U-Amosi 4
1 Zwanini ilizwi leli lina mankomokazi aseBhashani phezu kweNtaba iSamariya, lina besifazane elincindezela abayanga lichoboze abaswelayo beselisithi kubomkenu, “Siletheleni okunathwayo!”
Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, you who are in the mountain of Samaria, you who oppress the poor, you who crush the needy, you who say to your husbands, “Bring us drinks.”
2 UThixo Wobukhosi usefunge ngobungcwele bakhe wathi: “Isikhathi sizafika impela lapho elizathathwa khona ngewuka, owokucina wenu ngewuka yenhlanzi.
The Lord Yahweh has sworn by his holiness, “Look, the days will come on you when they will take you away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.
3 Lizaphuma ngamunye ngezikhala emdulini liqonde nta phandle, njalo lizalahlelwa ngaphandle ngokuya eHamoni,” kutsho uThixo.
You will go out through the breaks in the city wall, each one of you going straight through it, and you will be thrown out toward Harmon —this is Yahweh's declaration.”
4 “Hambani eBhetheli liyekwenza isono; hambani eGiligali liyekwenza isono ngokudlulayo. Lethani imihlatshelo yenu nsuku zonke ekuseni lokwetshumi kwenu minyaka yonke emithathu.
“Go to Bethel and sin, to Gilgal and multiply sin, bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three days.
5 Tshisani isinkwa esilemvubelo njengomnikelo wokubonga lintele ngeminikelo yenu yokuzithandela lizikhukhumeze ngayo, lina bako-Israyeli, ngoba lokhu yikho elithanda ukukwenza,” kutsho uThixo Wobukhosi.
Offer a thanksgiving sacrifice with bread; proclaim freewill offerings; announce them, for this pleases you, you people of Israel —this is the declaration of the Lord Yahweh.
6 “Ngalilethela indlala emadolobheni wonke lokusweleka kokudla emadolobheni wonke, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and lack of bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to me —this is Yahweh's declaration.
7 “Ngagodla izulu futhi kusasele inyanga ezintathu ukuba kuvunwe. Izulu ngalinisa kwelinye idolobho kodwa ngaligodla kwelinye. Enye insimu yaba lezulu, enye kayaze yaba lalo njalo yoma qha.
I also withheld rain from you when there were still three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain on one city, and caused it not to rain on another city. One piece of land was rained on, but the piece of land where it did not rain dried up.
8 Abantu babhadazela besuka kwelinye idolobho besiya kwelinye befuna amanzi kodwa kabawatholanga anele ukuba bakholwe, ikanti kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
Two or three cities staggered to another city to drink water, but were not satisfied. Yet you have not returned to me —this is Yahweh's declaration.
9 “Ezikhathini ezinengi ngahlasela izivande zenu lezivini zenu, ngizihlasela ngesona langengumane. Izintethe zadla imikhiwa yenu lezihlahla zenu zama-oliva, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
I afflicted you with blight and mildew. The multitude of your gardens, your vineyards, your fig trees, and your olive trees— the locusts devoured them all. Yet you have not returned to me —this is Yahweh's declaration.
10 “Ngathumela izifo phakathi kwenu njengengakwenza kweleGibhithe. Ngabulala izinsizwa zenu ngenkemba ndawonye lamabhiza enu athunjwayo. Ngavimbanisa amakhala enu ngomnuko wezihonqo zenu, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
I sent a plague on you as on Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, carried away your horses, and made the stench of your camp come up to your nostrils. Yet you have not returned to me —this is Yahweh's declaration.
11 “Ngachitha abanye benu njengalokhu ngachitha iSodoma leGomora. Lalinjengesikhuni esitshayo esihluthunwe emlilweni, kodwa kalibuyelanga kimi,” kutsho uThixo.
I overthrew cities among you, as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched out of the fire. Yet you have not returned to me —this is Yahweh's declaration.
12 “Ngakho-ke engizakwenza kuwe Israyeli yilokhu, njalo njengoba lokhu ngizakwenza kuwe, zilungisele ukuhlangana loNkulunkulu wakho, wena Israyeli.”
Therefore I will do something terrible to you, Israel; and because I will do something terrible to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel!
13 Yena obumba izintaba, udala umoya, aveze lemicabango yakhe ebantwini, yena oguqula ukusa kube ngumnyama, anyathele lezindawo eziphakemeyo zomhlaba, uThixo uNkulunkulu uSomandla yilo ibizo lakhe.
For, look, he who forms the mountains also creates the wind, reveals his thoughts to mankind, makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth. Yahweh, God of hosts, is his name.”
