emikhondweni yabo.
8 Neither doth one press upon another; they march every one in his path; and fall amid weapons, but are not wounded.
Kabasunduzani omunye lomunye; bazahamba ngulowo lalowo ngomgwaqo wakhe omkhulu; lapho bewela phezu kwesikhali, kabayikulimala.
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.
Bazahaluzela bedabula umuzi, bagijime phezu komduli, bakhwele bangene ezindlini, bangene ngamawindi njengesela.
10 The earth quaketh before them; the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Umhlaba uzanyikinyeka phambi kwabo, amazulu athuthumele; ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi zigodle ukukhanya kwazo.
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?
Njalo iNkosi izakhupha ilizwi layo phambi kwebutho layo, ngoba inkamba yayo inkulu kakhulu; ngoba ilamandla eyenza ilizwi layo; ngoba usuku lweNkosi lukhulu, luyesabeka kakhulu; ngubani-ke ongalumela?
12 Yet even now, saith Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning;
Ngakho lakhathesi, itsho iNkosi, phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, langokuzila ukudla, langokukhala inyembezi, langokulila.
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.
Lidabule inhliziyo yenu, hatshi izembatho zenu, liphendukele eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu, ngoba ilesisa lesihawu, iphuza ukuthukuthela, njalo inkulu ngomusa, iyazisola ngobubi.
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, ingaphenduka izisole, itshiye isibusiso ngemva kwayo, umnikelo wokudla lomnikelo wokunathwayo eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, hallow a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly;
Vuthelani uphondo eZiyoni, yehlukanisani ukuzila ukudla, libize umhlangano onzulu,
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.
libuthanise abantu, lingcwelise ibandla, lihlanganise abadala, libuthanise abantwana, labamunya amabele; umyeni kaphume ekamelweni lakhe, lomakoti ekamelweni 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?
Kakuthi abapristi, izikhonzi zeNkosi, bakhale inyembezi phakathi kwekhulusi lelathi, bathi: Yekela abantu bakho, Nkosi; unganikeli ilifa lakho ehlazweni, ukuthi abahedeni bababuse. Bazatsholoni phakathi kwezizwe ukuthi: Ungaphi uNkulunkulu wabo?
18 Then Jehovah will be jealous for his land, and will have pity on his people.
Khona iNkosi izatshisekela ilizwe layo, ihawukele abantu bayo.
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.
Yebo iNkosi izaphendula ithi ebantwini bayo: Khangelani, ngizalithumela amabele lewayini elitsha lamafutha, ukuthi lisuthe ngakho; kangisayikulenza inhlamba phakathi kwezizwe.
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.
Kodwa ngizasusela khatshana lani okuvela enyakatho, ngikuxotshele elizweni elomileyo leliyinkangala, ubuso bakho buqonde ngaselwandle lwempumalanga, lokucina kwakho ngaselwandle olungemuva; njalo kwenyuke ivumba lakho, kwenyuke iphunga lakho elibi, ngoba kwenze izinto ezinkulu.
21 — Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for Jehovah doeth great things.
Ungesabi, lizwe, jabula uthokoze, ngoba iNkosi yenze 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, zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo enkangala asehlumile; ngoba isihlahla sithela isithelo saso, umkhiwa levini kunike amandla akho.
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].
Lani bantwana beZiyoni, thabani lithokoze eNkosini, uNkulunkulu wenu; ngoba ilinikile izulu lensewula ngokulunga, yalinisela izulu, izulu lensewula lezulu lamuva njengakuqala.
24 And the floors shall be full of corn, and the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.
Lamabala okubhulela azagcwala amabele, lezikhamelo zewayini ziphuphume ngewayini elitsha 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.
Njalo ngizabuyisela kini iminyaka eyadliwa yintothoviyane, yisikhonyane, leqhwagi, lenswabanda, ibutho lami elikhulu engalithumela phakathi kwenu.
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.
Njalo lizakudla lokudla, lisuthe, lidumise ibizo leNkosi, uNkulunkulu wenu, oliphethe ngokumangalisayo. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
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.
Njalo lizakwazi ukuthi ngiphakathi kukaIsrayeli, lokuthi ngiyiNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu, njalo kakho omunye. Njalo abantu bami kabayikuyangiswa lanininini.
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.
Kuzakuthi emva kwalokho ngithele uMoya wami phezu kwayo yonke inyama; njalo amadodana enu lamadodakazi enu azaprofetha; abadala benu baphuphe amaphupho, amajaha enu abone imibono.
29 Yea, even upon the bondmen and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.
Yebo, laphezu kwenceku laphezu kwencekukazi ngizathela uMoya wami ngalezonsuku.
30 And I will shew wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Njalo ngizaveza izimangaliso emazulwini lemhlabeni, igazi, lomlilo, lezinsika zentuthu.
31 The sun shall be changed to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.
Ilanga lizaphenduka libe ngumnyama, lenyanga ibe ligazi, lungakafiki usuku lweNkosi olukhulu lolwesabekayo.
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.
Kuzakuthi-ke loba ngubani ozabiza ibizo leNkosi asindiswe; ngoba entabeni yeZiyoni leJerusalema kuzakuba khona ukukhululwa, njengokutsho kweNkosi, laphakathi kwabaseleyo iNkosi ezababiza.