< Obadiah 1 >

1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom: We have heard tidings from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the nations, [saying], Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.
Umbono Ka-Obhadaya. Nanku okutshiwo nguThixo Wobukhosi nge-Edomi: Sesizwe ilizwi elivela kuThixo: Kuthunywe isithunywa ezizweni ukuba sithi, “Phakamani, asihambeni silwe laye impi”:
2 Behold, I have made thee small among the nations: thou art greatly despised.
“Khangela, ngizakwenza ube mncinyane phakathi kwezizwe; uzakweyiswa kakhulu.
3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?
Ukuzigqaja kwenhliziyo yakho sekukukhohlisile, wena ohlala ezingoxweni zamadwala wakhe umuzi wakho eziqongweni, wena ozitshela uthi, ‘Ngubani ongangiwisela phansi enhlabathini na?’
4 Though thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.
Lanxa uqonga njengengqungqulu wakhe isidleke sakho phakathi kwezinkanyezi, ngizakwethula khonale,” kutsho uThixo.
5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not steal till they had enough? if grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some gleaning grapes?
“Nxa amasela efike kuwe, nxa abaphangi ebusuku, Awu, yeka ubukhulu bomonakalo okulindeleyo, kabayikuntshontsha kuphela lokho okwanele abakufunayo na? Nxa abavuni bamavini befike kuwe, kabangeke batshiye amalutshwana na?
6 How are [the things of] Esau searched out! how are his hidden treasures sought up!
Kodwa yeka ukuphangwa okuzakwenziwa u-Esawu, inotho yakhe efihliweyo izathunjwa!
7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee on thy way, even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; [they that eat] thy bread lay a snare under thee: there is none understanding in him.
Bonke abamanyane lawe bazakuxotshela emngceleni; abangane bakho bazakukhohlisa bakunqobe; labo abadla ukudla kwakho bazakuthiya ngomjibila, kodwa wena kawuyikuwubona.
8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?
Ngalolosuku,” kutsho uThixo, “kangiyikuwabhubhisa yini amadoda ahlakaniphileyo ase-Edomi, amadoda aqedisisayo ezintabeni zako-Esawu na?
9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.
Amabutho akho, wena Themani, azathuthumela, njalo bonke abasezintabeni zako-Esawu bazacakazelwa phansi ekubulaweni kwabanengi.
10 For the violence done to thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
Ngenxa yodlakela kumfowenu uJakhobe, uzakwembeswa lihlazo; uzachithwa nini lanini.
11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
Ngosuku owema ngalo khatshana mhla izihambi zithumba inotho yakhe labezizweni bengena emasangweni akhe bephosa inkatho ngeJerusalema, wawunjengomunye wabo.
12 But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither speak proudly in the day of distress.
Akumelanga weyise umfowenu ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwakhe, loba uthokoze ngabantu bakoJuda ngosuku lokubhujiswa kwabo, loba uklamase kangaka ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.
13 Enter not into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, look not thou on their affliction in the day of their calamity, neither lay ye [hands] on their substance in the day of their calamity.
Akumelanga ungene ngamasango abantu bami ngosuku lomonakalo wabo, loba ubeyise osizini lwabo ngosuku lomonakalo wabo, loba uthumbe inotho yabo ngosuku lomonakalo wabo.
14 And stand thou not in the crossway, to cut off those of his that escape; and deliver not up those of his that remain in the day of distress.
Akumelanga ume emahlukanandlela ukuba ubulale ababalekayo babo, loba unikele abaphephileyo babo ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwabo.
15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the nations: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine own head.
Usuku lukaThixo selusondele ezizweni zonke. Njengalokho okwenzileyo, yikho okuzakwenziwa kuwe; izenzo zakho zizaphendukela phezu kwekhanda lakho.
16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the nations drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and swallow down, and shall be as though they had not been.
Njengokunatha elakwenzayo entabeni yami, ngokunjalo izizwe zonke zizanatha njalonjalo; zizanatha, zinathe kuze kube angathi kazizange zivele zibe khona.
17 But in mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
Kodwa phezu kweNtaba iZiyoni kuzakuba lokusindiswa; kuzakuba ngcwele, lendlu kaJakhobe izazuza ilifa layo.
18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall burn among them, and devour them: and there shall not be any remaining to the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
Indlu kaJakhobe izakuba ngumlilo lendlu kaJosefa ibe lilangabi; indlu ka-Esawu izakuba libibi, njalo bazayithungela ngomlilo ozayiqothula. Akuyikuba khona abasilayo endlini ka-Esawu.” UThixo usekhulumile.
19 And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the lowland the Philistines and they shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria: and Benjamin [shall possess] Gilead.
Abantu abavela eNegebi bazathumba izintaba zako-Esawu, labantu abavela emawatheni ezintaba bazathumba ilizwe lamaFilistiya. Bazathumba amasimu ako-Efrayimi lawaseSamariya, loBhenjamini uzathumba iGiliyadi.
20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, which are [among] the Canaanites, [shall possess] even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South.
Lelibutho labako-Israyeli abathunjwayo abaseKhenani lizalithatha ilizwe kusiyafika eZarefathi; abathunjwa eJerusalema abaseSefaradi bazathatha amadolobho aseNegebi.
21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S.
Abakhululi bazakhwela iNtaba iZiyoni ukuba babuse izintaba zako-Esawu. Njalo umbuso uzakuba ngokaThixo.

< Obadiah 1 >