Zephaniah 2
1 Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame,
Zibuthaniseni, lizibuthanise, lina sizwe esingaloyisekiyo,
2 before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass away as chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.
isimiso singakazali, lalolosuku lwedlule njengamakhoba, intukuthelo yolaka lweNkosi ingakalehleli, usuku lolaka lweNkosi lungakalehleli.
3 Seek Jehovah, all ye meek of the land, who have performed his ordinance; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.
Dingani iNkosi, lina lonke abamnene bomhlaba, elenze isahlulelo sayo; dingani ukulunga, lidinge ubumnene; mhlawumbe lingafihlwa ngosuku lolaka lweNkosi.
4 For Gazah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon shall be a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Ngoba iGaza izadelwa, leAshikeloni ibe lunxiwa; bazaxotsha iAshidodi emini enkulu, leEkhironi isitshunwe.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant;
Maye kwabakhileyo belizwe lolwandle, isizwe samaKerethi! Ilizwi leNkosi limelene lani. Wena Khanani, lizwe lamaFilisti, ngizakuchitha, kuze kungabi lomhlali.
6 and the sea-coast shall be cave-dwellings for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
Lelizwe lolwandle lizakuba ngamadlelo alemigodi yamanzi yabelusi, lezibaya zezimvu.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for Jehovah their God shall visit them, and turn again their captivity.
Njalo ilizwe lizakuba ngelensali yendlu kaJuda; bazakudla kulo; kusihlwa bazalala ezindlini zeAshikeloni; ngoba iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo izabahambela, iphendule ukuthunjwa kwabo.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
Ngiyizwile inhlamba kaMowabi, lokuthuka kwamadodana kaAmoni, abahlambaze ngakho abantu bami, bezikhulisa bemelene lomngcele wabo.
9 Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.
Ngakho kuphila kwami, itsho iNkosi yamabandla, uNkulunkulu kaIsrayeli, isibili uMowabi uzakuba njengeSodoma, labantwana bakaAmoni njengeGomora, indawo yezimbabazane, lemigodi yetshwayi, lencithakalo kuze kube phakade. Insali yabantu bami izabaphanga, labaseleyo babantu bami badle ilifa labo.
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.
Lokhu bazakuba lakho endaweni yokuziphakamisa kwabo, ngoba bathuka, bazikhulisa bemelene labantu beNkosi yamabandla.
11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place.
INkosi izakwesabeka kubo, ngoba izacakisa bonke onkulunkulu bomhlaba; njalo bazakhothama kuyo, ngulowo lalowo esendaweni yakhe, zonke izihlenge zezizwe.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be the slain of my sword.
Lani maEthiyophiya, lizakuba ngababuleweyo ngenkemba yami.
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, a place of drought like the wilderness.
Njalo izakwelula isandla sayo imelene lenyakatho, ichithe iAsiriya, ibeke iNineve ibe lunxiwa, yome njengenkangala.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the crowd of beasts; both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge in the chapiters thereof; a voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be on the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar work.
Njalo imihlambi izalala phansi phakathi kwayo, zonke izinyamazana zezizwe; lalo iwunkwe kanye lenhloni kulale ezidukwini zayo; ilizwi lizahlabela ewindini, incithakalo ibe sembundwini; ngoba ezakwembula umsebenzi womsedari.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none else beside me: how is she become a desolation, a couching-place for beasts! Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, shall wave his hand.
Lo ngumuzi ojabulayo, obuhlezi ngokuvikeleka, owawusithi enhliziyweni yawo: Yimi, njalo kakho omunye ngaphandle kwami. Yeka ukuba kwawo yincithakalo, indawo yokulala yezinyamazana! Wonke owedlula kiwo uyancifa, anyikinye isandla sakhe.
