U-Amosi 3
1 Zwanini ilizwi elikhulunywe nguThixo ngani lina bantu bako-Israyeli Lomndeni wonke engawukhupha eGibhithe:
Listen to the word which the Lord has spoken about you, sons of Israel, concerning the whole family that I led out of the land of Egypt, saying:
2 “Yini kuphela engalikhethayo kuyo yonke imideni yasemhlabeni; ngakho ngizalijezisela zonke izono zenu.”
I have known only you in such a way, out of all the families of the earth. For this reason, I will visit upon you all your iniquities.
3 Ababili bayahamba bendawonye ngaphandle kokuba bevumelene ukwenzanjalo na?
Will two walk together, unless they have agreed to do so?
4 Isilwane siyabhonga ehlathini kungelalutho esingalubamba na? Siyabhonga esikhundleni saso singabambanga lutho na?
Will a lion roar in the forest, unless he has prey? Will the lion’s young cry out from his den, unless he has taken something?
5 Inyoni iyabanjwa emhlabathini okungelamjibila othiywe khona na? Umjibila uyathanca usuke emhlabathini kungelalutho olubambayo na?
Will a bird fall into a snare on the ground, if there is no bird-catcher? Will a snare be taken away from the ground, before it has caught something?
6 Lapho icilongo likhala edolobheni abantu kabethuki na? Lapho incithakalo isehlela idolobho kayenziwanga nguThixo na?
Will the trumpet sound in a city, and the people not become frightened? Will there be disaster in a city, which the Lord has not done?
7 Impela uThixo Wobukhosi kenzi lutho engavezanga icebo lakhe ezincekwini zakhe abaphrofethi.
For the Lord God does not fulfill his word, unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the prophets.
8 Isilwane sibhongile, ngubani ongayikwesaba na? UThixo Wobukhosi usekhulumile ngubani ongayekela ukuphrofitha na?
The lion will roar, who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken, who will not prophesy?
9 Memezelani ezinqabeni zase-Ashidodi lasezinqabeni zaseGibhithe lithi: “Buthanani phezu kwezintaba zaseSamariya; libone isiyaluyalu esikhulu phakathi kwayo lokuncindezela phakathi kwabantu bayo.”
Let it be heard in the buildings of Ashdod and in the buildings of the land of Egypt, and say: Gather together across the mountains of Samaria, and see the many absurdities in its midst, and those who are suffering false accusations in its inner most places.
10 “Kabakwazi ukwenza okulungileyo,” kutsho uThixo, “bona ababuthelela impango baphange lasezinqabeni zabo.”
And they do not know how to make it right, says the Lord, storing up iniquity and plunder in their buildings.
11 Ngakho uThixo Wobukhosi uthi: “Isitha sizachitha ilizwe; sizadiliza izinqaba zenu, siphange izinqaba zenu.”
Because of these things, thus says the Lord God: The land will be encircled and squeezed together. And your strength will be drawn away from you, and your buildings will be torn apart.
12 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.”
Thus says the Lord: Just as if a shepherd had rescued two legs from the mouth of a lion, or the tip of an ear, so also will the sons of Israel be rescued, who dwell in the sick bed of Samaria, and in the cot of Damascus.
13 “Zwanini lokhu lifakaze ngendlu kaJakhobe,” kutsho iNkosi, uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla.
Listen and give testimony in the house of Jacob, says the Lord God of hosts:
14 “Ngosuku engizajezisela u-Israyeli izono zakhe ngizabhidliza ama-alithare aseBhetheli; impondo ze-alithare zizaqunywa ziwele emhlabathini.
that in the day, when I will begin to visit the betrayals of Israel, I will visit upon him and upon the altars of Bethel. And the horns of the altars will be cut off and will fall to the ground.
15 Ngizadiliza indlu yebusika kanye lendlu yehlobo, izindlu eziceciswe ngempondo zendlovu zizadilizwa lezindlu ezinkulu zizabhidlizwa,” kutsho uThixo.
And I will strike the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory will perish, and many buildings will be torn apart, says the Lord.
