Zephaniah 1
1 The word of Jehovah that came unto Zephaniah the son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hezekiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
Ilizwi likaThixo elafika kuZefaniya indodana kaKhushi, indodana kaGedaliya, indodana ka-Amariya, indodana kaHezekhiya, ekubuseni kukaJosiya indodana ka-Amoni inkosi yakoJuda:
2 I will utterly take away everything from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah:
“Ngizakhucula konke ebusweni bomhlaba,” kutsho uThixo.
3 I will take away man and beast; I will take away the fowl of the heavens and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling-blocks with the wicked, and I will cut off mankind from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah.
“Ngizakhucula kokubili abantu lezinyamazana; ngizakhucula izinyoni zasemoyeni kanye lenhlanzi zasolwandle, lezithombe ezenza ababi bakhubeke. Lapho ngiqeda abantu ebusweni bomhlaba,” kutsho uThixo.
4 And I will stretch forth my hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, the name of the Chemarim with the priests;
“Ngizakwelulela isandla sami koJuda lakubo bonke abahlala eJerusalema. Ngizaqeda konke okukaBhali okuseleyo kule indawo, amabizo abahedeni labaphristi abakhonza izithombe
5 and them that bow down to the host of the heavens upon the housetops; and them that bow down to Jehovah, that swear by [him], and swear by Malcham;
labo abakhothama phezu kwezindlu bakhonze ixuku lezinkanyezi, labo abakhothama bafunge ngoThixo, abafunga langoMoleki futhi,
6 and them that turn back from after Jehovah, and that do not seek Jehovah, nor inquire for him.
labo ababuyela emuva bedela ukulandela uThixo njalo abangamdinganga uThixo loba babuze ngaye.
7 Be silent at the presence of the Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; for Jehovah hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath hallowed his guests.
Thula phambi kukaThixo Wobukhosi, ngoba usuku lukaThixo seluseduze. UThixo uselungise umhlatshelo; usebangcwelisile labo abanxusileyo.
8 And it shall come to pass in the day of Jehovah's sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king's sons, and all such as are clothed with foreign apparel.
Ngosuku lomhlatshelo kaThixo ngizajezisa izikhulu lamadodana amakhosi labo bonke labo abagqoke izigqoko zezizweni.
9 And in that day will I punish all those that leap over the threshold, who fill their master's house with violence and deceit.
Ngalolosuku ngizabajezisa bonke abaxwaya ukunyathela umbundu womnyango, abagcwalisa ithempeli labonkulunkulu babo ngodlakela langenkohliso.”
10 And in that day, saith Jehovah, there shall be the noise of a cry from the fish-gate, and a howling from the second [quarter], and a great crashing from the hills.
UThixo, uthi, “Ngalolosuku ilizwi lokukhala lizaqonga ngaseSangweni leNhlanzi, ukulila kuvelela esiGabeni eSitsha lomsindo omkhulu wokufohloza uvela emaqaqeni.
11 Howl, ye inhabitants of Maktesh; for all the people of Canaan are cut down, all they that are laden with silver are cut off.
Lilani lina elihlala esigodini sokuthengisela saseMakhithashi, bonke abathengisi benu bazaqedwa, bonke abathengiselana ngesiliva bazabhujiswa.
12 And it shall come to pass at that time, [that] I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart, Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizaphenya iJerusalema ngezibane ngijezise labo abangakhathaliyo, abanjengewayini elitshiywe phakathi kwensipho zalo, abathi, ‘UThixo kayikwenza lutho, oluhle loba olubi.’
13 And their wealth shall become a booty, and their houses a desolation; and they shall build houses, and not inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and not drink the wine thereof.
Inotho yabo izaphangwa, izindlu zabo zidilizwe. Bazakwakha izindlu kodwa bangahlali kuzo; bazahlanyela izivini, kodwa iwayini bangalinathi.”
14 The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly. The voice of the day of Jehovah: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
Usuku olukhulu lukaThixo seluseduze, njalo luza ngokuphangisa. Lalelani! Ukukhala ngosuku lukaThixo kuzakuba buhlungu, lokuklabalala kwebutho khonapho.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and gross darkness,
Lolosuku luzakuba lusuku lolaka, usuku losizi lokudabuka; usuku lokuhlupheka lokuchitheka, usuku lomnyama lokudana, usuku lwamayezi lobumnyama,
16 a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fenced cities and against the high battlements.
usuku lwecilongo lokuhlaba umkhosi wokulwa impi lamadolobho avikelweyo kanye lezinqaba zasemajikweni.
17 And I will bring distress upon men, and they shall walk like blind men; for they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung:
“Ngizaletha usizi ebantwini njalo bazahamba njengeziphofu, ngoba bonile kuThixo. Igazi labo lizachithwa njengothuli lezibilini zabo njengamanyala.
18 their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them, in the day of Jehovah's wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for a full end, yea, a sudden [end], shall he make of all them that dwell in the land.
Isiliva sabo loba igolide labo kakungeke kwenelise ukubasindisa ngosuku lolaka lukaThixo. Umhlaba wonke uzatshiswa emlilweni womona wakhe ngoba uzakwenza isiphetho ngokuphangisa kubo bonke abahlala emhlabeni.”
