< Joel 2 >

1 Blow ye the horn in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the LORD 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 gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spread upon the mountains; a great people and a mighty, there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after them, even to the years of many 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 blazeth; the land is as the 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 do they run.
Bakhangeleka benjengamabhiza; bamatha njengamabhiza empi.
5 Like the noise of chariots, on the tops of the mountains do they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a mighty people set in battle array.
Ngomsindo onjengowezinqola zempi, beqa phezu kwezingqongo zezintaba, njengamabibi omlilo etshisa inhlanga, njengebutho elilamandla selilungele impi.
6 At their presence the peoples are in anguish; all faces have gathered blackness.
Ekubaboneni nje, izizwe zizwa ubuhlungu; ubuso bonke buyadana.
7 They run like mighty men, they climb the wall like men of war; and they move on every one in his ways, and they entangle not their paths.
Bahlasela njengamaqhawe; bakhwele imiduli njengamabutho. Bonke bahamba beludwendwe bengaphambuki endleleni yabo.
8 Neither doth one thrust another, they march every one in his highway; and they break through the weapons, and suffer no harm.
Kabasunduzani; lowo lalowo uhamba eqonde phambili. Badabula phakathi kwezivikelo kungekho kwehlukana kubo.
9 They leap upon the city, they run upon the wall, they climb up into the houses; they enter in at the windows like a thief.
Baya ngesiqubu edolobheni; bagijima besekele umduli. Bayakhwela bangene ezindlini; bangena ngamawindi njengamasela.
10 Before them the earth quaketh, the heavens tremble; the sun and the moon are become black, and the stars withdraw their shining.
Umhlaba uyanyikinyeka phambi kwabo; umkhathi uyaqhaqhazela, ilanga lenyanga kube mnyama, lezinkanyezi kazisakhanyisi.
11 And the LORD uttereth His voice before His army; for His camp is very great, for he is mighty that executeth His word; for great is the day of the LORD and very terrible; and who can abide 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 the LORD, turn ye unto Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation;
“Lakhathesi,” kutsho uThixo, “phendukelani kimi ngenhliziyo zenu zonke, ngokuzila langokukhala lokulila.”
13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God; for He is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering, and abundant in mercy, 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 whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him, even a meal-offering and a drink-offering unto the LORD your God?
Ngubani owaziyo? Engxenye angaphenduka abe lesihawu atshiye isibusiso, iminikelo yamabele leminikelo yokunathwayo kaThixo uNkulunkulu wenu.
15 Blow the horn in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly;
Vuthelani icilongo eZiyoni, memezelani ukuzila okungcwele, bizani ibandla elingcwele.
16 Gather the people, sanctify 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 out of her pavilion.
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 the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say: 'Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not Thy heritage to reproach, that the nations should make them a byword: 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 was the LORD jealous for His land, and had pity on His people.
Lapho-ke uThixo uzakuba lobukhwele ngelizwe lakhe abe lesihawu ebantwini bakhe.
19 And the LORD answered and said unto His people: 'Behold, I will send you corn, and 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 But I will remove far off from you the northern one, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the eastern sea, and his hinder part toward the western sea; that his foulness may come up, and his ill savour may come up, because he hath done 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 the LORD hath done 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 do yield their strength.
Lingesabi, lina zinyamazana zeganga, ngoba amadlelo asesiba luhlaza. Izihlahla sezithela izithelo zazo; imikhiwa lemivini kuthela kakhulu.
23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God; for He giveth you the former rain in just measure, and He causeth to come down for you the rain, the former rain and the latter rain, at the first.
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 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 canker-worm, and the caterpiller, 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 shall praise the name of the LORD your God, that 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 am the LORD 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 afterward, 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 And also upon the servants 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 in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
Ngizabonakalisa izimangaliso emazulwini lasemhlabeni, igazi lomlilo lezikhatha zentuthu.
31 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.
Ilanga lizaphendulwa libe yibumnyama lenyanga ibeligazi phambi kokuba kufike usuku olukhulu lukaThixo, olwesabekayo.
32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those that escape, as the LORD hath said, and among the remnant those whom the LORD shall call.
Njalo wonke obiza ibizo likaThixo uzasindiswa; ngoba eNtabeni iZiyoni laseJerusalema kuzakuba lokukhululwa, njengoba uThixo etshilo, iloba phakathi kwabasindileyo labo ababizwa nguThixo.”

< Joel 2 >