Zephaniah 3
1 Woe to her that is rebellious and polluted, to the oppressing city!
Maye kulo idolobho labancindezeli, elihlamukayo lelingcolileyo!
2 She hearkened not to any voice; she accepted no correction; in the Lord she did not trust; to her God she drew not near.
Kalilaleli muntu, kalivumi kukhuzwa. Kalithembeli kuThixo, kalisondeli kuNkulunkulu walo.
3 Her princes in her midst are roaring lions: her judges are evening wolves, they leave not a bone for the morning.
Izikhulu zalo ziyizilwane ezibhongayo, ababusi balo bazimpisi zakusihlwa, ezingatshiyi lutho lwekuseni.
4 Her prophets are thoughtless men of treachery: her priests have profaned the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
Abaphrofethi balo bayazazisa; bangabantu bamacebo amabi. Abaphristi balo bangcolisa indawo engcwele bephule lomthetho.
5 The just Lord is in her midst, he will not do wrong; morning after morning doth he bring his justice to the light [of day], it never faileth; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
UThixo phakathi kwalo ulungile; kenzi okubi, nsuku zonke ekuseni wenza ukulunga kwakhe njalo kaphambanisi ukusa kwamalanga wonke, ikanti abangalunganga kabalanhloni.
6 I have cut off nations; destroyed are their battlements; I have laid in ruins their streets, so that none passeth through; their cities are wasted, without a man, without an inhabitant.
“Ngizichithile izizwe; izinqaba zazo zidiliziwe. Ngitshiye imigwaqo yazo ideliwe kungekho odlula khona. Amadolobho azo adiliziwe; kakho ozasala kakho lamunye.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt accept correction; so that her dwelling should not be cut off, all that I had decreed to bring over her; but they rose up early, they acted corruptly in all their doings.
Ngathi kulo idolobho, ‘Impela uzangesaba uvume ukukhuzwa!’ Lapho-ke indlu yalo yokuhlala yayingayikudilizwa loba isijeziso sami sehlele phezu kwalo. Kodwa babelokhu betshisekela izenzo zokuxhwala kukho konke abakwenzayo.
8 Therefore wait but for me, saith the Lord, for the day that I rise up to the prey; for my judgment [cometh] to gather the nations, for me to assemble the kingdoms, to pour over them my indignation, all the fierceness of my anger; for through the fire of my jealousy shall all the earth be devoured.
Ngakho ngilindela,” kutsho uThixo, “lolusuku engizasukuma ngalo ngifakaze. Sengimise ukubuthanisa izizwe, ngiqoqe imibuso, ngehlisele ulaka lwami phezu kwabo konke ukuthukuthela kwami okukhulu. Umhlaba wonke uzaqothulwa ngomlilo womona wentukuthelo yami.”
9 Yea then will I change unto the people a pure language, that they may all call on the name of the Lord, to serve him with one accord.
“Lapho-ke ngizahlambulula izindebe zezizwe, ukuze zonke zikhuleke ebizweni likaThixo zimkhonze zimanyane.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush shall they bring my suppliants, even the assembly of my dispersed, as an offering unto me.
Kusukela ngaphetsheya kwemifula yaseKhushi abakhonzi bami, abantu bami abahlakazekileyo, bazangilethela iminikelo.
11 On that day shalt thou not be ashamed because of all thy doings, whereby thou hast transgressed against me; for then will I remove out of the midst of thee those that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt never more be haughty again on my holy mount.
Ngalolosuku kaliyikuyangiswa ngobubi bonke elabenza kimi, ngoba ngizabasusa kulelidolobho abathokoziswa yikuzigqaja kwabo. Kaliyikuzikhukhumeza futhi entabeni yami engcwele.
12 And I will leave remaining in the midst of thee a humble and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
Kodwa ngizatshiya phakathi kwenu abathambileyo labathobekileyo, abathembele ebizweni likaThixo.
13 The remnant of Israel shall not do injustice, nor speak lies; and there shall not be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue; for they shall feed and lie down, with none to make them afraid.
Kabayikwenza okubi; kabayikuqamba amanga, loba kube lenkohliso emilonyeni yabo. Bazakudla balale phansi, kakho ozabenza besabe.”
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; rejoice and be glad with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Hlabela wena Ndodakazi yeZiyoni, klabalala kakhulu, wena Israyeli! Thaba uthokoze ngenhliziyo yakho yonke wena ndodakazi yaseJerusalema!
15 The Lord hath removed thy punishment, he hath cleared away thy enemy: the king of Israel, the Lord, is in the midst of thee; thou shalt not see evil any more.
UThixo usesisusile isijeziso sakho, usesixotshile isitha sakho. UThixo, iNkosi ka-Israyeli, ulawe; akulangozi ozaphinda uyesabe futhi.
16 On that day shall it be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: [to] Zion, Let not thy hands become weak.
Ngalolosuku bazakuthi kulo iJerusalema, “Ungesabi, wena Ziyoni; ungavumeli ukuba izandla zakho zibe buthakathaka.
17 The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, the mighty one who will save; he will be glad over thee with rejoicing; he will be silent in his love, he will exult over thee with song.
UThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ulawe, ulamandla okusindisa. Uzathokoza kakhulu ngawe, uzakududuza ngothando lwakhe, uzakuthokozela ngokuhlabelela.”
18 Those that mourn far away from the festive assembly do I gather, those that were separated from thee, [that have borne] for thee the burden of reproach.
“Insizi zemikhosi emisiweyo ngizazisusa kuwe; zingumthwalo lehlazo kuwe.
19 Behold, I will deal [severely] with all that afflict thee at that time: and I will save her that halteth, and her that was driven off will I gather; and I will render them a praise and a famous name on all the earth where they have been put to shame.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizababona bonke abalincindezelayo; ngizahlenga abaqhulayo ngibuthe lalabo abahlakazwayo, ngizabapha udumo lenhlonipho kuwo wonke amazwe lapho abahlaziswa khona.
20 At that time will I bring you back, even in the time that I gather you; for I will make you for a name and for a praise among all people of the earth, when I bring back again your captives before your eyes, saith the Lord.
Ngalesosikhathi ngizalibutha; ngalesosikhathi ngizalisa ekhaya. Ngizalipha inhlonipho lodumo phakathi kwezizwe zonke zasemhlabeni lapho sengiliphumelelisa futhi phambi kwamehlo enu uqobo,” kutsho uThixo.
