Amos 3
1 Hear the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O ye children of Israel: concerning the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt, saying:
Zwanini ilizwi elikhulunywe nguThixo ngani lina bantu bako-Israyeli Lomndeni wonke engawukhupha eGibhithe:
2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore will I visit upon you all your iniquities.
“Yini kuphela engalikhethayo kuyo yonke imideni yasemhlabeni; ngakho ngizalijezisela zonke izono zenu.”
3 Shall two walk together except they be agreed?
Ababili bayahamba bendawonye ngaphandle kokuba bevumelene ukwenzanjalo na?
4 Will a lion roar in the forest, if he have no prey? will the lion’s whelp cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?
Isilwane siyabhonga ehlathini kungelalutho esingalubamba na? Siyabhonga esikhundleni saso singabambanga lutho na?
5 Will the bird fall into the snare upon the earth, if there be no fowler? Shall the snare be taken up from the earth, before it hath taken somewhat?
Inyoni iyabanjwa emhlabathini okungelamjibila othiywe khona na? Umjibila uyathanca usuke emhlabathini kungelalutho olubambayo na?
6 Shall the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not be afraid? Shall there be evil in a city, which the Lord hath not done?
Lapho icilongo likhala edolobheni abantu kabethuki na? Lapho incithakalo isehlela idolobho kayenziwanga nguThixo na?
7 For the Lord God doth nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
Impela uThixo Wobukhosi kenzi lutho engavezanga icebo lakhe ezincekwini zakhe abaphrofethi.
8 The lion shall roar, who will not fear? The Lord God hath spoken, who shall not prophesy?
Isilwane sibhongile, ngubani ongayikwesaba na? UThixo Wobukhosi usekhulumile ngubani ongayekela ukuphrofitha na?
9 Publish it in the houses of Azotus, and in the houses of the land of Egypt, and say: Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the many follies in the midst thereof, and them that suffer oppression in the inner rooms thereof.
Memezelani ezinqabeni zase-Ashidodi lasezinqabeni zaseGibhithe lithi: “Buthanani phezu kwezintaba zaseSamariya; libone isiyaluyalu esikhulu phakathi kwayo lokuncindezela phakathi kwabantu bayo.”
10 And they have not known to do the right thing, saith the Lord, storing up iniquity, and robberies in their houses.
“Kabakwazi ukwenza okulungileyo,” kutsho uThixo, “bona ababuthelela impango baphange lasezinqabeni zabo.”
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: The land shall be in tribulation, and shall be compassed about: and thy strength shall be taken away from thee, and thy houses shall be spoiled.
Ngakho uThixo Wobukhosi uthi: “Isitha sizachitha ilizwe; sizadiliza izinqaba zenu, siphange izinqaba zenu.”
12 Thus saith the Lord: As if a shepherd should get out of the lion’s mouth two legs, or the tip of the ear: so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria, in a piece of a bed, and in the couch of Damascus.
Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo: “Njengomelusi ehlenga emlonyeni wesilwane amathambo amabili kuphela omlenze loba isiqa sendlebe, bazahlengwa kanjalo abako-Israyeli abahlala eSamariya bethithibele ekucineni kwemibheda yabo, kanye laseDamaseko phezu kwemibheda yabo yokuphumulela.”
13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord the God of hosts:
“Zwanini lokhu lifakaze ngendlu kaJakhobe,” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla.
14 That in the day when I shall begin to visit the transgressions of Israel, I will visit upon him, and upon the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altars shall be cut off, and shall fall to the ground.
“Ngosuku engizajezisela u-Israyeli izono zakhe ngizabhidliza ama-alithare aseBhetheli; impondo ze-alithare zizaqunywa ziwele emhlabathini.
15 And I will strike the winter house with the summer house: and the houses of ivory shall perish, and many houses shall be destroyed, saith the Lord.
Ngizadiliza indlu yebusika kanye lendlu yehlobo, izindlu eziceciswe ngempondo zendlovu zizadilizwa lezindlu ezinkulu zizabhidlizwa,” kutsho uThixo.
