< Micah 4 >

1 And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and unto it shall people flow.
Ngezinsuku zokucina intaba yethempeli likaThixo izamiswa njengenhloko phakathi kwezintaba; izaphakanyiselwa phezu kwezintaba njalo izizwe zizabekelela zisiya kuyo.
2 And many nations shall come, and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us of his ways, and we may walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.
Izizwe ezinengi zizafika zithi, “Wozani siye phezu kwentaba kaThixo, siye ethempelini likaNkulunkulu kaJakhobe. Uzasifundisa izindlela zakhe, ukuze sihambe emikhondweni yakhe.” Umthetho uzavela eZiyoni, ilizwi likaThixo livele eJerusalema.
3 And he shall judge between many people, and decide for strong nations even afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into pruning-knives: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, and they shall not learn any more war.
Uzakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe ezinengi alamule lezingxabano zezizwe ezilamandla ezindaweni ezikhatshana. Bazakhanda izinkemba zabo zibe yimihlathi yamakhuba, lemikhonto yabo ibe zingqamu zokuthena izihlahla. Isizwe asiyikuhlomela isizwe ngenkemba loba sifundele ukulwa impi futhi.
4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree, with none to make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it.
Umuntu wonke uzahlala ngaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe sevini langaphansi kwesihlahla sakhe somkhiwa, njalo kakho ozabenza besabe, ngoba uThixo uSomandla usekhulumile.
5 [But] though all the people should walk every one in the name of his god, yet will we walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.
Zonke izizwe zingahamba ebizweni labonkulunkulu bazo; thina sizahamba ebizweni likaThixo uNkulunkulu wethu kuze kube laphakade.
6 On that day, saith the Lord, will I assemble her that halteth, and her that is driven out will I gather, and her to whom I have done evil;
“Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “ngizabutha abaqhulayo; ngizaqoqa abathunjwayo lalabo engabehlisela usizi.
7 And I will make of her that halted a remnant, and of her that was cast off far away a strong nation: and the Lord will reign over them on mount Zion, from this time and unto eternity.
Ngizakwenza abaqhulayo babe yinsalela, abaxotshwayo babe yisizwe esilamandla. UThixo uzababusa eNtabeni iZiyoni, kusukela ngalolosuku kuze kube nininini.
8 And thou, O tower of flocks, the strong-hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall go, and shall come, the former dominion, the kingdom belonging to the daughter of Jerusalem.
Wena nqaba yokulinda yomhlambi, wena nqaba yeNdodakazi yeZiyoni, umbuso wakuqala uzabuyiselwa kuwe; ubukhosi buzakuza eNdodakazini yaseJerusalema.”
9 Now why dost thou cry aloud? is there no king in thee? is thy counsellor lost? that pangs have seized on thee as on a woman in travail?
Kungani khathesi usukhala kakhulu, kawulankosi na? Umeluleki wakho usebhubhile na, ukuba uphathwe yibuhlungu obunjengowesifazane ohelelwayo?
10 Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the town, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go as far as Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there will the Lord redeem thee from the grasp of thy enemies.
Janqula ngobuhlungu, wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, njengowesifazane ohelelwayo, ngoba khathesi sekumele usuke kulelidolobho uyehlala egangeni. Uzakuya eBhabhiloni; lapho ozahlengwa khona. Khonale uThixo uzakukhulula ezandleni zezitha zakho.
11 And now many nations are gathered against thee, that say, Let her be defiled, and let our eye look with pleasure on Zion.
Kodwa khathesi izizwe ezinengi zikujamele. Zithi, “Kangcoliswe, lamehlo ethu kawahawukele iZiyoni!”
12 But they know not the thoughts of the Lord, and they understand not his counsel: that he will [once] gather them as the sheaves into the threshing-floor.
Kodwa kabayazi imicabango kaThixo; kabaliqedisisi icebo lakhe, yena obabutha njengezixha zamabele esizeni.
13 Arise and thresh, O daughter of Zion; for I will render thy horn iron, and thy hoofs will I render copper, and thou shalt beat in pieces many people: and I will devote unto the Lord their ill-gotten gain, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth.
“Sukuma ubhule, wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, ngoba ngizakupha impondo zensimbi; ngizakunika amasondo ethusi, njalo uzachoboza izizwe ezinengi.” Uzanikela kuThixo inzuzo yabo eyatholwa ngobuqili inotho yabo kuThixo womhlaba wonke.

< Micah 4 >